It's fall - take one last shot at those lawn weeds!

Grass loves fall as a great time to grow. Weeds do, too.

So, when you’re finished planting new grass and fertilizing the rest, it’s time to take a crack at the weeds. Don’t give them a chance to go into winter still firmly implanted in your Brookfield, WI, lawn.

First seeding, then fertilizing, now killing weeds – did you expect there would be this much lawn work in fall?

In many ways, fall is the ideal time to improve the overall health of lawns in Elm Grove and New Berlin. Its window can be short, though. Falling leaves and temperatures can quickly divert attention and opportunity.

Killing weeds isn’t difficult. Choosing the right tools can be.

The key is to use a liquid herbicide. Granular weed killers are too condition-dependent; a bit of rain can wash them right off. Often they aren’t absorbed into weeds’ roots.

Liquid herbicides don’t have these issues. Spray the weeds, and they go right to work. You do need to plan around weather, though. Aim for at least 24 hours of dryness before and after spraying.

To stretch your budget, avoid premixed solutions and buy a weed killer concentrate. You’re better off buying too much weed killer than too little – the leftovers will keep until next year.

Be sure to read directions on the packaging. Which sprayer do you have? The herbicide label should specify which sprayer setting to use, to achieve the proper mix and greatest impact.

Spray generously, and catch every corner of your grass. Knocking weeds down in fall means fewer to battle in the spring.

Besides, this is the last true “lawn” task (beyond watering new grass). But don’t worry: Leaf raking is just around the corner. It’s called “fall” for a reason, after all.