How to Weed Scotts® ProVista™ Sod (Homeowners)

It’s a fact: Weeds happen. Everyone wants a lawn free of these pesky plants, but sometimes nature has a different plan. The good news is, Scotts® ProVista™ sod starts with fewer weeds so you end up with less in the long-term.

That said, no lawn is perfect, so you’ll want to keep an eye on your sod to make sure it stays as flawless as possible. There are certain weeds that love St. Augustine grass as much as you do, and knowing what those are is half the battle. When dormant, weeds like henbit, chickweed, and clover love to move in, while pesky weeds like bermudagrass and crabgrass attempt to take over during the warmer, growing months.

Let’s take a look at how Scotts® ProVista™ is designed to prevent weeds in new sod, how you can prevent future weeds, and how to treat weeds that seem a bit more determined to hang around.

START WITH FEWER WEEDS

From the very start, the growers behind Scotts® ProVista™ sod have weed control in mind. They provide meticulous care to ensure that during key growth stages, it’s difficult for weeds to get started or take hold.

While most types of sod are fairly adept at fighting off weeds because of the dense growth habit, Scotts® ProVista™ takes it to the next level. An even tighter growth formation helps crowd out grassy and broadleaf weeds, leaving them little room to grow. But weeds are opportunists, and will take advantage of the same water and feeding that you provide your lawn. So, while Scotts® ProVista™ is engineered to naturally crowd out weeds, a solid lawn care plan will complete the job and help ensure a lush, green, weed-free lawn.

HOW TO PREVENT WEEDS IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS SOD

The key to weed prevention and control is, of course, to properly maintain your sod so those unwanted lawn guests aren’t given an invitation to visit in the first place. To help you with this, we’ve created the Scotts® Program so everything you need to maintain a robust lawn (including weed control) is delivered right to your doorstep, at the exact time you need to apply it.

What else can you do? Here are surefire ways to keep your Scott’s® ProVista™ sod happy.

Water and Mow Properly

Adequate irrigation and a regular mowing schedule will help keep your sod in peak condition so it’s better able to crowd out weeds. Luckily, Scott’s® ProVista™ grows more slowly than most other St. Augustine grass types, so if you’re used to mowing a lot, you’re in for a treat. Read How to Care for a Scotts® ProVista™ St. Augustine Lawn Season by Season for our best watering and mowing tips.

Apply the Right Products at the Right Time

One of the best tools in your arsenal is Scotts® Turf Builder® Southern Triple Action. Just 1 application kills and prevents dollarweed, clover, oxalis, plantain, chickweed, and henbit, while also offering protection against fire ants, armyworms, fleas, mole crickets, chinch bugs, sod webworms, and ticks. (As a bonus, it feeds the lawn, too!)

Stay on Top of Lawn Maintenance

In addition to the Scotts® Program, check out our My Lawn app. It guides you through a super-easy setup designed specifically for your lawn, then lets you know what to do (and when) in order to stay on top of things.

HOW TO GET RID OF WEEDS IN ST. AUGUSTINE AND KENTUCKY BLUEGRASS SOD

We all know that in spite of our best efforts, some weeds will still pop up. How to treat it depends on how many weeds you’re seeing. Don’t forget, not all control products are right for St. Augustine or Kentucky Bluegrass sod, so be sure to check the label before you apply anything. Or, let the Scotts® Program figure it out for you!

For the DIY-ers, here are our tips for the 2 types of weeds you’ll encounter: Occasional and persistent.

• Occasional and isolated weeds. For one-on-one treatments, grab a liquid selective weed control product that is labeled for use on 'Floratam' St. Augustinegrass such as Ortho Weed B-gon. Remember: Always apply weed control products according to the label instructions, and make sure it’s safe to use on grass—you don’t want to kill your precious sod while getting rid of a random dandelion.
• Persistent and invasive weeds. There are some invasive, grassy weeds (we’re looking at you, bermudagrass) that can be tough to control with off-the-shelf products. To fight those weeds, you might want to phone a friend—AKA, a lawn care professional. You didn’t lay picture-perfect sod just to let it go. Once they get it back to looking like its original state, you should be fine to continue on your own.
• For Kentucky bluegrass that has occasional and isolated weeds, Scotts ® Weed Control for Lawns is our recommended solution. Remember: Always apply weed control products according to the label instructions, and make sure it’s safe to use on grass. 

With these tips and tools, rest assured you’re now in control of any weeds you might encounter, rather than the weeds controlling you.