Preventing Roadside Aster

The hot and dry weather is here to stay for awhile.  Keeping your lawn maintained can be challenging this time of year. Keep lawns watered as the law allows, mow it when required and treat for grub worms if needed. Something to keep an eye out for is a woody plant with a daisy type flower that goes by the name Roadside Aster. It should start showing up in a month or so. They tend to like unmaintained areas in a landscape. If you had Roadside Aster last year in your lawn or landscaping, you will almost certainly have them in the same spot this year, especially if the lawn is in the same shape. The easiest was to prevent this weed is back to basic lawn care,   in other words, taking better care your lawn.  These weeds will be the first to disappear when you start watering properly and feeding regularly.   With the water restrictions in place, that can be a challenge.  You can use a broad-leaf pre-emergent herbicide to prevent the seeds from germinating. Broad-leaf post-emergent herbicides such as 2,4-D or the high acidity (20%) vinegars will kill them when they are in the early stages of growth, but once they start to flower, they are very tough. Trying to pull them all by hand is a a daunting task and a back breaker!  Using a shovel or a sharp hoe to sever the roots is a better option.