There is nothing quite like a smooth, lush green lawn, is there? Such a lawn adds to the visual appeal of your home. Unfortunately, lawns are often laden with different types of weeds. Learning about different types of weeds can make it easier to remove them from the lawn.
Why Should You Identify Weeds?
A good lawn management plan starts by identifying a stubborn weed and learning its life cycle. If you understand how the weed grows and replicates, you will able to apply the right methodologies to manage it and ultimately make the lawn free of weeds.
Normally, the presence of certain weeds in the lawn indicates possible problems such as hard, compacted, wet, shady, infertile or thin soil. For instance, the prostrate knotweed does well in hard compacted soils. Therefore, identifying and understanding how weeds grow or reproduce can help you rectify any problems with your lawn that may encourage weed invasion.
These are some of the weeds you are most likely to encounter this year.
Lawn Weed #1: Yarrow
Yarrow weed is a perennial weed with feathery leaves. It may be both a blessing and a curse to homeowners with lawns. It grows up to 1 meter and flowers from mid-May through July. You can easily recognize yarrow weed by its feathery almost fern-like green foliage. The leaves are between 1 - 6 inches long.
Yarrow spreads by creeping seeds and stems, rooting at intervals. Its deep fibrous roots allow it to survive even in dry weather conditions. The perennial weed grows rapidly from the underground and will take over your lawn. The presence of yarrow weeds shows that the soil where your lawn’s grass is growing is chalky and is low in essential plant nutrients.
How do you control yarrow weed?
This weed is usually difficult to eliminate once it establishes itself in a lawn. However, if you take certain measures this Spring, you can avoid the growth of this weed. You can top dress to encourage rapid grass growth, feed your lawn with the correct fertilizer, mow your lawn regularly and lightly rake it. Also, some chemicals can be effective in eliminating yarrow weed.
Lawn Weed #2: Daisy Weed
Daisy weed is among the most common and recognizable lawn weeds that homeowners encounter. This weed is easily recognizable with its distinct flower that has a yellow center with white petals on the outside. It forms a low-growing mat; therefore, it can tolerate close mowing.
Daisy weed thrives well in soils that are low in essential nutrients. This perennial weed spreads by short underground runners known as stolons. It flowers from early Spring through to late Autumn.
How do you control daisy weed?
This weed is relatively easy to kill. If only a few plants are visible on the lawn, hand weeding with a small knife will be the easiest option. However, if the weed has taken over your lawn, then the use of chemicals is advised. Application of these weed killers should be done in early May but can be repeated about six weeks later if there is a need to.
Lawn Weed #3: Thistle
Thistle is a common perennial weed that thrives in unmanaged grass lawns where its seeds can germinate and establish without much competition. It is more of a nuisance in newly seeded lawns but disappears with regular mowing when the grass is grown. This weed produces dark green, flat low leaves. These leaves are usually prickly and can make lying or walking barefoot on the lawn a painful experience. Thistle produces large purple flower heads from July and will die after producing seeds. It should be controlled since they compete for light, food, and water with your grass.
How do you control thistle?
This weed can be eradicated with regular mowing. But if you need to use chemicals to eliminate the weed, use a selective weed killer that will not affect your grass.
Lawn Weed #4: Ground Ivy
A ground ivy is one of the most troublesome weeds that often threaten to take over our lawns. This cool season, perennial weed often grows best during Spring and Fall. It has distinctive coin-shaped leaves with round-toothed or scalloped edges. It creeps along the soil surface and roots down at the nodes. This lawn invader flowers in early Spring and produces white flowers or light blue to bluish-purple flowers.
How do you control ground ivy?
If caught early, the weed can be controlled by hand-weeding. Even though this activity can get monotonous, it promises positive results. If there is extensive invasion, use broadleaf weed killers. These chemicals will kill broadleaf weeds without harming your lawn’s grass. In general, Fall is the best time to treat green ivy.
Lawn Weed #5: Greater Plantain
This is a common weed that invades our lawns. It forms a flat rosette that can suffocate the grass underneath it. Its large distinct leaves have elaborate veins that can be smooth or covered with fine hairs. The growth of this plant is often a sign of a lawn that is suffering from soil compaction.
It can be distinguished easily with its long flower spike.
How do you control Greater Plantain?
The broad-leaved weed can tolerate close mowing, and the best way to control is through hand weeding. You can also take counteractive action in the form of lawn aeration to correct soil compaction. For larger infestation, chemical treatment can act as a last resort.
Lawn Weed #6: Creeping Buttercup
This is the most common of the lawn buttercups. This low growing perennial weed can be a serious problem if not dealt with early enough. It is easily recognizable by its glossy yellow flowers. It spreads quickly via its stolons that run along the ground rooting at intervals. This makes it one of the toughest weeds to eliminate from the lawn.
This competitive plant usually flowers from May to August, but can even be delayed until October. The growth of this plant is usually an indicator of a poorly drained soil.
How do you control Creeping Buttercup?
In case of limited infestation, hand weeding is the preferred method. Just make sure to weed out its entire root to make sure it doesn’t grow again. However, if they have spread into larger patches, chemical treatment will be necessary.
Lawn Weed #7: Sheep’s Sorrel
Sheep’s Sorrel is a perennial plant with creeping roots. It is easy to identify as it is composed of a distinctive clump of arrow-shaped leaves with downward facing lobes. In spring, the weed forms a flowering stem of up to 60 cm high that produces small green flowers which turn red-orange or orange-yellow when mature.
How do you control Sheep’s Sorrel?
The best way to control this perennial weed is through treating with translocated or systematic herbicides.
Lawn Weed #8: Ragwort
Also known as Ragweed, Ragwort can be a huge problem on neglected or poorly maintained lawns. This biennial weed has jagged lobes that are divided into sections and produces sturdy stems with a purple base. They produce yellow flowers from June to October.
How do you control Ragwort weed?
Having a well-maintained lawn that is frequently mown is the best way to keep ragwort under control. Hand weeding the individual plant can prevent the weed from spreading if the weed continues to be a problem for proper maintenance. Ensure you wear gloves when handling the weed.
Use a selective herbicide containing MCPA or 2, 4-D if the weed is widespread. It is crucial that you treat Ragwort at the rosette stage, the stage when the weed is starting to stem, followed by another application six weeks later.
Lawn Weed #9: Dandelion
The Dandelion is a perennial weed that thrives in nutrient rich lawns that have a high pH. The weed blooms in early spring due to the previous year’s overwintered plants.
Dandelions have dark green leaves that can grow up to 25 cm in length, forming a rosette. They have a single yellow flower that protrudes on top of a smooth stalk.
How do you control Dandelion weed?
Hand pulling is the most effective but most time-consuming method for controlling dandelion. Spring is the best time to pull out dandelions since this is when dandelion seedlings appear. The taproots of this weed can run deep, therefore remember to remove the entire root of the weed.
In case your lawn has a widespread infestation of Dandelion, use a systemic selective herbicide since hand pulling can get cumbersome. While the best time to control Dandelion is Fall, you can apply the selective weed killer during bloom time in early Spring.
Lawn Weed #10: Clover
Clovers are very common weeds found in lawns. Chances are you have clovers when you see patches of three bright-green leaves attached to one stem. They have creeping stems and comparatively broad leaves that are slightly notched at the tip. Various species of clover can cause alarm including Dutch/white clover, lesser yellow trefoil, and suckling clover.
The presence of clover weed indicates poor soils and low nitrogen levels in your lawn.
How do you control clover weed?
Hand digging is a common way of getting rid of clover. Clover usually grows in clusters, therefore making hand digging simple and efficient. Just ensure you pull out the greater part of the root system to prevent regrowth.
Applying fertilizer in areas with clover is another way to get rid of the weed. Hand dig small patches and apply broadleaf herbicide following the label instructions. You will have to make periodic applications in mid-spring to early-summer or mid- to late autumn when the weed is actively growing.
By knowing the differences in weeds, you will be able to address these problematic menaces to ensure your lawn is back to being healthy and beautiful.