Weeds: Why We Hate Them
Those pesky little plant imitators that seem to grow endlessly despite all efforts to eradicate are back!
Weeds are often green, leafy, and sometimes they fit right in with the rest of the grass we grow in our yards.
But weeds are different than grass they suck the nourishment out of even the best-looking lawns and gardens, and crowd out the soft, uniform grass we all strive to grow in our lawn.
Left unabated, weeds will take over your lawn, suffocate your plants, and make your lawn appear patchy, thin, and ugly.
I often find myself wishing that turf grass was as tough and resilient as lawn weeds. But I guess if it was easy to maintain a perfect lawn, everyone would do it.
Mowing too often, watering shallowly, improper fertilizing methods, and poor soil conditions, are all ways inexperienced homeowners foster the perfect habitat for various types of weeds.
So lets get into my guide to lawn weed identification so you know what kind of a problem you have in your lawn, and how to solve it.
Identifying 9 Common Lawn Weeds
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
There are dozens of different lawn weeds, but the greatest problems are caused by a select few. While it is tempting to simply use heavy doses of broad-spectrum chemical killers to eradicate weeds, there may also be more specific remedies for specific weeds. Plus, some weeds are remarkably resistant to herbicides, responding better to different methods of control.
Here are nine common lawn weeds that most homeowners eventually have to deal with.
Canada Thistle Creeping Lawn Weed
Canada Thistle
Canada thistle is a persistent creeping lawn weed with thick jaggy leaves that grow in clumps. Canada thistle is a perennial weed, challenging to remove from lawns due to its deep roots. The pesky weed spreads through buds in its root system, extending 3 ft. wide and deep.
Lawn Weed Identification: Canada thistle has identifiable spiky green leaves that grow in a rosette pattern, appearing in mid to late spring. Its characteristic purple flowers bloom in summer. The creeping perennial weeds grow 8 to 12 apart.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Difficult to control because of the large, spreading roots. Most gardeners recommend a postemergence herbicide or chemical weed killers to get rid of Canada thistle completely.
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Common Winter Annual Weeds
Hairy bittercress , yellow rocket and whitlow-grass are all members of the Mustard family, which grow as rosettes close to the soil surface before sending up flowers on vertical stems. The leaves of hairy bittercress are usually 3 inches or less in length and covered with fine hairs. The leaves of yellow rocket can be up to 6 inches long and are smooth. Whitlow-grass has the smallest rosette of Mustard family discussed, no bigger than 2 inches in diameter. Leaves are oblong and covered with fine hairs.
These plants all produce flowers on upright stems. Hairy bittercress and whitlow-grass both produce small white flowers with four petals, deeply lobed in whitlow-grass. Yellow rocket produces yellow flowers, again with four petals characteristic of this family.
Henbit and purple deadnettle both have the characteristic square stem of plants in the Mint family. The leaves of both are deeply veined covered with soft hairs, but the leaves of purple deadnettle are triangular and the upper leaves are often purple in color. The leaves of henbit are more rounded to heart-shaped.
Common chickweed is a member of the Pink family that grows prostrate . It has yellow-green opposite leaves with pointed tips and dainty white flowers with five deeply lobed petals.
For more descriptions of weeds, visit MSU Plant & Pest Diagnostics Weeds and Plants for Identification.
Nutsedge Cyperus Esculentus And Cyperus Rotundus
Nutsedge is a grass-like weed with distinctive triangular or v-shaped leaf blades. This weed can be particularly aggressive in areas that are well irrigated. Plants have an extensive underground network of basal bulbs, roots, and thin fibrous rhizomes, which makes management challenging because these reproductive structures are often left behind when hand-pulling. Improving drainage of wet areas and managing irrigation can make the lawn less favorable to nutsedge. If only a few plants are present, hand-weeding may be the best way to eradicate the weeds. It is necessary to dig down and remove the entire root system. Monitor the area regularly after removal for regrowth and repeat hand removal until all nutsedge is eliminated.
The best weed killer for nutsedge: For large infestations, chemical control may be necessary. Nutsedge requires the use of very specific herbicides, such as Ortho Nutsedge Killer for Lawns, to achieve satisfactory control. Normally, two applications are required 10 to 14 days apart. When applying control products, avoid mowing three to five days before and after treatment and do not water for at least 24 to 48 hours after application. Begin chemical control in the late spring or early summer when nutsedge is young, actively growing, and most sensitive to herbicide.
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Annual Broadleaf Lawn Weeds
These are the most common types of annual broadleaf weeds you may encounter in your lawn.
Carpetweed
Some are small with little white flowers and others dont bear flowers. These summer annuals spread through seeds and will germinate quickly as the soil beings to warm up.
Control Methods You can pull these weeds out by hand or with tools. When caught early on, hand pulling can be very effective, but as the infestation of carpetweed in your lawn grows its best to use chemical treatments to eliminate it.
When maintaining your lawn keep the grass dense and healthy. Herbicidal treatments to use for Carpetweed are 2,4-D, MCPP, Dicamba or Triclopyr. I recommend the Southern Ag herbicide for Carpetweed.
Make sure to read the instructions carefully and follow all safety procedures.
Common Lespedeza
Japanese clover is very wiry and almost bush-like when present in a grouping of weeds. They grow low to the ground and will quickly crowd out and smother grass if left untreated.
Dark leaves are met with three smooth leaves and a singular pink and purple flower. These lawn weeds grow in under-fertilized, poor, soil.
Control Methods Hand pulling and weeding tools can be utilized to catch an early onslaught of Japanese Clover in your lawn. It can be difficult to pull, so I recommend waiting until the soil is moist.
Again Ive had luck with Southern Ags herbicide for broadleaf weeds, which you can find .
Knotweed
Common Lawn Weeds And How To Get Rid Of Them
Even the best-tended lawns come under attack from common weeds. Weed seeds float in on the wind, creeping weeds claim more territory, and weeds you thought you pulled quietly continue to grow. How well your lawn copes with the onslaught depends on the weeds involved, the response you choose and your lawns overall health. Understanding common lawn weeds and the options available to fight them can help you successfully combat the invasion.
To help simplify weed defense, weve charted 10 common lawn weeds, including their characteristics, type and how they spread, and most importantly- how to eliminate them. Weeds, like ornamental garden plants, can be annuals or perennials. Annual weeds, such as crabgrass, complete their entire life cycle in a single growing season, and then die, leaving seeds behind to continue the legacy. Perennial weeds, such as dandelions, come back year after year from their roots, and distribute new seeds to boot. Weeds can also be grass-like, broadleaf or sedge. Choosing the right weed control product requires understanding the weed you want to fight and its stage of growth. Pre-emergent weed controls, sometime called preventers, work to keep weed seeds from germinating and developing. Post-emergent weed controls fight weeds that have already germinated and emerged from the soil.
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Common Weeds That Could Be Growing In Your Lawn
Its true, NO ONE wants to have any sort of weeds growing in their lawn.
They are a nuisance, and they are typically quite unsightly.
However, there are actually different types of weeds. Additionally, there are different types of weeds that grow in different areas of the country. These weeds all have very different characteristics.
Some are very unsightly, but others actually have flowers or other uses!
Edible Hedge Plants That Serve As Both Privacy And Food
Are you thinking of adding some hedge plants to your yard or garden, but want the plant to also be edible? The good news is, there are plenty of plants that can be trained into being hedges, all while bearing edible fruit. In this article, gardening expert Madison Moulton examines the most popular hedge plants that yield edible fruit.
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Clover Creeping Lawn Weed
Clover . Red clover on top left and white clover on top right
Some gardeners view clover as an irritating weed in lush lawns. In contrast, other gardeners like a healthy percentage of clover growing among grass. Clover spreads by creeping stems that produce long roots that send up new shoots.
Lawn Weed Identification: Clover is a creeping lawn weed that has recognizable three or four small oval leaves. Depending on the species, clover can grow purple flowers or white flowers .
Lawn Weed Control Tips: The best way to completely remove clover naturally is by hand pulling it after heavy rainfall or thorough lawn watering. Alternatively, you could check out this article on why clover can be beneficial for your lawn.
Getting To Know The Weed Categories
To identify weeds in your lawn, and address the problem so they dont come back, you need to understand what type of weed youre dealing with. To do this, you must first understand that there are 2 main categories that weeds fall into:
- Grass-like weeds, and
- Broadleaf weeds.
And within those two primary types of weeds, there are sub-categories:
- Annual weeds , and
- Perennial weeds .
In this article Ill profile the most common lawn weeds within all four groups .
At the end of the article you should be equipped to identify the weeds in your lawn .
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How Weeds In Lawns Work
To understand how to treat a lawn, its important to understand the weeds themselves. Weeds are plants, just like the grass in your lawn. Because they are plants, weeds flourish in the same conditions that a lush, green lawn would. Weeds also grow when the grass is cut low and the soil is compacted. These ideal conditions can lead to a lawn full of weeds, but there are a few different types of weeds to be aware of:
- Broadleaf weed. These weeds include dandelions, clover, ground ivy, oxalis, chickweed, thistle, dollarweed, and plantain. The leaves on these weeds are broad and flat.
- Grassy weed. These weeds include crabgrass, foxtail, annual bluegrass, and quackgrass. These weeds grow in blades and look like grass.
- Grass-like weed. These weeds include nut sedge, wild onion, and wild garlic. These weeds may look somewhat like grass, but they grow in a more tubular and hollow shape.
Its important to identify which type of weeds are growing in your yard before choosing a treatment. Some products are specifically designed for certain types of weeds and can only be used for that kind.
Free Online Gardening Guides
Weve gathered all of our best beginner gardening guides into a step-by-step series designed to help you learn how to garden! Visit our complete Gardening for Everyone hub, where youll find a series of guidesall free! From selecting the right gardening spot to choosing the best vegetables to grow, our Almanac gardening experts are excited to teach gardening to everyonewhether its your 1st or 40th garden.
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What About Medical Marijuana Users
Once Amendment 3 goes into effect on Dec. 8, medical marijuana cards cannot be used against patients seeking employment or while employed. That means an employer cant discipline an employee or potential employee based only on the fact that a person is a medical marijuana patient, or because they consume marijuana outside of work.
However, these protections dont necessarily mean that medical users can be impaired at work without consequence.
We thought these are some important changes that we need to make sure that patients are protected. They shouldnt be penalized by any of these processes simply for using what they need medically, said John Payne, a spokesperson for LegalMO, the campaign that has pushed for the marijuana legalization initiative.
A medical marijuana patient cannot be fired for legally using marijuana of the job, as long as they have all the qualifying documents to show that they are a patient. Someone also cannot be fired just because they test positive for marijuana in their system if they are a medical patient.
However, an employer can take action if a person is under the influence while on the premise of the job, during work hours, if that is against the workplace policy.
Even with the protections in Amendment 3, employers can restrict marijuana usage if the employee is impaired and the marijuana is affecting the employees performance or leading to safety issues.
From Crabgrass To Dandelions Here’s How To Deal With Weeds
Kim Toscano is a gardening expert and writer who has worked in horticulture and communications for over twenty years, using her scientific training and practical experience to educate and inspire gardeners. She began her career studying invasive plant and insect species before taking a role with the Cooperative Extension Service, which she served for 11 years, initially as an educator with Michigan’s Master Gardener program.
In 2007, Kim moved to Oklahoma to serve as writer and host for Oklahoma Gardening, a weekly PBS television program produced by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. During her seven-plus years as host, Kim shared her expertise through more than 1,000 video segments covering all aspects of gardening, environmental stewardship, and sustainable living. She is currently a contributor to national gardening media, including Fine Gardening and Southern Living Plant Collection.
Lawns provide an ideal home for many unwanted plantsotherwise known as weeds. From coast to coast, many lawn care problems are associated with a handful of common lawn weeds. While a healthy lawn is the first step to combating weeds, sometimes additional control strategies are needed. Following are 10 of the most common lawn weeds and ways to manage them, including chemical-free weed killers and store-bought products that really work.
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Spray Or Spread On The Weeds
Since you followed the recommended instructions above you should be good to go with applying the product. For either spray or spread, gently walking over the area should give good coverage. If you spray make sure the weed gets good coverage. Dont water in for a good 1-2 hours. For granules, you can water in right away.
Estimated Cost:69 USD
Common Types Of Lawn Weeds
Youve encountered these different plants in many ways. Whether in your lawn, on the sidewalk, or at the park, weeds have made their way in or around your life and its time to break things down.
Some weeds are annual, dying off after one season, and others are perennials, which will grow back every spring.
Below are two types of weeds and some common species, broken down by their seasonal patterns, life cycle,in and control methods.
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What Is The Weird Grass Growing In My Yard 6 Common Grassy Weeds In Cincinnati Dayton Oh And Northern Kentucky
7 min read
Grassy weeds are one of the biggest nuisances that homeowners face. They seemingly pop up out of nowhere, spread rapidly, and can be difficult to control.
Your first inclination is likely to wonder what it is. In fact, at Oasis, we often have homeowners ask us, What is this weird grass in my lawn?
Oftentimes, they assume it must be crabgrass. But there are actually quite a few other unwanted grasses that it could besome are controllable, but the vast majority are sadly not.
If you have unwanted grasses in your yard and are wondering what to do, you arent alone. Thats why weve rounded up some helpful tips on what can be done.
Perennial Grassy Lawn Weeds
While annual grassy weeds get most of the attention from homeowners, perennial grass-like weeds can cause big issues over time.
Here is how to identify 3 common perennial grass-like weeds.
Dallisgrass
Lawn weed identification of Dallisgrass is pretty easy as its growth habit is unique.
Dallisgrass is a perennial grass that grows in clumps which quickly spread across a lawn if untreated.
Leaves are yellowy-green in color and less than half an inch in width. They can grow from 1 inch to 3 inches.
Dallisgrass can easily blend in with real grass if you have a poor quality lawn, but it has a faster growth habit, and will noticeably protrude above your lawn in the days after mowing while the rest of your lawn is still shorter.
Some people confuse Dallisgrass and Crabgrass, but the width of this plant and its growth habit is different .
Control Methods Dallisgrass can adapt to areas with improper drainage systems very well, so youll often find it in wet areas of your lawn. Its tough to pull Dallisgrass by hand to remove it, so this can be a good punishment for kids who have misbehaved .
Most crabgrass preventer pre-emergent treatments are effective against this perennial, but post-emergent herbicides might be necessary if your lawn isnt thick enough to crowd it out.
Pennington UltraGreen Crabgrass Preventer, Pylex Herbicide, Selective Weed Killers, and Treflan will all work well.
Nimblewill
Quackgrass
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