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| Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/John M. Rickard |
| If your weed problems are minor and you detect them early, the safest way to get rid of them is with the good old-fashioned weed fork. |
Weeds – almost every lawn has a few. Broadleaf weeds (“dicots” that emerge with two seed leaves) are easy to spot. They’re the ones that look like small plants and often send up flowers destined to spread seeds across your turf. These offending grass invaders include plants like dandelions, clover, creeping Charlie (also known as moneywort), knotweed, oxalis, plantain, purslane, curly dock, mallow, spurge, chickweed, henbit, yarrow and thistle. Some are perennial, while the others are mainly summer annuals and occasionally bulbs, germinating in spring and maturing in autumn, producing seed as they go. They’re a bane to lawn perfectionists and rapidly spread – unless eliminated early.
If the offending plants are small and few, the best way to take care of them is the old-fashioned way: Dig them out with a weeding fork or other weeding tool. (Just make sure to remove the entire taproot, or the plants will regenerate quickly.)
On the other hand, if your weed problem is already widespread, you might opt to resort to chemicals. Choose postemergent herbicides as opposed to pre-emergent ones (which work better on grassy weeds or “monocots”). As the name implies, postemergent herbicides kill weeds once they’ve already started to grow – and they’re designed to kill broadleaf plants without damaging turfgrass.
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| Photo Credit: ©2000 Dolezal Publishing/Image Point |
| Mention lawn weeds, and dandelions probably come to mind. You’ve got to remove the entire taproot from these deep-rooted plants or they’ll grow right back again! |
As with all chemicals, use herbicides very carefully. Your annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees are also broadleaf dicots, and they’ll die along with your broadleaf weeds if you don’t follow the label instructions exactly. And always avoid overspraying. In fact, for broadleaf weeds growing near planting beds and trees, it’s wiser to be safe and just use a garden spade or weed fork for removal instead of spraying at all.
Because postemergent herbicides are primarily absorbed through the leaves, opt for liquid sprays rather than dry granular types if possible. The chemicals are frequently mixed with water in a sprayer attached to a garden hose, but be careful – the higher the water pressure, the more likely the solution is to carry over to your other plants. Follow the captions in the accompanying photos for a step-by-step guide on proper application.
Remember, all herbicides are powerful chemicals, so always wear protective gear when mixing, applying and cleaning up – that includes gloves, eye protection and a respirator mask. And always mix, apply and dispose of unused chemical controls in strict accordance with their package label instructions to avoid hazard to you, your family and the environment.
Finally, it’s best to use herbicides during the growing season, either in early spring or late summer to early fall, when temperatures are 65-80 degrees F. Pick a calm day without any wind or rain in the 48-hour forecast. The soil should be moist but not wet. You may need to repeat the application in 20-30 days for total control. Once your broadleaf weeds are gone, be sure to take good care of your lawn. With the right watering, fertilizing and mowing practices, big weed problems in your lawn should make like a tree…and leave.
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| Warnings |
- All garden chemicals are hazardous. Always read and follow label directions exactly, and be careful when handling and applying. Protective clothing and a respirator mask are also a must anytime you apply chemicals, and don’t forget to protect nearby plants from overspray. Prevent any access to the lawn – especially for children and pets – for at least 5 days after treatment.
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| Tips |
- If you decide to hire a professional lawn service, be sure the company is affiliated with one or more professional lawn care associations. Most associations, like the Professional Lawn Care Association of America (PLCAA), have a code of ethics and keep their membership informed about new developments in pest-control methods, safety, training, research and regulation.
- If you do opt for a lawn service, make it a point to know what the hired company is doing to your turfgrass and whether it’s being done right. Lawn care companies provide a combination of fertilizer application, weed prevention and control, and pest and disease remediation services. Have your technician share the details of each visit with you.
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| Faqs |
- Q: What’s the best way to avoid lawn weeds in the first place?
A: To keep broadleaf weeds at bay, maintain a thick, healthy lawn. Crabgrass seeds, for example, don’t germinate as readily in low light, so raising your mowing height will cut down on light. Also practice vigilance. That one adorable little dandelion soon will be joined by a legion of others if you let it propagate and go to seed. - Q: Why don’t postemergent weeds also kill grass?
A: Since broadleaf weeds differ genetically from grassy ones, chemical poisons have been developed that specifically kill the weeds without harming turfgrass. (There are also herbicides that kill grasses without harming broadleaf plants.)
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