We’ve all had that sinking feeling when you’re checking out your lawn and noticing the (punk) seedlings of a dreaded weed.
Weeds can be highly problematic and radically affect your home’s aesthetics or even the structural integrity of your house or building. If a weed is strong enough, it can even cause damage to your property.
While it’s essential to cut back on the moisture that seeds need to germinate, that alone is not enough to ward off the invasive lawn weeds you no doubt have encountered over the years.
Read on to learn about the most common invasive lawn weeds and how to eliminate them.
Common Types of Invasive Lawn Weeds
Different types of weeds can invade your lawn and landscape, but identifying them is the first step in getting rid of them. Here are some common lawn weeds with tips on how to eliminate them:
Crabgrass
Crabgrass is an invasive lawn weed that can quickly take over a lawn if left unchecked. It is a challenging and hearty plant that can tolerate many environmental conditions, which is why it is so difficult to control.
Crabgrass is a warm-season annual, which means it will germinate and grow best when temperatures are warm (70-85 degrees Fahrenheit). It will germinate earliest in the spring when soil temperatures reach 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to Control?
You can do a few things to avoid crabgrass. First, make sure to mow your lawn regularly and at the recommended height for your grass type. This will help prevent crabgrass from taking over.
Second, use a fertilizer that contains crabgrass preventer. Third, water your lawn deeply and less often to encourage strong roots.
Finally, pull up any crabgrass that does appear as soon as possible. Following these steps can help keep your lawn looking its best and avoid this pesky weed.
Dandelions
Dandelions (Taraxacum officinale) are an invasive lawn weed in the family of Asteraceae. They are native to Eurasia and North America and have been introduced to every continent except Antarctica.
Dandelions are a nuisance in lawns because they are difficult to control, and their yellow flowers are unsightly. The deep taproots make them difficult to pull up, and they can quickly re-grow from broken pieces of root. Dandelions are also a major source of food for bees and other pollinators.
How to Differentiate?
Dandelions have long, thick, deeply lobed leaves that are bright green. The flowers are yellow and grow in a round, flattened cluster at the end of a long stem. The flowers turn into round, fluffy, white seed heads that blow in the wind and spread the seeds.
How to Control?
Dandelions can be controlled by regularly mowing your lawn, removing the root system, and using herbicides. Mowing your lawn regularly will prevent the weeds from taking over.
Removing the root system will kill the weeds and prevent them from returning. If you have a few dandelions, you can also use a selective herbicide that targets broadleaf weeds.
Nutsedge
Nutsedge is a fast-growing, invasive lawn weed that can be difficult to control. It is often mistaken for grass, but nutsedge has a thicker, brighter green appearance and spreads rapidly. Nutsedge can choke out desirable grasses and other plants and is difficult to pull by hand because of its deep roots.
How to Differentiate?
It is a yellow-green plant with triangular-shaped leaves. The flowers are brown or reddish and emerge from the leaf axils. Nutsedge is most active in the summer when warm temperatures and soil moisture is abundant.
How to Control?
The best way to control nutsedge is to prevent it from spreading. You can do this by removing the nut-like seeds before they have a chance to germinate.
You can also have weed control by mowing your lawn frequently and keeping it well-trimmed. If you have a small nutsedge infestation, you may be able to control it by hand-pulling the weed.
Ground Ivy
Ground ivy (Glechoma Hederacea) is a creeping, evergreen plant commonly found in lawns and gardens. It spreads rapidly by rooting at the leaf nodes and can quickly become a problem in lawns and gardens. Ground ivy is difficult to control because it can tolerate many conditions and is resistant to many herbicides.
How to Differentiate?
Ground ivy has heart-shaped leaves that are usually green in color. The leaves are often found in groups of three and tend to creep along the ground. If you see these characteristics in a weed in your lawn, it is likely ground ivy.
How to Control?
There are a few things you can do to help control them. First, make sure to mow your lawn regularly and at the proper height. This will help to prevent the weeds from getting a foothold.
Second, use a herbicide that is specifically designed to kill lawn weeds. Be sure to follow the directions on the label carefully.
Finally, make sure to pull up any weeds that manage to grow. By taking these steps, you can help to keep your lawn looking its best.
Yellow Nutsedge
One of the most problematic and invasive lawn weeds is yellow nutsedge. This perennial grass-like weed is difficult to control and can become a real nuisance in the home landscape.
Spread by seeds and rhizomes, yellow nutsedge quickly invades lawns, gardens, and landscapes. It is most active in warm weather and thrives in moist conditions.
How to Differentiate?
Yellow nutsedge is easily identified by its bright yellow, grass-like leaves and triangular-shaped nutsedge seedhead. Although yellow nutsedge looks like grass, it is a member of the sedge family.
How to Stop?
You can use a few different techniques to stop yellow nutsedge from spreading. Hand-pulling is often effective, especially when the weeds are small.
You can control larger weeds with herbicides but read and follow the label directions carefully. Cultural practices, such as mowing at the proper height and watering deeply but less frequently, can also help discourage the growth of nuts and other weeds.
If you can’t do it yourself, consider getting help at dtltotalturf.com. They’ll be able to get rid of new and old weeds from your lawn using weed control programs.
Purslane
Purslane is considered an invasive lawn weed in many parts of the world. The plant is difficult to control because it can reproduce rapidly from seeds and stem fragments. The plant is tolerant of many environmental conditions and can become a problem in areas where it is not native.
How to Differentiate?
The plant has a taproot with numerous lateral roots. Stems are prostrate, fleshy, and up to 60 cm (2 ft) long. Leaves are alternate, fleshy, and up to 2.5 cm (1 in) long.
Flowers are yellow and borne in leaf axils. Fruits are spherical, black, and 3-5 mm (1/8-3/16 in) in diameter.
How to Stop?
Removing purslane in your garden as soon as possible is essential to stop them from spreading. Mowing regularly will help to prevent them from spreading, as will removing any plants that you see growing. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn in early spring can also help to prevent purslane from germinating.
Lambsquarters
Lambs quarters are a problem for homeowners and gardeners because they can take over a lawn or garden and crowd out desirable plants. Lambsquarters is a common weed that is related to spinach and beet greens.
How to Differentiate?
It has a reddish stem and deeply lobed leaves that are blue-green. The weed grows quickly and can reach up to four feet in height.
It produces small, greenish flowers and seeds that can be dispersed by wind and water. Lambsquarters can be found in garden beds, roadsides, and fields.
How to Stop?
Hand-pulling is the best control method, but removing all the roots can be difficult. Dig up the weed and its roots with a shovel or hoe for best results. You may also need to treat the area with a herbicide to prevent regrowth.
Pigweed
Pigweeds are fast-growing and can crowd out other plants, making it difficult to achieve a well-manicured look. Pigweed is especially difficult to control, as it can produce many seeds that quickly spread throughout your yard.
How to Differentiate?
Pigweeds are usually taller and more slender than other weeds, with small, triangular leaves. They may have colorful flowers, but these are typically found in more mature specimens.
How to Stop?
Luckily, there are a few steps you can take to prevent and control pigweed in your yard. First, regularly mow your lawn so that the pigweed does not have a chance to flower and produce new seeds.
You can also try to physically remove the pigweed plants, making sure to get all of the roots. Finally, you can apply herbicides to kill pigweed, but follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully.
Chickweed
Chickweed is a fast-growing weed that spreads quickly and can choke out other plants in your lawn. Chickweed is often found in damp, shady areas and can be difficult to remove once it has established itself.
How to Differentiate?
There are many ways to differentiate between chickweeds, but one of the most common is looking at the flower head. Chickweeds have small, white flowers that are clustered together. They also have five petals that are unequal in size.
Another way to differentiate between chickweeds is by looking at the leaves. Chickweed leaves are small and oval-shaped with smooth edges.
How to Stop?
Hand-pulling chickweeds is the most effective method of removal for small areas. However, herbicides may be necessary for more extensive or complex areas.
Be sure to select a product specifically labeled for the weed you are trying to control. Apply the herbicide according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Shepherd’s Purse
Shepherds purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris) is a winter annual that typically germinates in the fall. This weed is very competitive and can quickly take over a lawn or garden if left unchecked.
How to Differentiate?
The shepherd’s purse is a member of the mustard family and has a characteristic rosette shape. The leaves are green with a white chevron pattern, and the flowers are small and white. Most other lawn weeds are not in the mustard family and therefore do not have the same rosette shape.
Also, their leaves are usually not as deeply lobed as those of a shepherd’s purse. Their flowers are generally different.
How to Stop?
You can control Shepherd’s purse by using a pre-emergent herbicide. This herbicide will prevent the weed from germinating.
If you already have a Shepherd’s purse problem, you can use a post-emergent herbicide to kill the weeds. Be sure to follow the label directions when using any herbicide.
Creeping Charlie
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a perennial weed that is difficult to control once established in a lawn. Their flowers in the spring and summer produce small, blue flowers.
How to Differentiate?
It forms a low-growing mat of leaves that can quickly crowd out grass. The leaves are dark green and have a minty smell when crushed.
How to Stop?
Make sure to mow your lawn regularly, as this will help prevent the weed from spreading. You can also consider applying a pre-emergent herbicide to your property in early spring. This will help to prevent the weed from germinating.
Additionally, you can pull up any existing weeds by hand. Remove the entire root system carefully to prevent regrowth.
Keep Your Lawn Weeds-Free!
We all know that lawn weeds are unsightly and can ruin the look of a well-manicured lawn. And some lawn weeds are invasive plants that can even negatively affect your health.
The best way to stop them is to pull them up by the roots as soon as you see them. If you have a persistent invasive lawn weeds problem, you must use a herbicide. Read the labels carefully and follow the directions to keep your family and pets safe.
You can also get a lawn care company to identify and control these weeds. Following these simple tips can keep your lawn looking its best.
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