Ultimate Tips to Get Rid Of Lawn Weeds (2023)

Lawn weeds are an unwanted presence that can harm your lawn.They prevent your plants’ food supply, reduce the space that plants have togrow, are parasites, and are a health risk for children and pets.

There are several methods ofcontrolling weeds in the lawn. Some rely on cultural practices and othersrequire chemical herbicides.

Dandelion

Dandelion is a wild, broadleaf perennial herb that growsthroughout the world. It produces yellow flowers in early spring and then drysout to form parachute-like seeds that look like fluffy seed heads. These seedsare easily dispersed by wind and often by kids, making them a major problem forgardeners.

The first step to controlling dandelions is identifying themand eliminating them before they can start growing in your lawn. You canidentify dandelions by their bright golden flowers and deep fleshy taproots,which can be 6 to 18 inches long.

To control dandelion weeds, use chemical or naturalherbicides that work on the root of the plant to kill it completely. Herbicidesare best applied to young dandelions and damp soil, taking care to avoidsurrounding grass or other plants.

You can also try to pull dandelions out by hand, which canbe more time-consuming. But be sure to remove the dandelion’s entire taproot orelse it will grow back and become a problem again.

Maintaining a healthy, well-manicured lawn is the wayto prevent lawn weeds, including dandelions. This includes keeping the soilmoist and providing adequate irrigation so that your lawn can grow strongroots. It is also important to mow regularly and raise your mower height sothat you don’t cut your grass too short.

One effective method of dandelion control is to lay down newsod or grass seed, such as zoysia, Bermuda, or tall fescue grass. This is amore permanent solution and will help to keep the dandelion weeds from growingin your lawn again, but it can be a tough job.

You can use a fire to burn offdandelions, but this can cause considerable damage to your grass. Grass that isburned may be more susceptible to pests and disease, and it is not always themost environmentally friendly option.

Chickweed

Chickweed is one of the most common weeds on lawns, withmany homeowners noticing a few patches in their grass in late winter and earlyspring. It grows in both sun and shade, thriving in damp areas of lawns andgardens, and it can be very difficult to control.

It is also a very effective host for insect pests. If leftuntreated, chickweed can form dense patches and crowd out the grass in yourlawn or garden.

The best way to prevent chickweed from growing in your lawnis to make sure your grass is mowed regularly. This helps to keep the grassrooted and prevents the weed from sprouting. You can also apply fertilizer toyour lawn to help it develop roots and avoid the growth of weeds likechickweed.

In addition, it is essential that you aerate your soil andfill in bare patches with new grass seed. This will help the grass grow andkeep it healthy so that it can compete with weeds like chickweed for resources.

Another good way to control weeds like chickweed is byapplying an organic herbicide. These herbicides are usually made with naturalingredients, so they won't harm pets or your family in the house.

However, you should be aware that these herbicides may notkill all the weeds. Some weeds like chickweed, which have shallow roots and afibrous root system, are difficult to kill.

To effectively weed out chickweed, you can use a spray thatis diluted with vinegar. This will target the roots of the chickweed and willkill it within a day or so.

You can also try using a chemical herbicide if you have anextensive weed problem. These are generally used on larger areas and will takelonger to kill the weeds, but they are effective at killing them.

The best way to deal with weedslike chickweed is by making sure your lawn is mowed and aerated regularly. Inaddition, you should apply new grass seed every few years and overseed thinningyour grass to help it outcompete weeds like chickweed. You should also avoidletting your lawn get too wet, since that will encourage chickweed and otherweeds to grow.

Creeping Charlie

Creeping Charlie is an annual weed that grows in shadedareas and can spread quickly. If you have a patch of creeping Charlie in yourlawn or garden, there are several ways to get rid of it.

For small patches of creeping Charlie, hand-pulling can be agood first attempt at eradicating it. However, you may have to repeat theprocess several times throughout the season to fully eradicate it.

If your goal is to eliminate the weed completely, considerusing an herbicide to kill it or smother it. Dicamba or 2,4-D are herbicidesthat usually work well against creeping Charlie. These herbicides can besprayed on your lawn to effectively kill the weeds in a single application.

A more environmentally friendly option for eliminatingcreeping Charlie is to use cultural control. This approach includes plantingother appropriate plants that will compete with the weed and keep it at bay.For example, blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) or common blue violet (Violasororia) can be used as ground cover alternatives to weeds like creepingCharlie.

Othercultural controls include mowing the lawn to a height of no taller than 3inches, performing yearly core aeration and dethatching, and fertilizing andwatering your lawn regularly. This will help to prevent regrowth of weeds likecreeping Charlie and other unwanted grasses.

In addition to mowing, a key component of keeping your lawnhealthy is maintaining the soil and ensuring that it drains properly. If yoursoil is not draining properly, it can easily become saturated with moisture,resulting in weeds like Creeping Charlie.

To prevent regrowth, spray a pre-emergent herbicide in thefall to knock back the weeds before they bloom and send seeds out. In thespring, reapply the herbicide as needed to ensure that your lawn stays free ofCreeping Charlie.

Alternatively, you can smotherthe weed with a tarp. The tarp will block the sunlight that creeping Charlieneeds to thrive and also kill any other plants in the area. You'll have to waita week for this method to be effective, but it can be a great way to completelydestroy a large Creeping Charlie patch in your yard.

Henbit

Henbit is a weed that grows in lawns where there's notenough moisture and shade, and also under trees and shrubs where grass has ahard time growing. It's a winter annual weed, so its seeds sprout in fall anddie down throughout the winter. When it blooms in the spring, henbit producessmall purple flowers that look pretty in your yard. However, the plants areinvasive and can take over a lawn in no time at all.

Henbit grows 5 to 11 inches tall and has leaves that areheart-shaped or round, with scalloped edges or rounded "teeth" withprominent veins on their undersides. It also has a square stem and flowers inthe spring that resemble orchids with a dark-red mark on the lower petal.

It prefers moist and shaded areas of your lawn, but it cangrow in dry and welldrained soil as well. You can prevent henbit from spreadingto your lawn by ensuring that your turf grass has the nutrients it needs togrow thick and strong. Mowing at the right height is important for this, sothat your grass develops a deep root system that will crowd out other weeds.

Controlling henbit is easy and can be done before it becomesa problem in the first place. Pre-emergent herbicides can be used in the fallto kill henbit plants and their seeds before they germinate in the spring.

Another way to stop henbit from gaining an advantage in yourlawn is to keep up with a good lawn maintenance schedule for your particulartype of grass. This includes watering regularly, mowing and fertilizing toensure that your lawn has all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

The best way to control henbit is to find it before itblooms and get rid of it as soon as you see it. This will prevent the weed fromproducing and releasing seeds, which can spread quickly across your lawn.

Apost-emergent herbicide is another effective tool in controlling henbit.However, it is important to wait a few days after a treatment to mow your lawnso that the herbicide can get into the roots of the weeds you're trying toeliminate.