As the weather turns a little bit warmer and we are now in the growing season, those weeds that weren’t there several days ago, are now all over the lawn. What do you do with a lawn full of weeds? In particular the mid spring weeds that are popping up now. The answer can vary depending on the weed. So let’s identify the most common weeds that we are seeing now.
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Dandelions – is it a wish, or a weed? Well, if it’s unwanted in the lawn, then it’s a weed. In an open field? The kids can have a blast with them. But in the lawn, it’s a weed. They have a very a recognizable yellow flower which makes them easy to identify. Shortly after they flower, they turn into a puff ball of seeds. And these seeds are spread either by the wind or if some blows the puff ball all over the place. They grow very quickly and are quite invasive, as they can spread with a light breeze. Removing them by hand is an option, but be sure to remove every inch of the root. If not, they do grow back. Spraying them with a lawn safe weed killer is very effective too.
Clover – clover is another easy weed to identify. It can be mistaken for yellow woodsorrel, but a familiar looking clover leaf is
something people are aware of. Clover is very common in many lawns and with the right treatment, can easily be take care of. It is a little more difficult to pull out as its a shorter weed and can grow in bulk. Certain times of year it will produce white or purple flowers, which the rabbits, bees and some other wildlife will enjoy. If it something you want out of the lawn, most lawn friendly (if not all) weed killers will take care of it. Clover and dandelions are some of the most common weeds, and are one of the easiest to take care of. Violets however, pose a different issue, as they are far more resilient and may take more persistence to get rid of.
Violets – violets are in full bloom during the spring after the ground warms up slightly after the winter months. Th
ey also produce white and purple flowers, but the shape of the leaf makes them different than clover, check out the pictures. What makes these weeds more difficult to kill is that they have a waxy leaf, which makes it less likely they absorb a good weed killer. They are typically only susceptible during the flowering stages of their life cycle. So the timing needs to be right, the proper weed control needs to be used and persistence is key. Often times these weeds will take a minimum of 2 doses, but may take several. Violets can be very stubborn.
We have very effective ways to help with these weeds. The best way for weed prevention is more grass, a healthier lawn. The healthy grass will choke out the weeds and they will become less of a problem. So a fertilizer program along with a seeding plan is the best way to get the lawn healthy. Along with a targeted weed prevention will get the lawn in great shape, and fairly quickly as well.