Lawn weeds are bothersome, unwelcome plants that may ruin your lawn’s lovely look. Getting a weed-free lawn, on the other hand, may be difficult. Lawn weeds don’t all appear the same. Other sorts of grassy weeds, such as crabgrass and nutsedge, appear similar to grass but are difficult to tell apart.
Purple or yellow flowers may be seen on some aggressive broadleaf weeds in lawns. The unwanted plants can be difficult to eliminate from a healthy lawn because they include stubborn weeds like ascomytic Charlie, dandelions, and oxalis.
It is necessary to use a multi-pronged approach to eliminate lawn weeds. Digging up weeds from a lush, green lawn is, without a doubt, the simplest approach. To prevent your lawn from looking uneven and patchy again, you may have to eliminate the weed roots in the turfgrass in certain circumstances. Aerating lawns, fertilizing them, and removing thatch are also important for keeping grass healthy.
The weeds that plague your whole lawn may be identified in this article. You’ll also learn about several ways to eliminate stubborn weeds from your lawn for good, as well as other control techniques.
What Are Lawn Weeds?
Invasive broadleaf or grassy plants that grow in lawns are known as lawn weeds. Weedy plants ruin the look of a beautiful lawn and have an negative impact on grass production. Plants like dandelions are perennial weeds that reappear year after year. Annual weeds, such as crabgrass, die back and regenerate from seed each year.
How to Identify Lawn Weeds?
Proper identification is critical for removing weeds from your lawn. Because of their distinctive flowers, certain broadleaf weeds, such as creeping Charlie and dandelions, are simple to identify. Look at the leaves to see lawn weeds. Are they ordinary grass blades that are straight? Are the leaves serrated on both sides or are they broad?
To effectively eliminate the lawn weeds, it’s important to recognize their various forms. Invasive, spreading roots characterize perennial, creeping weeds. This indicates that just uprooting the weed isn’t sufficient to get rid of it. From the grass, all sections of the root must be removed. Annual lawn weeds, on the other hand, may be removed manually by pulling them up.
What are the Most Common Lawn Weeds?
Weed eating is a common habit across the globe. Lawn weeds range in USDA zones 2 through 12 and may be found in over 30 forms. As a result, if you want to maintain a lawn in your front or backyard, you’ll almost certainly have to cope with weeds at some point. Some of the most frequent weeds that grow in your lawn are as follows:
- Creeping Charlie—This invasive creeping plant with scalloped leaves and purple blooms blooming in the spring is an obnoxious lawn weed.
- Dandelions—A ubiquitous yellow-flowering grass with lance-shaped, irregularly lobed leaves.
- Crabgrass—Annual grasslike weeds with clumps of grass that make lawns look unkempt and raggedy.
- Oxalis—This broadleaf perennial weed prefers to grow on lawns that you don’t want it on. Clover-like leaves and yellow buttercup blooms characterize this weedy plant.
- Quackgrass—A persistent noxious weed that causes your grass to flourish quickly and emerge as a rampant, spreading thing.
What Are Weeds With Purple Flowers Called?
Purple speedwell, doves-foot cranesbill, henbit, wild violets, red clover, and purple deadnettle are some of the lawn weeds with purple flowers. Annuals or perennials may be purple-flowering lawn weeds. The garden accepts plants with purple blooms, although they should not be located in the middle of your well-kept grass.
What Are Weeds With Yellow Flowers Called?
Dandelion, oxalis, purslane, and yellow sweet clover are typical lawn weeds with yellow flowers. Yellow blooming weedy plants may brighten up your lawn with their bright colors. Instead, plants with yellow flowers should grow in flower beds rather than a lawn, if they want to preserve the appearance of healthy turfgrass.
How to Get Weeds Out of Grass
Physical removal is the simplest way to get rid of weeds from grass. Next, dig up all the weeds and roots from the lawn with a little trowel or garden fork. To prevent lawns from becoming patchy after weed removal, then, fill the hole with compost and lawn seed.
Some gardeners employ an chemical-based all-in-one weedkiller to exterminate weeds while they are fighting against them. To avoid putting potentially harmful chemicals in your garden, however, it’s typically best to use natural methods for weed removal. Some household products may not be effective when it comes to getting rid of lawn weeds naturally.
White vinegar, washing soap, or boiling water, for example, may be effective on weeds on the sidewalk if used correctly. However, both weeds and grass roots are stopped. Grubs in the grass might also be evidenced by patchy lawns.
Types of Lawn Weeds (With Names and Pictures) – Identification Guide
Now that you know what lawn weeds are widespread, let’s take a closer look at how to identify them. In addition, each type of weed is explained how to handle this unwanted plant in your turf.
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) – Creeping Lawn Weed
Creeping Charlie (Glechoma hederacea) is a ubiquitous grass weed that spreads quickly over grass and may be difficult to eliminate entirely. This aggressive creeping lawn weed with shallow roots comes out easily from the ground and is also known as ground ivy.
Lawn Weed Identification: The serrated margins of scalloped leaves, delicate lilac blooms, and creeping stems that root almost anywhere distinguish creeping Charlie.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: To get rid of the plant from lawns, manually remove the invasive creeping lawn weed stems. Furthermore, you can use a borax solution to eliminate this weed without damaging your lawn. 5 tsp. of salt should be dissolved. apply evenly to 25 square feet (0.25 m) of borax-water solution (2.3 square feet) ft. A lawn (m.) is a grass plot.
Quackgrass (Elytrigia repens)
Quackgrass has long, broad-leafed grass blades that have a rough feel and are easily recognized. In lawns, quackgrass develops into a thick layer of weedy grasses that quickly regrows after being picked off. Turfgrass roots clump together, making them difficult to remove.
Lawn Weed Identification: Quackgrass weeds may be seen with wheat-like stalks rising amid tufts of grass-like blades in lawns.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Dig out the noxious creeping weed and remove its roots to prevent quackgrass from growing. To eliminate the remaining roots, you can also pour hot water into the hole.
Canada Thistle (Cirsium Arvense) – Creeping Lawn Weed
Canada thistle (Cirsium Arvense) is a clump-forming creeping grass that has jagged leaves and grows in bunches. Due to its deep roots, Canada thistle is a perennial weed that is difficult to remove from lawns. The pestiferous weed spreads 3 feet (1 metre) wide and deep via roots in the root system.
Lawn Weed Identification: In mid to late spring, Canada thistle has distinctive pointed green leaves that develop in a rosette formation. It has purple flowers that bloom in the summer. Between 8 and 12 inches (20 to 30 cm) apart, the creeping perennial weeds grow.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Due to the massive, spreading roots, it’s difficult to handle. To completely eliminate Canada thistle, most gardeners recommend a postemergence herbicide or chemical weed killer.
Clover (Trifolium) – Creeping Lawn Weed
Clover (Trifolium) is a kind of grass. Clover is viewed as an obnoxious weed in lush lawns by some gardeners, including white clover (Trifolium repens) on the top left and red clover (Trifolium pratense) on the top right. Some gardeners, on the other hand, prefer a mix of clover and grass. Clover develops long roots that send up new shoots thanks to its creeping stems.
Lawn Weed Identification: Clover has three or four little oval leaves that make it easy to recognize. Clover may produce purple or white blooms, depending on the species (red clover (Trifolium pratense) and white clover (Trifolium repens).
Lawn Weed Control Tips: After substantial rain or thorough lawn watering, the best way to completely eliminate clover is by hand pulling it. You may also read this article on why clover is good for your lawn, which is another option.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) – Common Lawn Weed
Dandelion has distinctive yellow flowers and long, lanceolate leaves with lobed edges that makes it easy to identify on a lawn. Due to its deep taproot and light seeds that disperse quickly, a dandelion is a nuisance in lawns and difficult to remove. Furthermore, dandelions can make a lovely lawn look unsightly.
Lawn Weed Identification: Dandelion has lance-shaped leaves with irregular lobing and bright yellow flowers that resemble the sun, which is a familiar identification characteristic. Dandelions produce a distinctive puffball after blooming, which spreads seeds to the rest of the lawn and surrounding areas.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: To get rid of as much taproot weed as possible, use a dandelion digger. Dandelion seeds cannot germinate if grass clippings are left on the lawn.
Crabgrass (Digitaria)
Crabgrass (Digitaria) is an invasive grass that feeds on lawns that are deprived of nutrients. In the summer, clumps of this ground-hugging plant grow. Thousands of seeds are dispersed in late summer, ready to sprout the following spring.
Lawn Weed Identification: Since the tufts of grass are lighter than normal turf grass, crabgrass weeds are easy to detect in the spring. Clumps of weedy grass grow thicker and form a star shape during the growing season. Before it starts to seed, purple stems appear.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Maintaining a healthy lawn is the best way to control crabgrass weeds. To develop a strong root system, remove thatch in the spring and overseed your lawn on a regular basis.
Plantain (Plantago)
Plantain is a broadleaf perennial weed that grows in lawns with firm soil or grass roots that have not formed properly. Depending on the species, plantain weeds have large oval or small pointed leaves. In lawns, seeds develop at the end of long stems, giving them a unsightly look.
Lawn Weed Identification: Because of their rosette-shaped leaves, plantain weeds are simple to spot. From May through September, upright stems produce cone-shaped cluster of greenish-white flowers.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Digging up the relatively shallow roots of plantain is the best way to control them. Regular mowing and keeping the blade at 3″ (7.5 cm) high will help prevent plantain from becoming a bother, too.
Dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum)
Because of the tufts of large blades, dallisgrass (Paspalum dilatatum) makes lawns appear uneven and unsightly. By spreading via short rhizome roots, dallisgrass becomes a pest in lawns. A huge circular flat clump of weedy grass may develop over time, destroying lawn grass in the process.
Lawn Weed Identification: In turfgrass, the grass-like blades grow together to form tiny clusters up to 10 inches long.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: In hotter areas, the best way to control dallisgrass in your lawn is by mowing and caring for it properly. Weed growth is also inhibited by accurate watering and fertilization. Dig up any existing dallisgrass clumps and replace the lawn’s barren areas with reseed.
Nutsedge (Cyperus)
Nutsedge (Cyperus) is a persistent weed that grows like grass and has nuts as its name suggests. Weedy plants spread via tubers, and in lawns with poor drainage, they may grow into unsightly grass patches. Eliminating nutsedge from lawns as soon as it emerges and tubers develop is the most effective strategy.
Lawn Weed Identification: The yellowish-green glossy leaves and three-sided, triangular stems that grow in groups of three make nutsedge lawn weed easy to see. The invasive lawn weed looks like large areas of thin grass that are significantly longer than normal grass.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Water the land thoroughly and manually remove the lengthy grass-like clumps from around nutsedge weeds.
Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia)
Common Ragweed (Ambrosia artemisiifolia) is a slender, fern-like perennial lawn weed. Ragweed thrives on poorly compacted soil and has shallow roots. Ragweed’s ability to spread over 60,000 seeds per season makes it so invasive. Even if you think you’ve eradicated this lawn weed for good, it will come back the next year.
Lawn Weed Identification: Ragweed leaves are fern-like and feathery, with a distinctive aroma. On lawns, the leaves form small clusters.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Regularly mowing your lawn to prevent weed seed dispersion is the greatest strategy to manage common ragweed in lawns. Additionally, aerating your lawn and feeding it nutrients will help prevent soil compaction and malnutrition.
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea)
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) is a fast-spreading invasive weed that spreads by releasing seeds. On fertilized lawns and degraded grass, Purslane thrives in warm, moist conditions. If the stems of purslanes are allowed to grow in lawns or on the soil surface, they acquire invasive characteristics. A mature plant can produce almost 50,000 seeds in a single season.
Lawn Weed Identification: Purslane weeds have obovate succulent leaves that grow on long, spreading red stems and are very visible. Five-petalled yellow flowers emerge from purslane as well.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Removing purslane by hand is simple and effective. Yet, in the spring before it has a possibility to produce seeds, it’s preferable to manually pull the weedy plant. You’ll also have to remove the entire root.
Hairy Bittercress Weed (Cardamine hirsuta)
Hairy bittercress is a flowering weed that typically emerges on lawns around the beginning of the season. In the spring, white flowers appear on a broadleaf weed plant that is made up of flat clumps of stems with tiny oval leaves. After blooming in the spring, hairy bittercress spreads quickly via seed production.
Lawn Weed Identification: A low-growing rosette cluster of pinnate leaves on outstretching stems is known as hairy bittercress.
Lawn Weed Control Tips: Regular mowing early in the season is the best way to control hairy bittercress weed. Erect stems are prevented from growing and seed production is inhibited by this weed control technique.
Dollarweed (Hydrocotyle)
Dollarweed thrives in damp lawns with poor drainage and few nutrients, and is a warm-season, broadleaved creeping lawn weed. This perennial weedy lawn plant with rounded, scalloped-edged leaves and white summer-blooming blooms is also known as pennywort and grows in shaded lawns. Because it spreads via creeping underground rhizomes and seeds, dollarweed is so invasive.
Lawn Weed Identification: Dollarweed’s distinctive circular leaves, shaped like a dollar, are easy to distinguish. Also check for the round leaves with scalloped, wavy margins that grow on spreading steams. Little lily pads look like leafy weed leaves.Lawn Weed Control Tips: Reduce watering to allow the soil to partially dry out before allowing weed growth. Then mow the grass every three weeks, keeping it to 3″ (7.5 cm) long. Further, aerating the lawn to avoid compaction may help promote turfgrass health.
How to Prevent Lawn Weeds
The finest method to avoid lawn weed problems is by doing proper lawn care. Mowing at a high level, fertilizing lawns on a regular basis, removing thatch, aerating lawns, and overseeding them are all required. Weeds cannot take root in healthy turfgrass with a deep root system. Furthermore, allowing weed seeds to germinate and sprout is prevented by keeping grass longer.