If you live in an area with warmer winter weather, you know about the frustration of winter weeds. Even those traditionally cold locations can see winter weeds after an unusually warm winter. These pesky lawn invaders can make their home in your healthy lawn. You should never ignore these weeds since they can spread and harm the overall health of your yard. For those homeowners who want to rid their lawns of winter weeds, make sure to check out these lawn care tips.
Taking Care of Your Lawn
Like most homeowners, you probably add a pre-emergent treatment to kill those perennial and annual weeds. Unfortunately, some weeds can survive this treatment. In that case, you will want to pull the weeds out by hand or spray them on the spot. However, these treatments are not always effective. Many homeowners apply the pre-emergent and continue to see weeds in their lawns. If this is the issue with your yard, you can do a few things to rid yourself of those winter weeds and help prepare your lawn for the spring.
The Ideal Time for Lawn Treatment
Fall is a great time to start controlling those perennial weeds in your lawn. During this time, the plants and weeds are beginning to build up their winter food storage. When you treat these perennial weeds in the fall, the herbicide has a better chance to reach the roots. With this treatment, the weeds are managed right at their energy source.
These fall weed treatments can work for both perennial and annual weeds. You want to choose a product that combines both a pre- and post-emergent herbicide. These products target those weeds that are already established in your yard. While most herbicides work great in the fall, your particular product might recommend another season for better results.
Common Winter Weeds
There are a few weeds that you will see throughout the winter. These types of annual weeds start to germinate during the late summer to early fall. You will begin to see them sprout in the fall. For those areas with warmer weather, these weeds last throughout the winter and early spring. By the late spring, some winter weeds begin the process of seeding. It is crucial to remove these weeds before they turn into a big problem for your yard.
The common chickweed is one of those weeds. If your lawn is left untreated, then you might find this weed in a shady spot under your trees. For those colder climates, common chickweed can thrive in direct sunlight. You want to maintain a thicker lawn to prevent chickweed growth. Taller lawns are also known to keep chickweed in check. Chickweeds love to grow in those sparser lawns.
Henbit is another winter weed, and it also prefers the same type of environment as the chickweed. These weeds stay away from those robust, thick lawns. If you want to keep these weeds at bay, it is important to maintain a healthy turf. Henbit can start to spread aggressively, and it tends to be a significant problem in a newly seeded lawn.
For those lawns with an outbreak of henbit, you want to want to deal with it as soon as possible. The plants are vulnerable to herbicides when they are young. When henbit is allowed to mature, the roots can become more resilient to typical weed applications. Henbit requires a herbicide that can work in those cooler temperatures. If you apply a post-emergent herbicide to these weeds, you can get a handle on your henbit problem.
Dandelions are often associated with the summer, and they produce bright yellow flowers. While these weeds may look pretty, they are destructive to your lawn. These common lawn intruders turn from yellow petals into white puffs. You want to remove dandelions from your yard before they start to seed. Once the flowers mature, those seeds will blow and spread. If you are looking to remove them from your turf, you want to root them out. There are even specialized tools, known as dandelion diggers, that can aid you in the process of removing dandelions.
Annual bluegrass is another fast-growing winter weed. These weeds are harmful and often destroy the appearance and health of your lawn. Annual bluegrass is not related to Kentucky bluegrass. This particular weed is extremely destructive. After these weeds die, they leave bare spots in your grass. Annual bluegrass can be challenging to control, and you want to stop its spread. Prevention is the most effective way to manage these winter weeds. You should maintain a high cut of your lawn to prevent the bluegrass from developing roots. Overwatering allows this weed to thrive, and it can make your turf more susceptible to these problems.
Annual bluegrass plants can be removed by hand. You want to get them out of your lawn before they start to seed. If you have a large infestation, then you need to add a post-emergent herbicide treatment. Depending on your type of grass, make sure to choose the right herbicide for your turf.
Get Help for Your Winter Weeds
Even with the best preventive measures, you might have issues with winter weeds. Chickweed and henbit are the easiest to remove. You might have a difficult time eliminating annual bluegrass and dandelions in your yard. However, pulling by hand or herbicide treatments are often enough to rid yourself of these harmful plants.
For those tough winter weeds, you could use the help of a professional lawn care company. At Charlestown Landscaping, we can find the best ways to prevent or treat those pesky winter weeds. Our team will develop the right strategy to protect your lawn and keep away these winter intruders. You can sit back and enjoy the beauty of your outdoor spaces throughout the year. We will handle all those tough chores, including mowing, lawn care applications, and more. Our company also specializes in snow removal. If you are looking for comprehensive care for your outdoor spaces, please fill out the contact form. We can schedule a consultation for your property.