Getting Rid of Weeds: Not as Easy as 1,2,3

Safety

Struggling to manage your lawn weeds? Learn to identify weed species to control them effectively. Implement preventative measures like proper mowing and fertilizing, pest control, and stopping the spread of weed seeds. Consider all the weed-control options and make an informed plan of action.

If you live in a managed community, you may not have to worry about herbicides because a company like Floralawn manages your lawn care. On the other hand, if you deal with lawn weeds yourself, this blog is for you.

Know Your Weeds

The first step in managing weeds is identifying them. The more you know about what a particular weed needs to thrive, its growth pattern, and reproductive characteristics, the better equipped you are to control it effectively.

Weed Categories

  • Physical appearance: monocots have one leaf when the seedling first appears, and dicots— you guessed it — have two.
  • Structure and form: broadleaves have net-like veins, broader foliage, and flowers (think clovers); grasses have parallel veins and round, hollow stems (e.g., bullgrass and crabgrasses); and sedges and rushes have parallel veins, triangular stems, and bright leaves (e.g., yellow and purple nutsedge)
  • Life cycle: weeds can be annuals, biannuals, or perennials

Common Lawn Weeds in Florida

  • Tropical chickweed: spreads aggressively when its seeds stick to fur and clothing
  • Chamberbitter: a broadleaf summer annual with a woody stem; this should be hand-pulled as mowing will spread seeds
  • Crabgrasses: a summer annual that will spread if not removed
  • Dollar weed: a broadleaf perennial with a creeping growth habit
  • Purple and yellow nutsedge: perennial sedges; grow upright but runners and tubers spread if not controlled

Preventative Measures

1 Take Care of Your Lawn

First and foremost in weed prevention is proper turfgrass care and management. As UF IFAS explains, “The presence of weeds is the result of a weakened turfgrass stand, not the cause of it.” Make sure you are watering sufficiently, mowing appropriately, and fertilizing properly according to the needs of your turfgrass type. Note that the best kind of turfgrass to grow depends on your property and the amount of light it receives.

2 Manage Pest Populations

Pests like mole crickets, nematodes, and others can damage the soil surface, thin the turf, or result in bare spots. These are all opportunities for weeds to establish themselves. Proper pest control is an important component of weed prevention.

3 Prevent Spreading

If your turfgrass is healthy and not bothered by weeds, help keep it that way. Control weeds along borders, fences, and ditches. Clean mowers and trimmers after use in areas containing weeds before moving to weed-free zones. Carefully dispose of yard debris containing weeds.

Weed Control Measures

Non-chemical methods to control weeds include mowing, hand pulling, and smothering (blocking light). If using herbicides, or chemical controls, it is vital that you thoroughly read product labels before using and follow recommendations regarding timing, rate, and method of application.

Herbicides are organized into the following categories:

  • Time of application:
    • Pre-emergence herbicides must be applied before weed seed germination
    • Post-emergence herbicides are applied to emerged weeds
  • Site of application:
    • Soil-applied herbicides reach the soil
    • Foliar-applied herbicides must remain on the foliage
  • Mobility within a plant:
    • Contact herbicides affect only the portions of the plant to which the herbicide is applied
    • Systemic herbicides travel through the vascular system of the plant
  • Target selectivity:
    • Selective herbicides control only target species
    • Nonselective herbicides control all plants
  • Target user group:
    • Professional-grade products
    • Homeowner-grade products

Knowledge is a key component of an effective weed-control program. By understanding your turfgrass type, your property profile, and what weed species may be creeping into your lawn, you can make an informed decision about your weed management approach and kick those weeds to the curb.