Identifying and Removing Common Grass Weeds

Weeds tend to grow faster than the speed of grass, which unfortunately gives you the look of an uneven lawn. Fast-growing weeds can lead you to mow your grass sooner than necessary if you want to keep your lawn looking manicured and hide these annoying plants. 

The first step to getting rid of these pesky eyesores in your lawn is first to identify their type. Some common types of weeds include white clover, dandelion, and crabgrass. No matter what type of weeds are popping up in your lawn, you shouldn’t let the spread of weeds stop you from having the best lawn in the neighborhood.

 

Why Are Weeds Bad?

Weeds can make your lawn look messy and unattractive but can also be a contributing factor to your grass's health. Failing to remove weeds from your lawn will only contribute to weeds seeding and spreading, so it's best to get these under control when you first notice them.

The presence of weeds can hinder the growth and health of your grass. These annoying plants are competing with your grass for nutrients to grow, leaving less room for your grass to flourish.

Not only are weeds unsightly in your grass, but they are also a frequent contributor to allergies. Weeds have seeds that are blown off by the wind or other factors and float through the air, causing you to sneeze or have other uncomfortable allergy symptoms.

There are many different types of weeds, but we want to help you identify which weeds are present in your yard so you can better combat them. Whether you’re worried about grass health or your health, we can all agree that the weeds have to go! 

 

Common Types of Weeds

Though several grass weeds may show up on your yard uninvited, there are three common grass weeds that we will learn about in-depth:

•     Dandelions
•     White clovers
•     Crabgrass

 

No matter where you live, weeds are a problem that every homeowner will face. Though these tough weeds may never be completely eradicated, you can certainly learn how to get them under control. This common lawn care problem can be mitigated by tips on weed control removal, prevention, and control. Stay tuned to learn more about dandelion weeds.

 

Dandelions

Dandelions are one of the most easily recognizable weeds. There are two common indicators of dandelions found commonly in residential lawns: bright yellow flowers or the white, globe-shaped “wish” flowers.

These pretty dandelion flower displays tend to appear in the spring but are not always a cheerful sight to homeowners. Dandelions are master survivors, which is why it is tough to rid them from your lawn.

Dandelion weeds grow fast and live long. Dandelion seeds are wind-borne, so they can spread quickly and get out-of-control at a rapid rate.

A dandelion flower can live for years and grow in almost any kind of grass type. This resilient weed even breaks through gravel and cement. These plants have extensive roots that cut deep into the soil. Dandelion weeds are fun to look at but tough and hard to get rid of, so it is vital to know how to treat these pretty pests.

With dandelions and other weed types, it's imperative to pull from the root when removing. You have to dig deep to get rid of adult dandelion weeds. Pieces of dandelion that are left behind will very likely sprout into another pesky plant. Chemical control of dandelion should be done in the fall as the dandelion is storing nutrients in its taproot for winter. Herbicide sprayed onto the leaves will then be translocated down to the taproot for more effective control.

Let’s dive into white clovers and learn how these plants are not always good luck for your grass.

 

White Clovers

White clovers are a low-growing, perennial weed that spreads quickly through pastures, landscape beds, and residential lawns. These are some critical physical features to help you identify the presence of white clovers in your yard:

•     Three leaflets or clovers
•     White or pinkish flower heads
•     White "watermark" on the leaves

These white clover weeds can take over grassy areas by seeding or their creeping stolons, which are stems that produce horizontal roots. With the creeping nature of these plants and their clustered florets, your lawn’s appearance can be quickly impacted by the presence of white clovers. 

The presence of established white clover patches will likely require the use of an herbicide - make sure you do a lot of research on which chemicals are necessary for certain types of weeds. If white clover plants are young, they should be uprooted quickly before further spread.

White clovers were not always all bad - they help to improve soil, contribute to controlling erosion, and are beneficial for animal grazing. 

The white clover variety of weeds does not like dry soil and despises healthy, nutrient-rich soil. If you can keep your soil moist and keep up with fertilization, these are significant first steps in slowing the spread of white clover weeds.

We will teach you about proper fertilization techniques and the benefits of going liquid for your lawn fertilizer so that you can work against white clover weeds.

 

Crabgrass

If you’re familiar with crabgrass, you know that this is a sturdy and stubborn grass weed. The name for crabgrass comes from its physical appearance.  The plant has leaves that spread out from the center and resemble the legs of a crab. This annual plant grows low to the ground.

Crabgrass is heat and drought tolerant. Unlike white clovers, crabgrass prefers dry soil. If you have a very sunny lawn with crabgrass, there’s a high chance that crabgrass will continue to flourish in these perfect growing conditions.

We want to help you defend your turf against crabgrass and outline tips on how to effectively remove crabgrass from your lawn.

 

Other Common Weeds

Identifying lawn weeds isn’t a hard task when these unwanted pests stick out like sore thumbs in a healthy lawn. There are various other common weeds, some of which you may have heard of before:

•     Bindweed
•     Quackgrass
•     Thistle
•     Nutsedge
•     Pigweed
•     Chickweed
•     Creeping Charlie

 

 

 

When to Take Action on Your Weeds

When it comes to weed control, the sooner, the better. Regardless of the type of weed you have, these pesky plants seemingly spread too quickly but not so quickly that you can’t keep up with removal.

Even when you’re on top of your weed pulling, there’s no guarantee that new seedlings haven’t spread, so it’s best to keep a watchful eye out. When it comes to weeds, acting fast is just one way to get you closer to having the best lawn on the block.

For bothersome plants like white clovers and dandelions, getting into the action quickly and removing any kind of weed at the roots are our significant takeaways.

 

Weed Removal Tips

The days of sweltering in the summer sun and pulling weeds just got easier with our weed removal tips. When it comes to getting rid of weeds, it’s essential to keep these things in mind for a more straightforward removal process:

•     What is the most suitable soil condition
•     How to reduce seeding and spreading
•     When not to water your grass
•     How often to weed
•     What is the best way to pull weeds

 

Weed pulling is most effective when the soil is soft or damp. After a rainfall or irrigation is probably the best condition for easy weed removal. You can also water your lawn first to soften the soil before weed removal.

We recommend always grabbing the weed by the stem and getting as close to the base as possible. Remember to pull upward from the root, so you take it out in its entirety. Removing weeds by section instead of all-at-once can make the task more manageable.

Avoid seeding and spreading by immediately discarding plant clippings into a lawn bag to avoid spreading. Be sure you’re also cleaning any garden tools used to remove weeds to prevent the spreading of seeds.

Avoid watering the weeded areas of your grass. Watering your weeds can provide them with the right growing conditions, and we don’t want to see those weeds thriving!

 

Lawn Care Routines

Establishing a consistent lawn care routine is crucial, especially when it comes to weed removal. Sometimes this task can seem overwhelming, so we recommend splitting weed removal into parts when you’re first starting and have a lot of weeds to remove. Once you remove weeds, the job is never fully completed. Consider adding weed removal as a consistent part of your routine to prevent weed overgrowth.

If weeds are popping up in landscaping or gardening beds, mulch provides an excellent weed-preventing barrier. Remember to first remove any existing weeds before laying new mulch. A thick layer of mulch will help smother new weed plants before they come to the surface of your garden beds.

Apply these weed removal tips to any kind of weeds you are experiencing. If you’re working with more than dandelions, white clovers, or crabgrass, these weed removal tips will get you on your way to a healthier lawn.

 

Weed Control and Prevention

Working to control and prevent the spread of weeds is crucial for proper lawn care. We have outlined simple steps that you can quickly implement as part of your weekend grass care routine:

•     Seed bare or sparse areas so weeds do not inhabit that space
•     Fertilize at least one to two times a year, or as needed.
•     Address weeds before fertilizing.
•     Maintain a regular mowing schedule

Follow these steps to prevent the growth and spread of dandelion, white clovers, crabgrass, and other types of weeds.

 

Follow-Up with Fertilization

After weed removal, we recommend following up with fertilizer to re-enrich your grass. There are several benefits to lawn fertilization, including a more robust soil structure, proper soil nutrients, and an overall improvement in your grass's physical appearance. Without proper lawn care or fertilization, your grass can look dry, patchy, bare, burned, or dead.

Aside from being a tremendous post-weed removal lawn care tip, fertilization is also beneficial for the prevention of weeds. Be sure not to over-fertilize your lawn, or you could be doing more harm than good.

Are you unsure of what type of fertilizer your lawn needs? Try conducting a soil test and fill in the missing nutrients' gaps by checking out our collection of liquid fertilizer lawn food.

 

Lawn Care Shop

Weed removal doesn’t have to be hard. Whether you're dealing with dandelions, white clovers, crabgrass, or other types of weeds, we’re here to help. No matter what type of weeds are popping up in your lawn, there are plenty of ways to help combat these pesky plants so you can have luscious, green grass.

With the trusted experts at Simple Lawn Solutions, we provide you with the knowledge and products, so you’re equipped to take on even the hardest of lawn care issues. From lawn food to soil treatments, we carry high-quality products that your lawn will love.