There are dozens of different lawn weeds, but the greatest problems are caused by a select few. While it is tempting to simply use heavy doses of broad-spectrum chemical killers to eradicate weeds, there may also be more specific remedies for specific weeds that don't require massive doses of dangerous chemicals. And some weeds are remarkably resistant to herbicides, responding better to different methods of control.
Here are three common weeds that most homeowners deal with in their lawns.
Dandelion: The common dandelion is a member of the aster family. It arrived in North America from Euraope and quickly established itself as a wildflower—and common lawn weed.
Unlike many weeds, dandelion is a perennial plant, and its tenacious long taproot makes it a difficult enemy to eradicate. But dandelions can be pulled by hand, and they can also be killed with vinegar if you want to avoid chemicals.
Or, you can eat your dandelions. Yes, dandelions are edible and delicious. All parts of the plant are good in salads or as cooked greens.
Next up is the Common Plantain. Common plantain has a broad leaf, but a relative, Plantago lanceolata, has grass-like foliage and is called buckthorn plantain, or ribgrass.
You can dig up plantains to get rid of them organically—the roots are relatively shallow, although this. However, this is a perennial weed, and any portion of the roots that aren't pulled will regenerate.
And last but not least is Crabgrass, and in our opinion one of the peskiest weeds! Many weeds have a "silver lining" in the way of offering attractive flowers, pleasant scent, or by being edible. You can find no such advantage with crabgrass.
These annual grasses can produce as many as 150,000 seeds per plant and are very hard to combat. This is not a weed that can be readily pulled, and as a grass, it is not susceptible to broadleaf herbicides. Most of the chemicals that kill crabgrass will also kill all other turf grasses.
The best solution for controlling crabgrass is using pre-emergent herbicides designed specifically for crabgrass. Crabgrass thrives in bare, poor soil, so keeping your turf grass healthy and thick is one of the best preventive measures.
If you're trying to combat any of these pesky weeds, give us a call. We would love to help you!