Do you remember learning how to braid dandelion flowers into a necklace or headband? Remember blowing the tufted seeds into the wind… with faerie warriors riding them into the Grouchie Giant’s Kingdom next door?

All too soon your magic world disappeared when dandelions morphed into weeds… they became a garden chore that earned you some allowance money.

Well, time hasn’t changed perceptions very much…

The first step to controlling weeds in your lawn is understanding exactly what you’re dealing with.

That saying, “A weed is just a plant out of place” is still true. If you flipped through a botany field guide, you may be surprised at the plants you would find classified as weeds!

• Clover in one person’s flowing lawn may be considered fashionable, but not in another’s.
• Golf greens are often covered with bentgrass, but if it crept up into some yards it would be considered a weed.
• Dandelion yellow among all that green grass may be quite pleasing to an artist, but to a “lawn lover” dandelions are the enemy!

While perhaps pretty on their own, weeds stick out like a sore thumb in lawns and gardens because they may be of a different color, size, or texture… drawing attention away from the lawn.

Aside from aesthetic values, weeds can also drain nutrients from grass and other plants, and this competition of resources can thin out what should be lush. And what’s worse is that weeds are fighters. They can withstand conditions that many lawns and plants cannot… so they’re “naturally” inevitable!

Treating lawn weeds begins with correct identification…

There are two classifications of lawn weeds, based on their growing habits:

Grassy weeds…

These are like grass (duh!), but unwanted grass. For example, you planted bluegrass but there’s also some crabgrass in places. The crabgrass is just growing in the wrong place. Here are some other examples of grass “weeds”:

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  • Annual bluegrass
  • Barnyard grass
  • Creeping bentgrass
  • Foxtail
  • Crabgrass 

Broadleaf weeds…

These are what most people picture when they think of weeds. Because their leaves are broad, they are more easily distinguished. Some examples are:

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  • Yarrow
  • Chickweed
  • Clover
  • Ground ivy
  • Thistle

  • Dandelion

How to control weeds…

Once the weeds in your lawn are identified, you need to decide if it’s worth the effort to remove them. If it is, keep reading…

Did you know that most weeds can actually be controlled by focused lawn care maintenance? If you’ve developed a dense and vigorously growing lawn, you’re already combating the problem.

Weeds can also be a sign of problems in the soil. By killing them, you are simply putting on a band-aid… not solving the problem. For example, knotweed grows in compacted soil… a red flag signal for soil conditioning.

Here’s how to concentrate on a vigorous lawn care program, instead of focusing so much attention on destroying the weeds:

• Raise or lower the mowing height
• Change the frequency of mowing
• Change the amount of time between irrigating
• Increase or decrease fertilizer applications
• Aerate the soil

All these steps maintain better grass, thus keeping the growth dense and vigorous… which absolutely discourages weeds.

In addition to the above weed controls, there may be occasions when chemical products are needed…

These are the types of herbicides available in local garden centers:

Pre-emergence herbicides…

This type affect seeds that are germinating. Since they are best used two to three weeks before the seeds start to grow, they work best to combat annual weeds.

 Post-emergence herbicides…

This type is used, as the name implies, after the weeds have sprouted. Since it must be absorbed through the leaves, this type of herbicide works best with a spray. They can be applied at any time, but are most effective when the weed is still young and growing.

Selective post-emergence herbicides…

This type is usually used to control annual, biennial, and perennial broadleaf weeds, as it will not damage grass. But, it can kill trees, shrubs, and flowers. It also has to be used in proper conditions as well… with no rain in the forecast for two days following application, temperature 60-80 degrees, and no winds.

Non-selective post-emergence herbicides…

This type kills all types of weeds, and is best used to spot-treat grassy weeds that are not affected by the selective herbicides.

Remember the saying, “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? One of your neighbors sees his dandelion-strewn lawn as Nature’s work of art. Your other neighbor sees it as a crying shame… a complete mess.

So, if I were you, I wouldn’t blow dandelion tufts in THAT neighbor’s direction… the one where everything’s green and there’s no yellow to be seen, anywhere… where “weeds” are banished forever!

Susan Nelson Hopkins is a reformed gardener and lawn lover. She is resigned to the inescapable fact that we all must conserve water and do our part to protect the environment. But she has learned that this doesn’t preclude lovely, healthy gardens… and lawns. Her tip… less is more! Check out the rest of Susan’s Lawn Gardens. She is also webmaster of Susan’s Bird Gardens and several more gardening sites and blogs.