Identifying the Weeds That Could Destroy Your Lawn

Have you ever walked outside and noticed an unfamiliar-looking plant in your yard? 

It can be a challenge identifying more obscure weeds, but you must know what you’re dealing with to proceed with appropriate treatment. Weeds can take over a lawn, stealing vital nutrients from your grass and being an eye-sore. A doctor will offer you a diagnosis before recommending treatment — think of weeds as the same. Once you’ve diagnosed your weed problem, you can start giving your lawn the right medicine. 

Let’s look at some of the most common weeds we get over here in the States. Get clued up with lawn weed identification and be one step closer to a Golf Course Lawn. 

Types of Weeds in Lawns

Have you got a bare patch in your garden? Weeds are opportunists. They’ll pop up where your grass is weak or damaged. Some weeds can be removed by hand, and others are more persistent. Stubborn weeds will become increasingly difficult to remove as they grow back — the longer you leave them, the more they can establish themselves and spread further. 

All plants usually fall into three categories. Weeds included. They can be classified as either annuals, perennials, or biennials:

• Annuals — These grow for one year before dying. Annuals produce seeds that germinate into new plants, producing more plants the next year. 
  
  Examples of annual weeds: Chickweed, Crabgrass, Knotweed.

• Perennials — More difficult to control, perennials live for at least two years — sometimes many more. Their root systems are incredibly robust, meaning they can re-grow from the same root system repeatedly. 
  
  Examples of perennial weeds: Bindweed, Dandelion, Ivy, Japanese Knotweed

• Biennials — Usually living for two years, biennial seeds grow without flowers in the first year. In the second year, they flower and produce seeds. 
  
  Examples of biennial weeds: Evening Primrose, Burdock, Common Mullein

Knowing about the weed’s life cycle can help you choose which weed killer or treatment method is the best to use. Now, we can move on to identifying individual weeds so you can get back on track to achieving a green, vibrant lawn. 

Common Lawn Weeds 

Weeds can make your yard look messy and take over from plants you’ve worked hard to grow and establish. Use this convenient guide to identify lawn or garden weeds and get tips on the best ways to remove them. 

Dandelions

Crabgrass

Bindweed

White Clover

Type of Weed	Broadleaf perennial
Preferred Conditions	Grass, porches, gardens in both sunny and shady areas.
Appearance	White Clover has three-lobe rounded leaves, and you might be lucky enough to find one with four. Flowers are white/ pale pink and ball-like in appearance. These weeds are quick spreaders and form dense foliage mats across your lawn.
Weed Control Tip	Clover is one of the good guys. It adds nitrogen to soil, and flowers provide many beneficial pollinators with food. But sometimes, it can take over your lawn. To treat White Clover, use Certainty herbicide. Certainty is easy to apply and eliminates clover quickly, amongst others like Poa Annua and Nutsedge.

 

Nutsedge

 

Type of Weed	Grassy perennial
Preferred Conditions	Lawns or gardens in either sun or shade.
Appearance	Nutsedge has tall, slender grassy leaves with triangular stems. Their flowers look like little sheaves of corn, and they grow faster than most turf grasses. This makes them easier to spot.
Weed Control Tip	Nutsedge can be hand-pulled from the soil, but repeated weeding is required to eliminate infestation. We recommend using Sedgehammer herbicide. This post-emergent weed killer tackles Nutsedge effectively and won’t kill grass, ornamental plants, or shrubs.

 

Chickweed

Knotweed

Common Lawn Weeds: Identified ✅

These are just a few of the most common lawn weeds that you can find in your grass. You can use the internet to cross-check different weed types to ensure you have the right species, moving on to appropriate treatment. Of course, when dealing with lawn weeds, the last thing you want to do is kill the grass. Ensure you’re using products that will eliminate weeds, but not your grass. If using a non-selective herbicide, spot-treat weeds and avoid turf areas. 

One of the best solutions to controlling weeds in your lawn is to have a healthy, vibrant lawn to begin with. Flourishing, thick grass means weeds find it challenging to compete for light, air, and nutrients. Products such as fertilizers, biostimulants, and soil moisture managers can help keep the turf in good condition — minimizing the risk of a pest or weed invasion. Mow frequently (about twice a week) and ensure you dispose of weeds properly, so they don’t take root again. 

A lot of the time, the presence of weeds in your lawn indicates soil problems. Investing in a home soil pH test kit allows you to tell if your soil is too acidic or alkaline and why certain weeds are favoring your lawn. For a complete guide on how to get rid of weeds, check out our recent blog post. 

Golf Course Lawn Store can help you on your way to achieving a golf course lawn. Browse our full range of products, or sign up to the Golf Course Lawn Academy for more lawn-care tips and tricks.