Dandelions are common weed that grow in lawns and garden beds, but they compete with grass for nutrients. Dandelions has a rosette of jagged leaves that grow close to the ground. When you identify a dandelion, you can dig deep into the ground to remove the taproot of the dandelion before it produce seeds.
If you do not remove the dandelion taproot, the dandelion will continue to produce more seed. Broadleaf weeds are more different than grass because the leaf of broadleaf weeds spread wide. They have flowers or seed heads and grow in an areas with compost or high foot traffic.
How to Identify and Remove Lawn Weeds
When the soil condition are good for germination, broadleaf weeds will germinate and outcompete the grass for sunlight and water. If you identify these weeds early, you can act before they develops deep root systems into the soil. To control weeds effectivly, you must first understand the difference between annual and perennial weed.
Annual weeds, like chickweed or purslane, will complete their life cycle within a single growing season. You can pull these weeds out by their roots when they are young. Perennial weeds, like bindweed or white clover, have extensive root system or stolons that make them difficult to pull up by the roots.
Creeping Charlie is a perennial weed that stores energy in the ground during the fall to emerge as a seed the following spring. Therefore, you can control it with targeted herbicide application in the fall. Another way to identify weeds is through the shape of there leaves.
Plantain has ribbed oval leaves that grow in a rosette. Plantain likes to grow in compacted soil where grass does not grow good. Pigweed has oval blades on reddish stalks, and the leaves grow in an alternate pattern along the pigweed plants stem.
Clover and oxalis have compound leaves with three leaflet. Knowing the type of leaves that grow on weeds allows you to group them into various weed families. Once you have grouped the weeds into families, you can determine whether you should pull the weeds by the roots or use a pre-emergent herbicide to control the weed family.
The seasonal cycles that weeds follow can be exploited to control them effectivly. Winter annual weeds, like henbit and deadnettle, germinate in the fall and grow in the spring. Pull them out after it rain when the soil is soft to pull the taproots of the weeds.
However, do not pull hairy bittercress because its seed pods burst when individuals touch them. Summer weeds, like spurge, grow best in hot climate. Spurge has tiny opposite leaves on its stem and produces a milky sap when the leaves is wounded.
By understanding the cycles that weeds follow, you can target them when they germinate with favorable soil conditions. There are different method to control weeds. You can pull weeds with a hand until you extract the taproot of the weed.
This method works best on weeds with taproots when the soil is moist. Hoeing removes weeds that germinated as small seedlings that are less than three inches tall. Hoe the seedlings during sunny mornings to dry the seedlings.
Mulching weeds smothers seeds that need light to germinate. A three-inch mulch layer smothers the seeds. Herbicides work best on perennial weeds.
However, you must time your herbicide application correctly. Many people commit mistakes when fighting weeds. Aerating a lawn for the benefit of grass create space for weeds like clover to grow.
People apply mulch too thin to lawns. This allows weeds like purslane to grow through the mulch layers. Lawns that do not contain enough nitrogen will have thin layer of grass.
Thinning lawns creates space for weeds like black medic to grow. Some weeds, like wild violet and creeping Charlie, grow in shaded areas. These weeds stores carbohydrates deep into the ground.
You will have to apply herbicide to these weeds repeatedly to eliminate them from shaded areas under trees or shrubs. Another mistake that many people commit when fighting weeds is failing to mow ragweed plants before they produces pollen. To maintain a healthy lawn, you must understand how weeds exploit weak spots in your lawn.
Weeds likes to grow in compacted paths and dry cracks in the lawn. To prevent weeds from growing in your lawn, ensure that turf is thickened. Fertilize the soil properly and rotate the tactics you use to fight weeds every year.
If you identify the rosette of a dandelion and remove the dandelion taproot, you will reduce the number of dandelion in your lawn.