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Proud Members of:
Professional Lawn Care Association of America
Lawn Care Association of Pennsylvania
Green Machine
Lawn Care
20 Harris Street
Kingston
Pennsylvania 18704
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Common Lawn Weeds
 There's something soothing about seeing an even expanse of green grass
that seems to lower our blood-pressure a bit. And to some people, when
that expanse is broken up by something growing where it shouldn't be growing,
it seems to raise it a notch or two. Weeds are just one type of plant
that we have decided shouldn't be growing in one particular place. Wild
orchids growing in Hawaii are considered weeds there. It's just your point
of view as to what makes a weed a weed. Some weed-type plants are very
invasive and fast growing. Their growth habit overtakes our cultivated
turf plants, depriving them of food and water.
Some common lawn weeds are annuals. Sprouting from seeds, they develop,
blossom and form new seeds, then die in the fall, repeating the process
each year. Crabgrass is one such weed. The ideal control prevents them
from developing. Applying a Pre-emergent Control in the spring does this.
The soil's surface is covered with a microscopic protective layer that
prevents any germinating seeds from taking hold, including crabgrass.
If left undisturbed, this protective layer will maintain its defensive
qualities throughout the prime germinating period. This is when most weed
seeds will normally start developing. Additional seeds may be carried
in by winds, birds, or any number of other methods.
Common Weeds |
| Bermuda Grass |
Bermuda grass is an annual, fine textured
"creeping grass" that grows and spreads rapidly during warm summer
months. Getting Rid of It: Due to its rapid and sometimes widespread
growth during warm months, Bermuda can quickly take over cool-season
grasses while dormant. Herbicides are usually not as effective as
simply hand-picking these weeds before they grow out of control.
To help prevent this, you can apply a pre-emergence just prior
to its growing season (usually spring time) to prevent the seeds
from germinating. However, the other extreme is to apply fluazifopbutyl
or glyphosate to kill all of the grass, then reseed over it. This
is only suggested if you plan on replanting or renovating your lawn
afterwards. |
| Clover |
Clover was once considered an integral
part of a healthy lawn and was included in packaged lawn seeds. Clover
is actually a legume that affixes nitrogen to the soil which in turn
is used by the grass. It wasn't until the advent of broad-leaf weed
killers after World War II, that clover began to decline in acceptance
by the homeowner, thanks in part by the marketing efforts of the manufacturers
of the weed killers. Because clover is a broadleafed plant, you can't
put down a broadleaf weed killer to get rid of say dandelions and
not kill the clover. |
| Crabgrass |
Crabgrass is a warm season annual grass
which grows best in the heat of midsummer when desirable lawn grasses
are often semi-dormant and offer little or no competition. Crabgrass
overwinters as seed, comes up about mid-May or later, and is killed
by the first hard frost in fall.
Crabgrass grows best in full sun. It does not grow in shady places.
Crabgrass can be controlled in a number of ways, but the best defense
against crabgrass is a thick vigorously growing lawn that is mowed
no closer than 2 1/2 inches for cool season grasses.
Fertilize the lawn in late summer or fall and again in spring to
develop a dense, healthy stand of grass. Fertilized bluegrass does
not go into midsummer dormancy as soon as unfertilized bluegrass.
Pre-emergent applications made when soil temperature are still below
60 are the best prevention. Not recommended for areas where new
grass seed is going to be planted during the first half of the growing
season. Applications lose their effectiveness if the lawn is raked
or disturbed during the first half of the growing season.
Postemergence crabgrass herbicides are now available. These are
products that are applied after the crabgrass seed has sprouted.
The herbicide (ACCLAIM) gives excellent crabgrass control with one
application. This product should be applied when crabgrass is in
the 3 to 4 leaf stage of development. |
| Dandelions |
Broadleaf weed. Best treated
during active growing cycle with a spot treatment. If you use a
dry granular form of weed killer or a weed and feed type of fertilizer,
apply it to wet grass and weeds. The weed control material must
stick to the leaves of the weed plants to be effective. If you spray
a liquid, apply it only on a calm day so material will not drift
onto desirable plants. |
| Moss |
Moss does not develop in healthy lawns.
Lack of fertility, soil compaction, poor drainage, shade and poor
soil aeration are the most common cause of moss in lawns. Moss is
not directly harmful to grass, but moves into bare spots in the
lawn as the grass thins out. Lime has often been suggested for moss
control. Lime will raise the soil pH but will do little or nothing
to prevent moss growth. The fact that the soil is acidic has little
to do with the growth of moss. In fact, we see moss growing on limestone
and concrete. If your lawn area is moist and shady, you will have
difficulty controlling moss because you have an ideal environment
for moss growth. Moss is often troublesome in spring when temperature
are cool and soil moisture high. |
| Mushrooms |
Mushrooms, also called toadstools or
puffballs, are fruiting bodies of soil fungi. They appear in lawns
during wet weather in spring and summer. Mushrooms live on organic
matter such as roots, stumps and boards in the soil. Most don't
harm the lawn but are unsightly. Mushrooms that grow in arcs or
circles of dark green grass are called fairy rings. The arcs or
rings enlarge from 3 inches to 2 feet each season as the fungi grows
outward. The fairy ring fungus may interfere with water flow through
the soil and stress the lawn.
There is no chemical control for mushrooms. Time is the best cure.
Once the buried wood has completely decayed the mushrooms will disappear.
Break mushrooms with a garden rake or lawn mower for temporary control.
This helps to dry the mushrooms and reduces the risk of children
eating them. Control individual mushrooms by removing the organic
matter. Dig up and remove the wood. Fill and reseed, or sod, as
needed. |
| Plantain |
Plantain is a common broadleaf weed
in lawns and can easily be controlled with spot treatments. |
|
 Weeds
Insects
Lawn Diseases
Soil Problems
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