How To Get Rid of a Lawn Full of Weeds

April 18, 2019

They say that April showers bring May flowers, but this season holds true for weeds as well. Unwanted plants thrive — especially after a rain shower, leaving lawns full of weeds and overgrown foliage. As the weather warms up and plants and flowers flourish, so will the weeds as they begin to sprout and take advantage of your lawn’s nutrients. During this growing season, Perry Homes is here to help you navigate lawn care and address bare spots caused by weed overgrowth. Take these tips into consideration to better understand how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds.

Identifying Types of Weeds

There are a variety of weeds that will pop up throughout your lawn. We will discuss the most common types and explain how they can be identified. Knowing which kind of weed is affecting your lawn will make it that much easier to eradicate any unwanted plants.

Broadleaf Weeds

This type of weed is easily recognizable, keeping true to its name as a weed with broad leaves that deviates greatly from the natural look of grass. However, while this plant may be easy to spot, it is one of the most aggressive types of weeds, attacking any weak areas your lawn may be prone to. Broadleaf weeds include dandelions, chickweed and plantain.

Perennial Weeds

Perennial weeds count as a subcategory, but deserve their own space for their popularity among yards everywhere. For example, dandelions are considered perennial weeds. This type of weed is defined by its ability to lay dormant through the winter, only to resurface in the springtime. These are the types of weeds that you will most likely be dealing with now that spring has arrived and the weather begins to warm.

Biennial Weeds

In the same vein as perennials, biennial weeds follow a similar path as the weed seeds lay dormant. However, these types of weeds die within the second year. They can be even harder to kill, because you first have to be aware of where they are located and if they are currently dormant.

Control Weeds with Chemicals

If you want to know how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds, you need to target them with proven products. When it comes to killing weeds, nothing gets the job done quicker than with the use of chemicals. There are two main groups of weed killers: pre-emergent and post-emergent.

Pre-emergent Weed Control

This type of weed control refers to weeds that have not emerged or have not been made visible. This includes dormant weeds and areas prone to weed growth. Any store with a garden section will carry multiple brands of pre-emergent herbicides. The best time to use this type of herbicide is before there are weeds in your yard as a preventative measure or right after de-weeding your yard.

Post-emergent Herbicides

Post-emergent herbicides are the best type of weed killers. These products are made to attack even the most powerful weeds. Caution is advised when using herbicides, as the chemicals are powerful. However, the result is a bright green lawn with no unwanted plants in sight.

Natural Methods

For those who prefer to fight organic matter with organic products, there are natural methods of attaining a healthy lawn rid of weeds. When using the natural approach, keep in mind that it will take longer than if you were to use chemicals, so patience is key. A little searching will expose a whole world of natural ingredient weed killers, but they tend to be more expensive than their non-organic counterpart. If you are committed to this nature-friendly pursuit, it is worth sticking to.

For a more cost effective alternative that you can do yourself, you can test small patches of weeds with a concoction of salt, vinegar and dish soap. The acidity of the vinegar is especially unkind to weeds, yet still natural and safe for the environment, animals and people. If you have the patience and time, testing different levels of salt, vinegar and dish soap will pay off when you have a weed-free yard done the natural way.

Pull Weeds Manually

Last but not least, nothing beats hard work in the garden with a pair of gloves. Sometimes, it can be frustrating waiting for chemicals and concoctions to do their job. You can quickly improve the appeal of your yard by pulling up roots to kill the weeds that live on your lawn. This method is not effective in the long-run, but it is a perfectly good short-term improvement.

As always, the best option for total weed removal is to use both chemical control as well as manual weed pulling. After you have eradicated any visible lawn weeds, you are ready to throw new grass seed and lawn fertilizer down on any bald patches your lawn may have.

Start Off on the Right Foot

The best start to a happy yard experience is to start fresh with a new home and newly landscaped yard. From there, you can prevent weeds from ever happening. Start on the right foot with Perry Homes. Browse our gallery of homes and find a house and yard you can see yourself falling in love with.