Normally, seeing a green patch in your otherwise brown lawn would be a sight for sore eyes during the winter months. However, this may not be the case if this ‘holy grail’ is merely weeds. Not only are weeds aesthetically unpleasing, but they can be extremely detrimental to your lawn’s health. When weeds begin their takeover, sunlight, water, and other nutrients that would typically go to your grass are now being absorbed by the weeds.
Winter weeds are often an annual weed. After germinating from a seed, growing, blooming, and setting new seed, annual weeds will eventually die. However, this does not mean you can leave them unattended. While these weeds may not seem problematic during the summer months, their seed will remain, ready to come back stronger next winter. Follow these tips to eliminate weeds and ensure they are gone for good.
Identify the kind of weed
Before you can effectively get rid of the weeds plaguing your yard, you must first identify what kind of weed you’re dealing with. Most weeds can be broadly placed into two categories: grassy or broadleaf.
If the weed looks like grass and has a slender blade-type leaf, it most likely belongs in the grassy division.
- Examples: Annual bluegrass, downy brome, cheat, little barley
If you see a more diverse collection of leaf shapes, it is most likely a broadleaf plant.
- Examples: Chickweed, henbit, dwarf fleabane
Choose a removal method
On the plus side, winter weeds can be removed. The three most common ways to get rid of weeds are to pull them by hand, use a post-emergent pesticide, and in the spring, consider renovating your lawn to ensure it is healthy to prevent winter weeds next year. After establishing the breed of weeds in your yard, you can now purchase the right herbicide to kill them. It is vital to read the herbicide label thoroughly before buying and using it. For already established weeds, it is best to use a post-emergent herbicide. For annual weeds, it is recommended to use a contact herbicide that can be applied directly onto the leaves and stems. Luckily for you, you should see results within 1-3 days.
Weeds are always a pest, but hopefully, these tips will get you headed in the right direction for a weedless winter. For more information about Watermaster and our products, call (806) 797-9044 or visit watermasterirrigation.com.