What to do if lawn is mostly weeds?

Table of Contents

Quick Answers

If your lawn is mostly weeds, there are several steps you can take to get rid of the weeds and regrow a healthy lawn. Some quick answers include:

Identify the types of weeds – Knowing what you’re dealing with will help determine the best removal method.
Improve soil conditions – Weeds thrive in compacted, nutrient-poor soil. Aerating, adding organic matter, and fertilizing can help grass outcompete weeds.

Pull weeds by hand – For small infestations, manually removing weeds can be effective.
Use selective herbicides – Herbicides that target broadleaf weeds or crabgrass can remove unwanted plants while leaving grass unharmed.
Overseed with new grass – After weeds have been removed, overseeding thickens up turfgrass to prevent future weed growth.

Promote healthy grass – Proper mowing, watering, and fertilizing makes for lush, vigorous grass that can choke out weeds.

Identify the Types of Weeds

Before taking any steps to remove weeds, it’s important to identify what types of weeds you are dealing with. Weeds have different growth habits and respond best to certain control methods. Taking note of weed characteristics will help you choose the right approach.

Here are some common lawn weeds to look out for:

Broadleaf weeds – Such as dandelions, plantain, and clover. These weeds have wide leaves and are usually best controlled with selective herbicides.
Grassy weeds – Including crabgrass, foxtail, and annual bluegrass. These weedy grasses are more difficult to control in lawns.
Perennial weeds – Such as bindweed, wild violet, and ground ivy. These weeds come back year after year and have deep root systems.

Annual weeds – Such as spurge, purslane, and chickweed. Annual weeds live one season but produce many seeds.

You may need to consult your local extension office if you have difficulty identifying what’s growing in your lawn. Proper identification will ensure you use the right methods to eliminate each weed.

Improve Soil Conditions

One of the main reasons weeds can take over a lawn is due to poor soil conditions. Weeds are highly adaptable plants that thrive in compacted, infertile soil. By improving the soil, you can swing things back in favor of turfgrass.

Here are some tips for improving lawn soil to reduce weeds:

Aerate compacted areas – this allows air, water and nutrients to penetrate.
Spread a thin layer of compost – compost introduces organic matter and beneficial microbes.

Apply a balanced fertilizer – look for an NPK ratio like 10-10-10 to provide key nutrients.
Loosen surface thatch – raking and dethatching prevents matting that restricts grass growth.
Adjust pH if needed – test soil pH and add sulfur or lime as necessary to achieve 6.5-7.0.

These measures all serve to create better growing conditions for grass. Healthy, vigorous turfgrass has a better chance of choking out weed growth. But improving the soil alone won’t get rid of existing weeds – additional removal tactics will be needed.

Pull Weeds by Hand

For lawns with only a minor weed problem, manually pulling weeds can be an effective approach. Hand-pulling removes the entire weed and root, stopping it from spreading and reproducing. It also causes minimal disturbance to lawn grasses.

Here are some tips for pulling weeds by hand:

Use a long, narrow tool like a weeding fork or dandelion puller to pry up taproots.
Pull after recent rainfall when soil is moist – weeds come up easier.
Remove all traces of roots to prevent regrowth.

Pull annual weeds before they go to seed to prevent spreading.
Place tarps around perennial weeds to capture stray roots and runners.
Consider wearing gloves and kneeling pads to protect yourself.

Dispose of pulled weeds promptly, either by composting or discarding in yard waste collection. For severe infestations, hand-pulling can be tedious and challenging. Products like herbicides or smothering mulches may be more effective.

Use Selective Herbicides

For lawns overrun by weeds, selective herbicides are a fast and effective way to remove them. Selective herbicides target specific weed types while leaving desirable grass unharmed. Using an appropriate herbicide can eliminate unwanted plants.

Here are some tips for using selective herbicides:

Choose broadleaf weed killers containing 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba to control broadleaf weeds.
Select crabgrass preventers with active ingredients like dithiopyr or prodiamine to kill grassy weeds.
Read all label instructions carefully before applying any chemical.

Apply at proper temperatures and avoid windy days to limit spray drift.
Spot treat individual weeds or spray entire lawn as needed.
Allow proper time before reseeding lawn with new grass.

While chemical weed control can be highly effective, herbicides may cause harm to desirable plants if not used according to label directions. Consider hiring a professional lawn care company for best results when using herbicides.

Overseed with New Grass

Once you’ve removed existing weeds from your lawn, it’s important to overseed with new grass seed. Overseeding thickens up thin, patchy turf to help prevent future weed infestations. Here are some tips for overseeding after weed removal:

Mow lawn short and rake vigorously to prepare a good seedbed.

Choose a high-quality grass seed variety suited to your climate.
Use proper seeding techniques – spread seed evenly and rake lightly into soil.
Water newly seeded areas frequently to keep soil moist for germination.

Consider starter fertilizer to give grass an early boost.
Wait 4-6 weeks after using herbicides before overseeding.

Overseeding in fall offers the best chance of success. But you can overseed whenever weeds have been eliminated. Thick grass will leave little room for weeds to take hold again.

Promote Healthy Grass

Once you’ve won the battle against weeds, be sure to promote vigorous lawn grass. Healthy grass crowds out weeds, denying them the light and soil space needed to thrive. Here are some tips:

Mow high – raise mowing height to 3-4 inches. Taller grass shades soil, hindering weed seeds.
Leave clippings – leave clippings on lawn to return nutrients and organic matter.

Water deeply – provide lawn with 1-1.5 inches of water each week, avoiding frequent shallow sprinkling.
Fertilize mildly – use a balanced fertilizer in moderate amounts to avoid surge growth prone to disease.
Dethatch and aerate – remove thatch layer and poke aeration holes periodically to alleviate compaction.

Repair bare spots – fill in bare or thinning areas where weeds can take hold.

By properly caring for your lawn, you’ll keep weeds at bay and enjoy a lush, beautiful yard. Be sure to monitor for any new weed growth and take action quickly to stop an infestation.

Preventive Weed Control

While eliminating existing lawn weeds is important, prevention is ideal. There are several proactive steps you can take to avoid weed infestations in the first place:

Start with high-quality turfgrass varieties – choose improved grass cultivars bred for health and disease resistance.
Test soil and make amendments – correct any pH or nutrient deficiencies before planting.
Use weed-free seed and sod – inspect carefully for any weed seeds or plants.

Apply preemergent herbicides – these prevent many annual weeds from germinating.
Leave no thin spots – promptly repair any bare or thinning patches in lawn.
Clean mowers and tools – prevent spreading weeds from other lawns.

An ounce of prevention is truly worth a pound of cure when it comes to weeds. Keeping them out in the first place means you won’t have to work as hard to remove them later.

When to Call a Professional

Severe lawn weed infestations often require the expertise of professional landscapers. Here are some signs it may be time to call in reinforcements:

Weeds cover more than half of the total lawn area.

Multiple rounds of DIY removal efforts have failed.
Hard-to-control perennial weeds have taken hold, like bindweed or wild violet.
You don’t have the proper equipment, like an industrial-strength sprayer.

Identifying the weeds and choosing selective herbicides seems overwhelming.

Professional lawn care companies have high-grade tools, powerful chemical weed killers, and the know-how to fully remove stubborn weeds and renovate turfgrass. Bringing in the experts saves time and frustration compared to repeated DIY attempts.

Cost Comparison of Weed Removal Methods

Different weed removal methods have a wide range of costs. Here is a table comparing the approximate costs of common ways to get rid of lawn weeds:

Weed Removal Method	Cost Per 1,000 sq ft
Hand-pulling weeds	$0 – $25
Vinegar (acetic acid)	$25 – $50
Homeowner-applied selective herbicide	$15 – $45
Natural or organic herbicide	$45 – $90
Professional lawn care company	$100 – $250

As shown, manual and DIY options tend to be cheaper, while hiring professionals is more expensive but often more effective. Consider both cost and results when choosing weed control methods.

Dealing with Specific Lawn Weeds

Knowing how to address some of the most common lawn weeds will prepare you to banish them for good. Here are tips for managing frequent weed offenders:

Dandelions

Dig out taproots or use a weed puller tool to remove entire plant.

Apply a broadleaf herbicide containing 2,4-D or dicamba.
Maintain proper mowing height, fertilization, and watering to prevent dandelions.

Crabgrass

Use preemergent crabgrass preventer in early spring.

Pull young crabgrass plants by hand before they tiller.
Spot treat patches with postemergent herbicide like quinclorac.
Overseed bare spots with new grass in fall.

Creeping Charlie

Apply broadleaf herbicide in spring and fall for best results.
Use borax to inhibit growth and kill vines.
Pull creeping stems and runners to prevent spread.

Maintain healthy turfgrass to prevent bare spots vulnerable to creeping Charlie.

Nutsedge

Use sedge-specific herbicide like sulfentrazone or halosulfuron.
Hand pull nutsedge carefully to get all tubers and nutlets.

Use corn gluten meal as a preemergent to inhibit nutsedge.
Promote lawn health to reduce thin areas for nutsedge to invade.

Tailoring your efforts to target each weed pest will lead to better control. Learn to recognize the most problematic weeds in your lawn and determine the best removal methods.

Natural and Organic Weed Control

If you wish to avoid synthetic herbicides, there are some organic options for controlling lawn weeds:

Corn gluten meal – Prevents seeds from germinating. Must be reapplied every 6-8 weeks.
Vinegar – High concentrations of acetic acid. Non-selective, so kills all plant types.

Soap-based sprays – Fatty acids destroy cell membranes on contact. May require repeated applications.
Boiling water – Kills weeds immediately on contact. Good for pavement cracks and garden beds.
Flame weeding – A propane torch burns weeds down to the roots. Risk of fire must be managed.

These organic methods can be effective but usually take more effort and repetition than chemical herbicides. Maintaining healthy grass and proactive weed prevention are key when using natural weed control.

Lawn Alternatives to Reduce Weeding

If you are tired of constantly battling weeds, there are lawn and landscape alternatives that require less maintenance:

Native groundcovers – Replace turf with creeping perennials like clover or thyme.

Inorganic mulches – Use gravel, pebbles, or landscape fabric to suppress weeds.
Tree and shrub beds – Expand beds and shrink open lawn areas.
Hydroseeding – Spray lawn areas with a slurry containing mulch and grass seed.

Xeriscaping – Create a landscape suited to dry conditions using rocks, gravel, and drought-tolerant plants.

Rethinking your lawn design can reduce the amount of turfgrass vulnerable to weeds. This saves time and effort while creating an attractive landscape.

Conclusion

A weed-infested lawn can become a healthy, lush carpet of grass with some persistence and the right techniques. Begin by identifying your weeds and improving soil conditions to favor grass growth. Manual removal, herbicides, overseeding, and proper lawn care will help turn the tide against weeds. Prevent future invasions by maintaining thick turfgrass and stopping weeds early before they spread. Consider alternatives like native plants or mulches if you want to reduce lawn maintenance. With a proactive, multi-step approach, you can eliminate existing weeds and keep your lawn weed-free for good.