THE MOST COMMON TYPES OF WEEDS With spring comes the time for lawn preparation across North Texas. Here is some information that you will need to know. Dandelions: Yellow flowers and deep taproots White Clover: A low-growing perennial that thrives in low-nitrogen soil. Creeping Charlie: A fast spreading, perennial vine with scalloped leaves. Canada Thistle: A prickly, deep-rooted perennial that is difficult to kill. Spotted Spurge: A low-growing, mat-forming weed with a red spot on its leaves. Nutsedge: A grass-like weed with triangular stems that thrives in wet soil. Broadleaf Plantain: A perennial with large, ribbed leaves that can tolerate compact soil. OF COURSE, BEWARE OF CRABGRASS Crabgrass, also known as Digitaria sanguinalis, is a species of grass that is not considered appropriate for a lawn. It is also known as hairy finger-grass, hairy crabgrass, purple crabgrass, crab finger-grass, and large crabgrass. Unkempt garden yard with crab grass and clover weeds Crabgrass can often be identified by older leaves that turn from green to a dark reddish color. It thrives in areas of your lawn that are thinning or bare of vegetation. Crabgrass will germinate in the late winter and spring, grow throughout the summer, and die as late fall or early winter begins. It can produce thousands of seeds every year, meaning crabgrass control can potentially be very important to the overall health of your lawn. HOW TO PREVENT CRABGRASS AND OTHER WEEDS FROM SPROUTING? Treat your lawn with pre-emergent herbicides to prevent crabgrass and other weeds. The pre-emergent herbicides form a chemical layer at the surface of the soil. As crabgrass seeds germinate, they absorb the herbicide, preventing their seeds from sprouting. Make sure to apply any pre-emergent herbicides in the early spring. Wait for the soil temperatures to reach around 55 degrees at a depth of four inches. You can apply post-emergent herbicides in the summer, if necessary. HOW TO KILL CRABGRASS AND OTHER WEEDS ONCE THEY START? Crabgrass and other weeds can spread very quickly. If you let them grow for a whole season, or if you miss a particular area, you could find yourself with a growing problem. Thus, pick the crabgrass and weeds when they’re still young to prevent seed-spreading. Whenever you see some crabgrass or weeds, simply pluck them out by hand from the root. You can try pouring boiling water over weeds to kill them. Pour the hot water on top of the plant. This may kill or damage the roots enough to prevent the weed from growing back. The safest and most effective way to kill weeds is by using gardening vinegar. Gardening vinegar, which is stronger than household vinegar, will put weeds down in 24 hours. Fill a spray bottle and spray the weed thoroughly with the vinegar. The next day, rip the weeds out and discard them. CAN YOU CONTROL WEEDS? You can control weeds with proper lawn maintenance. This lawn maintenance includes proper mowing, watering, and overseeding. Mowing a lawn You can mow your lawn less often by letting your grass grow in the early spring. Please allow your grass to grow longer than three to four inches. Weeds need plenty of sunlight to grow. This process will allow more shade, controlling the growth. CHOOSING THE RIGHT LAWN FERTILIZER To choose the right fertilizer, you must understand your lawn’s needs by conducting soil tests, considering grass type, and assessing lawn condition. A soil test is the first step in determining your lawn’s nutrient needs. A soil test determines nutrient deficiencies or imbalances, like insufficient nitrogen, phosphorus, or potassium. Your lawn’s fertilization needs are significantly influenced by the type of lawn grasses it contains. Cool-season grasses, such as Kentucky bluegrass and tall fescue, have different growth periods and nutrient requirements as opposed to warm-season grasses like Bermuda. Cool-season grasses typically grow in early spring and early fall. Warm-season grasses thrive during the summer months. Knowing your grass type helps you to choose the right fertilizer and apply it at the times for best results. The current condition of your lawn must be evaluated to make the right fertilizer selection. A healthy, long-lasting lawn will benefit from regular fertilization, which helps develop strong root systems and improves resistance to diseases and harsh weather. Overseed your lawn to promote the right sort of growth. While you only have to overseed patches where weeds thrive, it might be helpful to overseed your entire lawn every two to three seasons. Also, it is a good idea to lay new sod. Laying sod is an effective way to prevent weeds. It suppresses weed growth by competing for resources, sunlight, and space. Give your lawn a good watering about once a week. Provide your lawn with roughly 1 inch of water. This amount will encourage the grass’s root system to develop deeper than the weed’s roots, which will keep it from spreading. We hope these helpful tips will help keep your lawn looking good this spring, North Texas! ...read more read less