Anyone with a yard understands how frustrating weed control can be, but with a few simple steps, you’ll be ready to tackle your weeds with ease.

Ask any gardener, and they’ll agree that weeding is one of the most dreaded landscaping tasks. Maintaining a completely weed-free landscape might not be possible, but addressing problems promptly can help mitigate this formidable task.

Rampant weeds steal water, sunlight, nutrients, and space from plants, affecting their growth, so staying on top of the weeding duties is important. Keep reading to find out which techniques and tools will make the task simpler so you can enjoy your yard again.

Know Your Weeds

The first step to effective weed control is knowing what type of weeds you’re dealing with because different types of weeds require different actions. Like any plants you intentionally grow in your garden, weeds can be annuals or perennials.

• Annual weeds – Annual weeds spread by seed through self-seeding or birds and other animals. Examples include crabgrass, chickweed, pigweed, common mallow, nettle, speedwell, and spurge. Just as with other plants, annual weeds can be cool-season or warm-season.

Cool-season annual weeds sprout from fall through spring and grow even during winter. The weed might disappear during the summer, but if you don’t eradicate it in the spring, you’ll see even more of them germinating the following fall.

Warm-season annual weeds start growing in the spring and last through the growing season. You must remove these weeds before they begin to seed again. These weeds often have shallow roots, so you can easily pull them out by hand or with a hoe.

• Perennial weeds – Perennial weeds are spread by seed and creeping roots. These weeds are the most difficult to control because if you don’t pull out the entire root, the plant can reproduce from every piece left behind. Some examples of perennial weeds include ground ivy, ragweed, burdock, poison ivy, thistle, and dandelion.

Hoeing and tilling aren’t the best choices for removing perennial weeds since these methods can’t dig deep enough. These weeds are the easiest to remove in early spring when the ground has recently thawed. Sometimes herbicide is the only solution for eradicating these stubborn weeds.

Make a Plan

Now that you know your weeds, it’s time to make a treatment plan to eradicate them. There are many different ways to control weeds, and the method you choose will depend on what’s best for you, your family, and your yard.

The five general categories of weed control are:

1. Preventative-Preventative weed control is any method that aims to prevent weeds from taking root in the first place.
2. Cultural-You can achieve cultural weed control by creating an environment that makes it difficult for weeds to compete with the plants we want to have. Building healthy turfgrass is an effective way to achieve this.
3. Mechanical-Mechanical weed control refers to any technique that involves the use of equipment. The two most common types of mechanical control are tilling and mowing.
4. Biological-Biological weed control involves using natural enemies of weed plants to control germination. Some examples include using the cinnabar moth to control tansy ragwort or the chrysolina beetle to control St. John’s Wort.
5. Chemical-Chemical weed control refers to using any chemical or herbicide to reduce weed growth.  

Time Your Application

Once you’ve selected your desired method for weed control, you must determine the best time to apply it. Utilizing weed control at the correct time is just as important as using the right type.

Chemical weed control is often categorized as either pre-emergent or post-emergent. Here’s what you need to know about applying these products to keep pesky weeds at bay:

• Pre-emergent herbicides-Pre-emergent herbicides work best on annual weeds and should be applied in the spring before the weather turns warm. This product places a protective barrier around the seeds to prevent them from germinating and growing in the summer months. This product comes in a liquid or a granulated version and should be used when the temperature is below 60 degrees.

• Post-emergent herbicides-Post-emergent herbicides need to be applied regularly throughout the spring and once in late fall. You should use this product once you start to see weeds and plants growing during the spring season. Pull away the weed to open up the structure before administering this chemical.

How To Prevent Weeds From Growing

The best way to control the pesky weeds in your yard is to stop them before they take root. Consider taking the following steps to prevent weeds from growing in the first place:

1. Fertilize-Too much fertilizer helps nourish certain weeds, but too little can lead to a sparse lawn that loses the competition with weeds. Strike the balance of fertilizing enough but not too much.
2. Water your grass infrequently and deeply-Lawns need about one inch of water per week. Instead of frequent watering for only a few minutes each time, provide your lawn with infrequent, deep soakings.
3. Mulch your beds-Mulch is an effective and natural option to prevent weeds from taking over your garden. Apply a thick layer two inches deep in the garden area to keep weeds at bay.
4. Use the closest recommended spacing-Weeds prefer open, sunny spaces between plants. Plant your garden shrubs at the closest recommended spacing to eliminate these open areas.
5. Plant a cover-A synthetic landscape fabric provides a physical barrier to keep weeds from thriving.
6. Apply pre-emergent herbicides-Pre-emergent herbicides help kill weeds as they germinate.
7. Deprive weeds of water-Weeds can’t survive without moisture, so refrain from watering them whenever possible.

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