Here are the best ways to kill or at least slow the growth of seven common weeds, along with tips on what to avoid when trying to gain control of your yard.
Killing Dandelions
One of the essential things to know about the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is that this common lawn weed is a perennial. Since they’re perennials, they maintain a permanent base camp on your lawn until you remove them entirely. Dandelions in the lawn are difficult to control because of their long taproot. The following three ways of killing dandelions DO NOT WORK because of that taproot:
Pulling off the top part of the plant leaving the root behind quickly producing another yellow flower. Spraying around the dandelion with a weed killer specifically for use on a lawn; the leaves will die, but the root will still be left behind. Using a product that’s a combination of weed killer and lawn fertilizer; it won’t reach the taproot and the dandelion will survive.
Instead, you can use a non-selective herbicide, such as vinegar, but the downside is that it will leave dead spots all over your lawn where the grass around the dandelion is also killed. The very best approach to permanently killing these weeds and sparing the grass is a two-step approach:
Removing Crabgrass
You’ll need a different method to kill an annual weed, such as crabgrass (Digitaria). Crabgrass starts its invasion anew each year. You could, theoretically, eradicate crabgrass in the spring by using a pre-emergent herbicide, assuming you get the timing correct. But, if you fail to eradicate this weed in the spring, you’ll have to wait and use post-emergent crabgrass killers on it in summer.
Eliminating Poison Ivy
Poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) is another cunning weed that most homeowners will agree that a property is better off without. Proper identification of the poison ivy in your yard should precede any efforts to eradicate it. You must be careful when removing poison ivy. Once you remove poison ivy, you need to meticulously dispose of the weed. It’s important to note that poison ivy emits a toxin, urushiol, that remains active for up to five years, even on dead plants, its sap, and on anything else that brushes up against it. Follow these three critical pointers on how to avoid urushiol:
Smothering Japanese Knotweed
Many homeowners share a yard with the invasive Japanese knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum), but though it’s common, it’s tough to identify. Once you know what it is, cutting down a swath of it won’t eliminate the problem. Either the root ball will continue sending up new shoots, or your efforts to dig out the roots will leave a little rhizome behind resulting in the sprouting of more knotweed shoots. This is one weed that needs to be removed using a glyphosate-based herbicide. However, if you’re willing to put in the extra work, you can eventually beat Japanese knotweed by smothering it with tarps by cutting off the sun and water it needs to grow.
Slowing Down Oriental Bittersweet
Another challenging weed is Oriental bittersweet (Celastrus orbiculatus). You can try to eliminate it by putting in a lot of effort to pull and cut it, or you can moderate its growth with another method. To cut off its supply of nutrients and to keep the weed from smothering trees it grows around, simply cut the thickest vines from ground level to your waist. The method won’t kill the bittersweet weed, but it will slow it down enough to save your trees.
Clearing Out Pretty Weeds: Moss and Wild Violets
You may appreciate certain weeds, such as moss and wild violets. Some gardeners even cultivate moss plants as an alternative to grass lawns and consider wild violets as wildflowers. But if you wish to kill the moss in your lawn, it helps to learn more about why it’s growing in your yard in the first place. It may be an indication of deeper soil problems, such as poor drainage and circulation, low soil fertility, and unbalanced levels of pH. Learn how to fix the problems and you’ll be able to kill these weeds permanently. Though wild violets (Viola spp.) may appeal to some, you may want to eliminate these purple or white dots from your lawn. Spray the violets in autumn with a triclopyr-based herbicide.
