Weeds are never fun additions to your Massachusetts lawn.
They show up casting ugly blemishes in your otherwise perfect grass. And, before you know it, weeds tend to double, making your lawn look like a breeding ground for those eyesores.
In fact, thousands of weed seeds can survive in the soil for years before they germinate and grow in your grass, so you’re not imagining things when they appear and seem to multiply overnight. Those seeds have been waiting for the opportunity to germinate when conditions are just right.
In your quest to battle weeds, you want to know which ones you’re fighting to eliminate them properly. Since every weed is unique, each one has different methods of control to ensure they don’t return. Some are best controlled before they emerge, while others are best handled afterward.
Let’s look at some common lawn weeds in Massachusetts, how to keep weeds under control, and how to prevent weeds from growing, so you can better manage these lawn menaces and get your lawn back to looking good.
Common Lawn Weeds In Massachusetts
Weed control starts with identifying the weed you’re fighting so you can control it using the right tools.
Crabgrass is a common weed in Massachusetts that starts germinating in spring and then will get stronger and spread further in June and July. This weed will show up in thin, weak lawns that don’t receive proper care or nutrients. A single plant is capable of producing 75,000 seeds, but that is in a forage seed production scenario. In a lawn setting, the total seed production per plant could range from a couple hundred to several thousand.
Thick crabgrass patches can even leave bare areas in its wake that you have to tend to later with some overseeding.
Let’s look at some other common lawn weeds in Massachusetts that require different methods of weed control.
- Wild violet – This stubborn, perennial weed has waxy, heart-shaped leaves with serrated edges. It prefers moist, shady areas or even partly sunny spots, and has a dense root system that can spread quickly through your lawn.
- Oxalis – This clover look-alike takes advantage of bare areas. It has heart-shaped leaflets and five-petaled yellow flowers that tend to show up in shady, moist areas.
- Ground ivy – This weed can show up in shady areas in May and June. It’s a perennial weed that has fuzzy, scalloped leaves and small lavender flowers. It tends to need multiple rounds of weed control since it produces an extensive network of creeping stems.
- Nutsedge – This pale, greenish-yellow weed can grow taller than your grass. You will usually find it in wet areas near ditches or a broken sprinkler head. It can reproduce from underground tubers, which can make it difficult to control once established.
- Dandelion – These are easy to spot because of their large, bright yellow flowers. It thrives in moist soil and lots of sunshine. Its seeds live in your soil even when conditions aren’t ripe for growth, and they can also be carried by wind so they can cause new growth miles away. Since it’s a perennial, dandelions can come back even if the aboveground foliage is dead..
How to Get Rid Of Weeds In Lawn
These pesky lawn invaders can require different forms of weed control.
Crabgrass, for instance, needs a properly timed pre-emergent weed control to stop in before it starts in spring. Then post-emergent crabgrass control can help with any breakthroughs.
Then for other weeds like wild violet, oxalis, nutsedge, dandelions, and ground ivy, post-emergent herbicides can help. Your lawn care professional may target specific weeds with commercial-grade, selective herbicides.
How to Restore Lawn Full Of Weeds
Once you tackle the weeds in your lawn, the best way to control weeds is to make your lawn a place where it’s difficult for them to grow.
This means giving it the proper care it needs, including mowing to a 3- to 4-inch height, watering appropriately (not too much and not too little), and adding the proper balance of nutrients through regular fertilization. Annual aeration can also help keep soil compaction down. Follow that up with overseeding to help fill in thin areas.
How to Prevent Weeds From Growing Back
A thin, weak lawn is more susceptible to weed infestation. So how to keep weeds under control means doing things that can make your lawn thicker and healthier to prevent common weeds in Massachusetts from taking over. Those care tips we mentioned above are the best way to do this.
Knowing when to apply weed control is also a key to maximizing control and preventing their return. Pre-emergent weed control is best done in spring before crabgrass emerges and post-emergent is best done after a weed emerges throughout the season.
At Hartney Greymont, we have turf professionals located in Needham, Concord, Danvers, and the surrounding areas to help you with proper weed control in your lawn so it can stay green and healthy all season long.
If You Would Like To Learn More About Proper Lawn Care And Fighting Weeds In Your Massachusetts Lawn, Contact Hartney Greymont For A Consultation.
