Common Weeds and How to Safely Eliminate Them

With spring just around the corner, it’s almost time to start enjoying your yard again. While nothing beats sitting on the porch with a cold drink in hand, the experience can be quickly ruined by unsightly weeds taking over your lawn. Here we’ll go over some of the common weeds you’ll find, how to keep them under control, and what to do when you decide it’s time for professional help.

Read our guide on getting your yard ready for spring

Types of Weeds in Southern Utah

The types of weeds you’re likely to encounter in your lawn vary greatly based on where you live. This also means that not every weed spray solution is made exactly for what your lawn needs. While some weeds, such as dandelions and crabgrass, are common across the country, others are more specific to your location. When searching for the right weed spray, ensure it is designed to kill the following types of common Southern Utah weeds:

Ragweed

Ragweed comes in two variations: common and giant. This weed is a common allergen and can spell disaster for your lawn or home garden. Common ragweed looks like a fern and can grow to around six inches tall and about four inches wide. As the name suggests, giant ragweed can grow to be much larger, growing close to two feet tall.

Goosegrass

Also known as silver crabgrass (although not actually crabgrass at all), this weed is dark green and low-growing. The stems grow outwards horizontally with your lawn and have longer leaves growing off them. However, don’t let the low-lying nature fool you. Left unchecked, this weed can grow up to two-and-a-half-foot-long stems. 

Marestail

Another unrelenting allergen, marestail requires swift action to keep it under control. This behemoth can grow up to five feet tall if left unchecked. This weed grows upright, with dense, spiky-looking leaves. 

Ways to Control Weeds

While pulling weeds certainly helps keep the infestation under control, it likely won’t be enough to eliminate the problem altogether. The roots can be difficult to remove entirely if you’re not experienced in doing so. Other times, the infestation may have reached a point you simply can’t keep up with it. This is where weed spray comes in.

2,4D-based herbicide is an excellent place to start for weed control. This formula kills most broad-leafed weeds, without damaging the surrounding grass when applied properly. This comes in many forms, including liquids, dust, and granules. If you head to your local hardware store, you’ll find the liquid form with a sprayer to be a popular choice. Ensure you read the application instructions very carefully and follow all directions to avoid causing further harm to your lawn. 

When It’s Time for Professional Help

If your yard is particularly large, you have physical limitations preventing you from caring for your yard, or your weed infestation has simply spiraled out of control, it’s time to call in the pros. Here at Cedar Lawn Care, we offer personalized care plans for your lawn to meet your specific needs. Every lawn is different, and so is our approach to caring for it. We will have a consultation to assess the types of weeds you have in your yard and how much damage has been done. Next, we’ll come up with a weed control plan to get your lawn back on track. This could include having us remove the weeds by hand and/or applying weed spray in several applications. 

With many different types of weeds constantly fighting to take your lawn’s nutrients, you might feel as though you’re fighting a losing battle. Your goals are our goals and we’re ready to help you achieve them. If your attempts to control the weeds in your lawn haven’t worked out or you’re just ready to hand this off to a professional, give us a call to see how your dream lawn can become a reality.