How to Identify Common Weeds On Your Commercial Property

What familiar weeds reveal about your lawn’s growing conditions and how you can control them. Lawn weeds are the No. 1 thing that’s not on any property owner’s wish list. No one wants to endure the battle of the annual bluegrass or the invasion of creeping Charlie. Weeds find their way onto your property through many means. Wind, birds, mowing and even foot traffic can ferry weed seeds. The soil itself contains weed seeds, many of which remain viable for over 50 years. The question isn’t if you’ll have weeds to deal with, but rather when weeds will appear.

Dandelion

Dandelion is a familiar face in spring and fall lawns. These perennial weeds grow long taproots. The best control is to dig them by hand, but be sure to get at least 2 inches of the taproot, or the root will resprout, yielding two plants. A thick, healthy lawn is your best defense against this weed’s wind-borne seeds taking root. Spot-spray dandelions with a post-emergence herbicide that doesn’t kill grass. Treating mature plants in fall sends herbicide directly to roots. If you can’t treat plants, at least gather blooms before they set seed.

Crabgrass

Crabgrass gets it name from the leaves, which form a tight, crab-like circle. This annual weed tends to appear in weak or bare areas of a lawn. Both over and under watering favor its growth, as does consistently mowing the lawn too short. Treat crabgrass in spring with a pre-emergence herbicide to keep seeds from sprouting. Timing is tricky. In regions with forsythia, aim to get the herbicide down as forsythia starts to bloom. Check with your local extension office or a reputable garden center to fine-tune timing in your region.

Ground Ivy

Ground ivy, also known as creeping Charlie, prefers shady, moist areas of a lawn with low fertility, but also grows in sunny areas. Stems spread over the ground like ivy, rooting at leaf nodes (where leaves attach to the stem). This aggressive perennial weed is tough to beat. Use a post-emergent herbicide to spray plants. Follow package directions carefully for treating creeping Charlie. Be sure to apply subsequent applications as required. When you kill off creeping Charlie, establish grass quickly to prevent the weed from returning.

Chickweed

Chickweed is an annual weed that prefers shady, moist soil with higher fertility, although its seeds will sprout in dry soil. Typically, chickweed appears in lawns that are thin and experience poor drainage. The easiest way to control chickweed is to pull individual plants. If you know you have a heavy infestation, you can use a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring and fall to prevent seeds from germinating. Another trick to kill chickweed is to step on stems to crush them slightly, and then sprinkle some lawn fertilizer over the broken plants. The nitrogen kills the plants. Nearby grass tips may show signs of fertilizer burn, but they’ll recover.

Prickly Lettuce

Prickly lettuce is an annual weed that thrives in cool seasons of the year. It’s a winter weed in southern regions. Plants typically appear in disturbed soil, but they’ll also invade thin lawns with irrigated, nutrient-rich soil. Leaves have prickles along their undersides, and plants can be uncomfortable for bare feet. Prickly lettuce spreads by wind-borne seeds, much like a dandelion. Long tap roots make hand-pulling a challenge. Spot spray individual plants using a post-emergent broadleaf herbicide. Seedlings die quickly from herbicide applications. A healthy, well-maintained lawn is the best defense against prickly lettuce.

It doesn’t matter to us whether you want commercial desert landscaping, lush lawns or some type of landscaping in between, we can help.  We serve businesses like yours all over the Phoenix Metro Area. To find out how give us a call at 623-848-8277.

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Greens Keeper Landscape Maintenance, LLC

623-848-8277

http://www.commerciallandscapecare.com

greenskeeperllc@cox.net