Although weeds can be beautiful in the right situations, they can be annoying when they creep into areas that you don't want them. Dandelions have a nice yellow flower, for example, but when you are trying to get a nice, clean, green yard, they can overrun the whole area. A weed is defined as a plant that is out of place. They tend to be very hardy and they grow and spread very quickly. Weeds can be very obvious since they are usually a different color or texture than the rest of your yard. They tend to take away from the overall appearance of your lawn. They will also use the water and nutrients that your grass needs, so your lawn may not be as healthy as it should be. The strength of weeds makes them tough to fight against.

You can begin treating your weed problem by identifying the specific species that are growing in your yard. You should first determine if the weeds are grassy or broadleaf. Grassy weeds are similar to grass, but they will be a different type than you are trying to grow. Broadleaf weeds are plants like yarrow, knotweed, chickweed, clover, ground ivy, thistle, and dandelions. Some of the weeds are annual, some are perennial, and some are biennial.

Once you know what types of weeds are infesting your lawn, you will be able to get rid of the unwanted intruders by treating the lawn. You don't want to just kill the weeds, because they can easily come back. Instead, you must take excellent care of the grass and soil. Taking better care of the grass will, at the same time, help to prevent weeds. You need to make sure you are mowing at the correct height, watering the lawn the right amount each time, watering the lawn at the correct frequency, and fertilizing the lawn correctly. You should also aerify the soil from time to time. Proper lawn care will help your grass to grow thick and strong, which will deter weeds from growing.

Sometimes good care is not quite enough, though, and you will have to add chemicals as well even with the top grass and lawn fertilizer. Herbicides can be used to help. There are several different types, such as preemergence herbicides and postmergence herbicides. Preemergence herbicides effect the seeds before they grow, while they are still germinating. You should use them 2 to 3 weeks before the seeds would sprout. This type of herbicide works well against annual weeds. Postmergence herbicides are used after the seeds have already sprouted. It works best sprayed, so it can seep into the leaves.

Selective postmergence herbicides do not damage grass, so they are commonly used to fight against annual, biennial, and perennial broadleaf weeds. They can kill other plants such as trees, shrubs, and flowers though, so be very careful when using it. You must use them in the right conditions. The temperature should be between 60-80 degrees F, with little to no wind, and with no rain forecasted for at least a couple of days. The last type of herbicide is non-selective postmergence herbicides. You should use this kind to treat specific areas that have grassy weed problems.

With proper care, you can have a lawn free from intrusive weeds.