They hide out in your lawn, disguising themselves as long blades of grass. But once they take over your yard, you’ll learn the truth. You’ve got grassy weeds. Luckily there are various methods of grassy weed control that help to get your yard back to being beautiful.

What are Grassy Weeds

They’re what they sound like: weeds with long, thin blades that resemble grass. However, some grow in clumps taller than your turf to make it easier to point them out. The most common grassy weeds include:

• Crabgrass
• Goosegrass
• Foxtail
• Barnyardgrass

While they sprout in the spring and grow rapidly through the summer, most of these weeds only live for one growing season. They usually die off after the first frost in the fall. However, they also form thousands of new seeds that could sprout the following spring if left untreated.

Grassy Weed Control

Like most weeds, grassy weeds thrive in stressed lawns. This means there’s either not enough water or nutrients in the soil, the lawn is irregularly mowed, or there are bare spots left from dried, dead grass. So naturally, one of the best ways to prevent weeds of any kind is to take care of your lawn. When you properly fertilize, water, and mow your yard, your grass thanks you by growing so lush and green that there’s no room for weeds to grow.

Another line of defense in the war against weeds is a pre-emergent herbicide. If you’ve dealt with weeds before, you know what to watch out for. You can help prevent weeds from returning to problem areas by applying a pre-emergent weed product in the early spring. If you miss your window, there are also weed control products available to spot treat pop-ups. The most important thing to keep in mind is that not all products treat all weeds. You want to be sure to correctly identify the weed you’re dealing with and use the product formulated to fight it.

More Maintenance Tips

To gain the upper hand against weeds, you’ve got to improve your prevention process. Here are some ways to do that:

Mow at the right height. Different types of grass require different mowing techniques. Learn what the proper height is for your lawn and shoot for the higher end of the spectrum. Longer grass helps shade the soil and prevent weed seeds from germinating. Mowing too short can lead to a thin lawn with more bare spots, aka more room for weeds.

Fertilize properly. Help keep your grass healthy with a balanced pH diet. There are even some weed and feed products that do double duty feeding your grass while fighting any weeds.

Water properly. When you give your lawn a long drink of water you don’t have to do it as frequently. It also helps roots grow deeper, leaving less room for weeds to become established.

Spot treat. Repair any bare spots in your lawn, no matter what caused them. If you don’t, weeds will claim the open areas.

For more tips and tricks on grassy weed control, contact the lawn care experts at Cardinal Lawns. From proper maintenance to reviving tired yards, we can help get your grass back in shape during any season.