6 of the Most Annoying Spring Lawn Weeds and How to Get Rid of Them

Chances are if you’re someone that enjoys spending time outside and using their lawn as much as possible, then you can’t stand seeing spring lawn weeds pop up. They’re an eyesore and an embarrassment. You don’t want to have the yard on the block that looks like it’s uncared for.

While you can’t stand weeds, you may not want to spend a lot of time working on your lawn. You have better things to do than to spend your free time trying to troubleshoot weed problems. This may lead you to search for a lawn care company who can handle lawn weed control for you. And if you consider using a pro, you should be able to feel confident that they will use the right products at the right times—and will get the job done.

In other words, you want your lawn to be as hassle-free as possible. And that starts with getting rid of all those pesky weeds. After all, weeds can crowd out grass and leave bare spots in your lawn when they die. The last thing you want is them doing any damage on top of already being an eyesore.

Identifying Spring Lawn Weeds

Your first step in controlling weeds in the spring is knowing what you’re dealing with. Unfortunately, Northern Virginia has quite a few troublesome weeds that are commonly found in the region.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common, and most annoying, spring lawn weeds found in lawns in Ashburn, Aldie, and Leesburg, VA.

1. Chickweed

Far and away, this is one of spring lawn weeds that we see pop up in our region most often. It’s also one of the first to appear in early spring. That’s because chickweed is a winter annual weed, meaning it germinates over the winter. Whether you’ve seen it in your own lawn, or in nearby landscape beds, chances are you’ve faced this annoying weed at some point.

It’s characterized by small white flowers with fleshy egg-shaped leaves and thrives in thinned-out areas of the lawn. It is best controlled with selective, liquid broadleaf weed control material and with a good lawn care plan, it should not be a problem for long.

2. Purple Deadnettle

Deadnettle is a weed of the “mint family,” and is quite the aggressive grower. Deadnettle begins to germinate in winter and reaches full height in the spring. Besides the fact that it is fast-growing, a single deadnettle plant can release thousands of seeds, making it a weed that is also persistent at survival.

It is best controlled with liquid broadleaf weed control in early spring. Like chickweed, with a solid treatment plan in the spring, you shouldn’t have to worry too long about this weed.

3. Creeping Speedwell/Veronica

This low-growing winter annual weed grows in dense patches and becomes evident in lawns in the early spring. It grows in a creeping form and is characterized by its rounded leaves and light blue and white flowers.

This is a weed that prefers shade and moist soils. It must be spot-treated with liquid, selective, post-emergent broadleaf weed control during periods of active growth. Oftentimes, a repeat treatment may be needed, particularly if you have a bad infestation.

4. Ground Ivy

Ground Ivy, also known as “creeping Charlie,” is a low-growing perennial weed that has a distinct odor when it is crushed. It is characterized by its scalloped leaves and purple/blue flowers. This common and difficult-to-control spring lawn weed is an aggressive member of the mint family. It will compete with your healthy lawn as it creeps along the soil surface and fights to establish roots at each point in which the leaf attaches to the stem (also known as a “node”).

Ground ivy requires a liquid, selective, post-emergent broadleaf weed control during active growth. Because ground ivy often grows at the edge of lawns and near trees and shrubs, it’s important that it’s carefully controlled with the right product. It’s also important to note that it will require an ongoing effort to keep ground ivy under control. If it’s growing very thick, ground ivy could even require treatment over a multi-year period until it’s at a minimal level which you can tolerate.

5. Dandelion

This bright yellow flowering spring lawn weed is both fast-growing and incredibly hardy. In other words, the dandelion is a survivor. Even when the conditions are not favorable for its germination, a dandelion’s seeds will remain viable in the soil until those conditions improve.

As a perennial weed, dandelions may die off above the surface but continue to come back again and again if not treated with an effective weed control product. Dandelions can even reappear in the fall, making it feel like an unending cycle of weed growth in your lawn.

Fortunately, if treated properly, you can take charge of your dandelion infestation and prevent this cycle. Dandelions are relatively easy to control if sprayed at the right time and with the right product. They require selective, liquid broadleaf weed control applied during times of active growth.

5. Wild Garlic & Onion

Wild garlic and onion are winter perennials that emerge from underground bulbs. Both of these weeds are characterized by their tall, grassy appearance but wild garlic has round and hollow leaves whereas wild onion has flat and solid leaves. Wild garlic and onion spread more rapidly in lawns that are thin and compacted.

Both of these plants will ultimately appear to die off in summer, however, the underground bulb can persist for several years. Applying selective, liquid weed control to these spring lawn weeds will help get these pesky weeds under control by helping the foliage to wilt down and disappear. Of course, they could re-emerge as the weather cools down such as the fall or even early winter, and may require ongoing treatment.

6. White Clover

A perennial weed, white clover grows close to the ground and spreads in a creeping manner. It is characterized as a white-flowering weed and is known to be able to spread rapidly across a lawn. White clover will grow best in thinned out areas of the lawn where it doesn’t have to compete with healthy turf.

One of the big annoyances about white clover is the fact that its flowers can attract bees. An infestation of white clover could make it a risky endeavor to go barefoot in your lawn during the summer. Fortunately, it is relatively easy to take back the control of your lawn with selective, liquid broadleaf weed control products, before clover has a chance to develop flowers and bees show up. Just bear in mind that a difficult case may require more than one treatment.

Lawn Weed Control

The biggest challenge with controlling weeds in the spring is the knowledge and expertise that is required to deal with them properly. There’s a lot more involved than just spraying a single product and hoping for the best. That’s because some weeds are harder to control than others and will respond differently to various products.

A weed control plan that takes into account the different variety of weeds your lawn is dealing with, as well as the ideal timing of product application, is essential. You’ll need to identify the specific weeds on your property and then determine the plan that will work best.

You also want to be sure that you’re promoting a healthy turf as the best natural defense against weeds is a thick, thriving lawn. Weeds do best in dry and compacted soil, lawns which are cut too low, lawns with low fertility, and lawns with thin grass. Avoiding those conditions with a healthy lawn care program will also do wonders for natural weed control.

Of course, you may rather leave all of this in the hands of a professional. Your hope is that weed control companies in Aldie, Ashburn, or Leesburg, VA would know the best plan of attack to deal with spring weeds so that you don’t have to be involved.

But that’s not always the case. We’ll explore why choosing the right company can make all the difference.

Choosing Ashburn, Aldie, or Leesburg, VA Lawn Care Services

It’s important to recognize that not all lawn care companies in Northern Virginia are created equal, and therefore they will not all take the best approach to getting your weed problem under control. Some Ashburn, Aldie, and Leesburg VA lawn care companies fail to take a customized approach. They use the same program on lawn after lawn and don’t switch things up as needed.

But there’s even more to it than that.

In addition to finding a company that will devise a custom action plan for your weeds, you also want a company that focuses on good year-round soil health. That’s because the real secret to choking out weeds is a healthy turf. Since weeds tend to thrive in thin lawns, healthy thick grass will help crowd out their growth and prevent them in the first place.

While some companies will just come out and spray again and again, all they’re doing is treating symptoms and never getting to the real root of the problem—which is that the grass is not as healthy as it could be. But by choosing a company that takes a complete approach and offers additional lawn care services, you could be on your way to a healthy lawn which in turn is also a weed-free lawn.

Complete lawn care services include:

• Proper, Weekly Mowing and Trimming
• Lawn Fertilization
• Topdressing
• Leaf Clean-Up
• Aeration and Overseeding
• Preventative Grub Control
• Broadleaf Weed Control

The idea is to choose a company that can do everything that it takes to achieve the healthy lawn that you desire.

Let Turf's Up Help You with Smart Choices in Lawn Care

At Turf's Up, we offer all of those services and more. We can handle as much of the management of your property as you’d like. And by handing those responsibilities over to us, you also hand over the headaches (and the hassles) that are involved.

With us handling those tough weeds—and other necessary lawn care work—you can step outdoors without your blood pressure rising and the stress mounting as a result of what you see.

Instead of a mess, you’ll see a healthy, weed-free lawn. And time spent outside will no longer be about worrying how your yard looks. It will simply be about enjoying it to the fullest.

Image Sources: chickweed, purple deadnettle, creeping speedwell, ground ivy, dandelions, white clover