Weed Encyclopedia
Identify common lawn weeds and learn the most effective control strategies. Each profile includes pre-emergent timing, post-emergent options, and product recommendations.
Grassy Weeds
Goosegrass
Forms flattened rosettes in compacted or thin areas. Crowds out turf in high-traffic zones, along sidewalks, and in worn areas. Tolerates close mowing and heavy foot traffic better than turfgrass.
Dallisgrass
Coarse clumps disrupt turf uniformity. Grows faster than warm-season grasses, producing unsightly seed heads within days of mowing. Circular patches expand outward each season via short rhizomes.
Poa Annua
Invades thin turf in fall/winter, then dies in summer heat leaving bare patches. Lighter color and clumpy growth disrupt visual uniformity. Extremely persistent seed bank.
Quackgrass
Allelopathic — produces chemicals that suppress surrounding grass growth. Rhizomes physically displace grass roots. Forms expanding patches of coarse-textured grass. Any rhizome fragment as small as 1 inch can regenerate.
Crabgrass
Forms dense, spreading mats that shade out desirable grass. Each plant can cover 1-2 sq ft. When it dies at first frost, it leaves large bare patches vulnerable to erosion and winter weed invasion.
Broadleaf Weeds
Dandelion
Flat rosette shades out surrounding grass. Taproot competes for deep moisture. Prolific windborne seed dispersal colonizes entire lawns.
Creeping Charlie
Forms dense, ground-hugging mat that completely smothers grass. Stolons weave through grass making mechanical removal extremely difficult. Thrives in shade where grass is already thin, then expands into sunny areas.
Dollarweed
Forms colonies in wet, shaded areas of warm-season lawns. Spreads aggressively through underground rhizomes in over-irrigated or poorly drained soil. Bright green patches disrupt turf uniformity.
Doveweed
Forms dense mats in moist areas of warm-season lawns. Easily mistaken for grass until well-established. Competes aggressively in over-irrigated or poorly drained areas.
White Clover
Spreads by stolons to form patches that visually disrupt uniform turf. Competes for space but generally coexists with grass rather than killing it. Indicates low nitrogen levels.
Spotted Spurge
Forms dense, ground-hugging mats in bare or thin areas. Spreads rapidly in summer heat — can cover 1-2 sq ft in weeks. Exploits bare soil from thin grass, drought stress, or scalping.
Sedge Weeds
Weed Types Explained
- Summer Annual
- Germinates in spring, grows through summer, dies at first frost. Prevention is key.
- Winter Annual
- Germinates in fall, survives winter, flowers in spring, dies in summer heat.
- Simple Perennial
- Lives year after year from a single taproot. Pull the whole root or use post-emergent.
- Creeping Perennial
- Spreads via stolons or rhizomes. Most difficult to control — requires targeted herbicides.