Weeds
Eliminating weeds from the soil before planting the right grass for your area is the best way to solve most weed problems.
How do you get rid of weeds without planting a new lawn? You'll need to know which weeds you have, since different weed types
require different herbicides.
Two major weed types. Lawn weeds are either annual or perennial grass weeds or broadleaf weeds. (See Guide to common lawn weeds.) Grass weeds have parallel leaf veins, while broadleaf weeds have branched veins.
Herbicides. These include post-emergence herbicides, which kill growing weeds, pre-emergence herbicides, which kill germinating weed
seeds.
Post-emergence herbicides include four types. Nonselective types kill whatever plants they contact, while selective versions
kill some plants but not others--most commonly broadleaf weeds but not grasses. Contact herbicides kill only the parts of
a plant they contact, while systemic types circulate throughout the plant.
Herbicides are often combined with fertilizers, though these can be hard to apply at the right time for weed control or fertilization.
You'll also find herbicides in spray bottles or as concentrates that you dilute and apply.
Guide to common lawn weeds details which herbicide works for which type of weed. Some herbicides can also harm more than just weeds, however. See Herbicides and insecticides: A toxic mix to protect yourself and the environment.
See more about weeds, insects, and lawn diseases.
Hint: Begin with the least-toxic weed remedies and use synthetic herbicides only as a last resort. Many can harm you and the environment,
and can damage nearby plants through leaves or roots if applied incorrectly. Natural alternatives such as corn-gluten meal
can prevent crabgrass and other weed seeds from germinating without threatening anything else.
For more tips, see the University of California's integrated Pest Management Web site (www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74113.html) and Cornell's Department of Horticulture Web site www.gardening.cornell.edu/lawn/lawncare/weeds.html).
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