How to identify weeds on your lawn?

What is a weed?

Weeds are plants that grow in inappropriate places where you do not want them to appear. They are characterized by their great dispersal capacity and their persistence.

Weeds compete with your lawn for nutrients, sunlight, and water, which inevitably affects the quality of your lawn. If your lawn is invaded by weeds, it will be less dense and more vulnerable to disease and insect infestations.

Why do weeds appear?

They appear mainly because of the following reasons:

• Poor mowing practices
• Too frequent and insufficient watering
• Incorrect fertilization
• Bad soil conditions

These factors contribute to the degradation of the health of your lawn, which opens a window of opportunity for weeds to settle on your land. In order to reduce the risk of invasion by these undesirable plants, it is important to adopt appropriate cultural practices.

Weed guide

Knowing how to identify the different weed species in your garden is the first step to establishing the ideal strategy for their elimination.

The Dandelion

Dandelion is a broad-leaved perennial with a thick, fleshy root. It has an asexual mode of reproduction so it reproduces through the dispersion of its seeds. This weed blooms from early spring until late fall.

Crabgrass

Crabgrass is a broad-leaved grass. It is a competitive annual green plant that grows in spring and summer. Prevention plans against crabgrass are important since once they are established on your land, they spread their seeds to regrow the following year. The seeds can stay in the ground for up to 30 years before germinating. Unfortunately, since crabgrass is a type of grass, most herbicides and lawn fertilizers will generally not kill it.

Ground Ivy

Ground ivy is a perennial and creeping plant with rounded leaves. This weed is easy to recognize when it flowers in the summer (its flowers are purple!). It’s a plant that can quickly invade your land if an action plan is not established. 

Quackgrass

Quackgrass is a perennial grass with pale-green foliage. Its leaves are broad and rough. It’s an invasive weed that is difficult to control since it spreads through its seeds and underground rhizomes. Proper fertilization and proper maintenance of your lawn will make quackgrass more difficult to settle on your property.

White Clover

The white clover is a perennial herb that has a creeping stem and is characterized by its three leaflets. It is a slow-growing plant that can be recognized by the head of its whitish flowers. It is gradually losing its reputation as a weed because some people love them and even go so far as to sow it voluntarily on their land.

Yellow Sorrel

The yellow sorrel is a perennial plant that looks like a clover since it is characterized by its three heart-shaped leaves. When it blooms, you will notice its small yellow flowers. It is found during the months of June and July. 

The Broad-Leaved Plantain

The broad-leaved plantain is a perennial plant that is found in compact soils. Annual law aeration and proper lawn care are necessary to prevent the appearance of this weed. 

Wild Strawberry

The wild strawberry is a perennial herb that mainly grows in soils that have a higher level of acidity. It is a difficult weed to control.

Wild Violets

The wild violet is a perennial plant that reproduces by its seeds. It is a weed that is fairly easy to treat and control if detected quickly.

The best way to prevent weeds from appearing on your property is to adopt good cultural practices and preventive measures. Do not hesitate to contact Vertdure, our specialists have more than 30 years of experience and will carry out the proper treatment for your lawn in order to eliminate the weeds in your yard.