Problems

How to Identify Weeds on Your Lawn?

Photo d’un petit plant de plantain mettant en valeur ses feuilles larges et nervurées, caractéristiques de cette plante commune des pelouses.

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.

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.

Photo d’un plant de pissenlit avec ses feuilles dentelées et sa tige portant une fleur jaune éclatante.Gros plan sur une fleur de pissenlit, une mauvaise herbe envahissante aux nombreux pétales jaunes.

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.

Photo d’un plant de digitaire mettant en valeur ses tiges étalées et ses inflorescences en forme de doigts.Gros plan sur les graines de digitaire, une plante envahissante qui se propage rapidement dans les pelouses.

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.

Gros plan sur des graines de chiendent, une mauvaise herbe courante qui envahit les pelouses et jardins.Photo de chiendent poussant dans une pelouse, une herbe envahissante difficile à éliminer.

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.

Photo d’un plant de trèfle blanc avec ses feuilles caractéristiques et ses fleurs, souvent présent dans les pelouses.Gros plan sur les feuilles du trèfle blanc, reconnaissables à leur forme arrondie et à leurs motifs caractéristiques.

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. 

Photo d’un plant d'oxalide d'Europe, une petite plante aux feuilles en forme de cœur qui pousse dans les pelouses et espaces verts.Gros plan sur les fleurs d'oxalide d'Europe, de petites fleurs aux pétales jaunes, poussant dans les pelouses et jardins.

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. 

Photo d’un petit plant de plantain mettant en valeur ses feuilles larges et nervurées, caractéristiques de cette plante commune des pelouses.Gros plan sur les fleurs élancées et les graines de plantain, une plante courante des pelouses et prairies.

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. 

Photo d’un plant de violette sauvage mettant en valeur ses feuilles en forme de cœur et ses fleurs violettes délicates.Gros plan sur les fleurs bleu vif de la violette sauvage, mettant en valeur leurs pétales délicats et leur aspect naturel.

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.