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Seasonal Weed Guide
How to tackle different types of weeds in spring, summer, and fall.
While common weeds are often ugly and unwanted, don't be fooled—all weeds are not alike. There are grassy weeds, for example, such as barnyard grass and different varieties of foxtail. There are sedges, like yellow nutsedge. And, there also are broadleaf weeds, like dandelion, creeping Charlie, and yarrow. But no matter which weed you consider enemy number one, odds are you're fighting a pretty sizeable army consisting of lots of different types of weeds.
So, whether you're battling crabgrass in the spring, creeping Charlie in the summer, or chickweed in the fall, follow this seasonal weed guide and you'll be well on your way to winning the battle against weeds.
Seasons:
Spring
'Tis the season for grassy weeds like goosegrass and broadleaf weeds like knotweed to come out, come out, from wherever they are—namely from deep in the soil. Stop weeds before they emerge and you'll keep them from popping up. Too late for that? Kill them after they emerge and keep them from spreading around. Remember, the more you do early in the season, the fewer weeds you'll have to contend with later.
Common Spring Grassy Weeds
- Crabgrass
- Foxtail
- Goosegrass
Common Spring Sedges
- Yellow nutsedge
- Purple nutsedge
Common Spring Broadleaf Weeds
- Broadleaf plantain
- Buckhorn plantain
- Buttercup
- Common chickweed
- Dandelion
- Deadnettle
- Dollarweed
- Garlic mustard
- Hairy bittercress
- Henbit
- Knotweed
- Oxalis
- Speedwell
- Wild garlic
How to Control Spring Weeds
1. Apply a pre-emergent weed killer. Stop the first weeds of the season by treating them with Roundup® Landscape Weed Preventer, following label directions. It stops weeds before they grow by creating a weed barrier that prevents weeds and grasses for up to 6 months. Apply it to soil around established plants in gardens and landscapes—and be sure to tackle this task early in the season. Once soil temperatures average 50-55ºF, it's usually too late. Set a reminder on your calendar to apply weed killer soon after the last expected frost of the season.
2. Spot treat pop-up weeds. If you missed applying a pre-emergent weed killer, we've got you covered. Spot-treat the little buggers when they rear their ugly heads with Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand (be sure to follow the instructions on the label). Not only will you see visible results in 3 hours, but it gets weeds down to the root—something rarely accomplished by hand-weeding. Target weeds in and around vegetable gardens, flower beds, tree rings, and mulched beds, as well as driveways, walkways, and patios. Remember, weeds grow fast, so get rid of them as soon as you see them.
3. Control lawn weeds. Strong, healthy turf crowds out weeds, so spot-treat tough lawn interlopers—without hurting your lawn—with Roundup® For Lawns (click here for Northern lawns and here for Southern lawns). When used as directed, it starts working immediately and kills to the root. Be sure to treat spring lawn weeds when they're young and growing, but for newly seeded or sodded areas, wait until after the third mowing to make your weed-killing move.
4. Love on your lawn. To help control a variety of different weeds, mow your lawn regularly and reseed bare patches. Be patient, though—you don't want to mow until grass wakes up from its winter slumber. Once it starts growing, wait until it's at least 3 inches tall to bring out the mower. Also, make sure you don't cut more than one-third of length of the grass blades during any single mowing. This kind of TLC will go a long way toward reducing weeds that spread from seed (we're talking to you, pesky dandelions!) and allowing your lawn to fill itself in with healthy turf.
Summer
Long, hot summer days make it prime time for outdoor fun – and weeds. If you let them, warm-season grassy weeds (goosegrass, anyone?) and broadleaf perennial weeds (oh, oxalis!) will come on full-force. What's more, when conditions are hot and dry, weeds send their roots even deeper to look for water, making them harder to pull. Do your best to keep up a regular routine of lawn and landscape maintenance. Remember, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure.
Common Summer Grassy Weeds
- Crabgrass
- Foxtail
- Goosegrass
- Japanese stiltgrass
- Quackgrass
Common Summer Sedges
- Yellow nutsedge
- Purple nutsedge
Common Summer Broadleaf Weeds
- Black medic
- Broadleaf plantain
- Canada thistle
- Chickweed
- Clover
- Creeping Charlie
- Dandelion
- Dollarweed
- Hedge bindweed
- Mugwort
- Oxalis
- Pigweed
- Poison ivy
- Pokeweed
- Purslane
- Wild violet
How to Control Summer Weeds
1. Target those nasty weeds. No need to treat the nice areas of your landscape when all you see are a few summer stragglers. A ready-to-use weed killer like Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand lets you target pop-up weeds quickly and easily. When used as directed, it kills all types of weeds and grasses to the root. Bonus: The Sure Shot® Wand's protective shield fits right over the weed to keep the spray focused where you need it.
2. Mulch your beds. If you didn't mulch in spring (or if your mulch is a little thin), add some more. It's a great protector because it helps the soil temperature stay cooler in the dog days of summer, plus keeps moisture in and weeds out. It helps stop weed seeds from spreading, too. Spread mulch around the plants in your garden and landscape beds, and around trees and shrubs.
3. Mow and water like Goldilocks. The trick is to mow and water not too much and not too little, but just right. (Turfgrass likes that.) Mow your lawn too short and weeds like chickweed and crabgrass will take that as a sign that it's time to take center stage. Keep it too wet, and wild violet and nutsedge starting showing up more and more. If it's too dry, yarrow, black medic, and goosegrass start to grow. Of course, lawns grow at different rates so there is no one-size-fits-all schedule. Your goal is to care for your lawn, not stress it. Keep following the one-third rule of grass cutting. For watering, most lawns need about an inch of water a week, including rain water.
4. Treat the gaps. Different types of weeds can pop up pretty much willy-nilly, including in tiny and dry cracks and crevices, around shrubs, along walkways, in driveways, and in and around patios and pavers. Anytime you see ‘em, treat ‘em with Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand. It lets you spray continuously so you can target those in-the-gap weeds without bending over or tiring your hand. As always, read and follow the directions!
Summer
Long, hot summer days make it prime time for outdoor fun – and weeds. If you let them, warm-season grassy weeds (goosegrass, anyone?) and broadleaf perennial weeds (oh, oxalis!) will come on full-force. What's more, when conditions are hot and dry, weeds send their roots even deeper to look for water, making them harder to pull. Do your best to keep up a regular routine of lawn and landscape maintenance. Remember, an ounce of prevention equals a pound of cure.
Common Summer Grassy Weeds
- Crabgrass
- Foxtail
- Goosegrass
- Japanese stiltgrass
- Quackgrass
Common Summer Sedges
- Yellow nutsedge
- Purple nutsedge
Common Summer Broadleaf Weeds
- Black medic
- Broadleaf plantain
- Canada thistle
- Chickweed
- Clover
- Creeping Charlie
- Dandelion
- Dollarweed
- Hedge bindweed
- Mugwort
- Oxalis
- Pigweed
- Poison ivy
- Pokeweed
- Purslane
- Wild violet
How to Control Summer Weeds
1. Target those nasty weeds. No need to treat the nice areas of your landscape when all you see are a few summer stragglers. A ready-to-use weed killer like Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand lets you target pop-up weeds quickly and easily. When used as directed, it kills all types of weeds and grasses to the root. Bonus: The Sure Shot® Wand's protective shield fits right over the weed to keep the spray focused where you need it.
2. Mulch your beds. If you didn't mulch in spring (or if your mulch is a little thin), add some more. It's a great protector because it helps the soil temperature stay cooler in the dog days of summer, plus keeps moisture in and weeds out. It helps stop weed seeds from spreading, too. Spread mulch around the plants in your garden and landscape beds, and around trees and shrubs.
3. Mow and water like Goldilocks. The trick is to mow and water not too much and not too little, but just right. (Turfgrass likes that.) Mow your lawn too short and weeds like chickweed and crabgrass will take that as a sign that it's time to take center stage. Keep it too wet, and wild violet and nutsedge starting showing up more and more. If it's too dry, yarrow, black medic, and goosegrass start to grow. Of course, lawns grow at different rates so there is no one-size-fits-all schedule. Your goal is to care for your lawn, not stress it. Keep following the one-third rule of grass cutting. For watering, most lawns need about an inch of water a week, including rain water.
4. Treat the gaps. Different types of weeds can pop up pretty much willy-nilly, including in tiny and dry cracks and crevices, around shrubs, along walkways, in driveways, and in and around patios and pavers. Anytime you see ‘em, treat ‘em with Roundup® Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III with Sure Shot® Wand. It lets you spray continuously so you can target those in-the-gap weeds without bending over or tiring your hand. As always, read and follow the directions!
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