Identifying and Managing Common Lawn and Garden Weeds
Weeds can quickly take over your lawn and garden. Perhaps you consider weeds are just wild flowers in the wrong place. Perhaps you enjoy a specific area in your garden where you are happy to let weeds prosper for the benefit of wildlife. Or perhaps you feel any weeds spoil your outdoor space. Whatever your view, being able to identify and knowing how to deal with common garden weeds is an essential part of gardening.
It’s also important to remember that most common weeds compete with your plants and lush lawn for nutrients, water, and sunlight.
This blog will help you to maintain a healthy landscape by being able to identify and control common lawn and garden weeds. It is a long guide. We’ll walk you through the traits of common weeds. We’ll also give you tips on how to control and kill them.
Dandelion
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: 30 cm tall, 15 – 40 cm wide
Where It Grows: Shaded or sunny lawns and gardens
Appearance: Long taproot, deeply notched leaves, yellow flowers mature into puffballs
Control: Mulch garden beds to prevent dandelions, hand-pull, or spray leaves and roots with white vinegar until the plant is fully saturated.
Oxalis
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Up to 50 cm tall
Where It Grows: Sunny or shady landscape, lawn, or garden areas
Appearance: Light green leaves resembling clovers, cup-shaped yellow flowers
Control: Mulch garden areas in spring, dig up roots with a weeding knife, hand-pull, and use a hoe regularly to prevent seeding.
Bindweed
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Climbs to 1.80 cm or more
Where It Grows: Sun-filled landscapes and gardens
Appearance: Arrowhead-shaped leaves on twining vines, white to pale pink morning glory-type flowers
Control: Mulch garden beds, pull or cut down growing bindweed plants, use a homemade weed killer (1 part baking soda to 2 parts white vinegar), and mow the lawn regularly to weaken it.
Nutsedge
Type: Grass-like perennial
Size: 60 cm tall, 30 cm wide
Where It Grows: Lawn, landscape, or garden areas in sun or shade
Appearance: Slender, grassy leaves, triangular stems, nutlike tubers on the root system
Control: Mulch garden areas in spring, pull up by hand, spray a solution of salt and white vinegar, and cultivate during summer.
Creeping Charlie
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: 10 cm tall, several cm wide
Where It Grows: Lawns, gardens, and landscapes that are shady
Appearance: Scalloped leaves, creeping stems, clusters of purple flowers in late spring
Control: Mulch garden areas in spring, pull plants by hand, block sunlight with a tarp and reseed when it’s gone, or spray a solution of water and white vinegar.
Lamb’s-Quarter
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 120 cm tall and 45 cm wide
Where It Grows: Garden areas in sun or shade
Appearance: Scalloped, triangular leaves with grey undersides
Control: Mulch garden areas, pull weed plants by hand, control weeds by the flaming method, or use a rotary hoe.
Dayflower
Type: Annual grass relative
Size: Up to 70 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Sunny or shady areas
Appearance: Dark green leaves, brilliant blue flowers through the summer
Control: Mulch garden areas or pull weeds by hand when the soil is moist.
Purslane
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 15 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Where it grows: Dry and sunny garden areas
Appearance: Fleshy, dark green leaves, small yellow flowers at the ends of the stems
Control: Mulch garden areas, pull plants by hand while they are still young, dispose of them properly to avoid re-seeding, or solarise the soil during summer months for 4-6 weeks.
Velvetleaf
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 180 cm tall and 90 cm wide
Where It Grows: Fertile and sunny areas
Appearance: Large, velvety heart-shaped leaves, yellow flowers in summer
Control: Mulch garden areas, pull existing plants by hand while they are still young when the soil is moist, or mow the plants to prevent them from seeding.
Wild Violet
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: 15 cm tall, 15 cm wide
Where It Grows: Shady lawn or garden areas
Appearance: Groundcover with heart-shaped leaves, purple flowers in late spring
Control: Mulch garden beds, pull weeds by hand, or apply white vinegar on a sunny day.
Smartweed
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 100 cm tall and 75 cm wide
Where It Grows: Sunny garden areas
Appearance: Lance-shaped leaves with purple chevrons, upright plant with pink or white flowers
Control: Mulch garden beds, pull plants by hand, apply white vinegar, or frequently mow the lawn.
Quickweed
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 60 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Sunny garden areas
Appearance: Jagged, hairy leaves, small white daisy-shape flowers in summer
Control: Mulch, pull by hand if plants grow while they are young seedlings, and use a hori-hori knife or a step-and-twist weeder to remove them.
Pigweed
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: 180 cm tall, 60 cm wide
Where it grows: Sunny garden areas
Appearance: Tall plants with a taproot, hairy-looking clusters of green flowers
Control: Mulch garden areas (use cover crops and organic mulch), pull weeds by hand, and start mowing regularly to weaken them.
Canada Thistle
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Up to 180 cm tall and 90 cm wide
Where It Grows: Sunny lawn or garden areas
Appearance: Spiny, grey-green leaves, purple flowers
Control: Mulch your garden, dig the weed out by hand, or spray vinegar directly on the cut of the plant once a week.
Knotweed
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 250 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Where It Grows: Sunny or partly shaded lawn, landscape, or garden areas
Appearance: Invasive groundcover with blue-green leaves on long stems
Control: Mulch, pull by hand, or mix 1 part vinegar with 2 parts water and apply the solution directly on the leaves.
NOTE:
There are several different types of knotweed in the UK. However, Japanese Knotweed is particularly invasive and there is specific legislation about how you should stop the srpead and dispose of Japanese Knotweed.
Poison Ivy
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Up to 450 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Sunny or shady garden areas
Appearance: Vine, shrub, or groundcover, leaves divided into three leaflets, green berries
Control: Mulch to prevent poison ivy, carefully clip off above-ground stems using sharp shears and then dig out roots with a hand shovel, or spray white vinegar over the course of a few days directly on the plant.
Black Nightshade
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: 60 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Areas with rich soil in the sun or shade
Appearance: Bushy or climbing plant, white or purple flowers, purple or red fruits
Control: Mulch garden areas, dig deep for the roots and pull by hand or using a sharp spade.
Black Medic
Type: Broadleaf annual or short-lived perennial
Size: 60 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Poor, dry soil in full sun
Appearance: Clover-type leaves, small yellow flowers, dense mat
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull or dig out by hand, or improve turf density through regular mowing and fertilisation.
Quackgrass
Type: Grassy perennial
Size: Up to 90 cm tall and several cm wide
Where It Grows: Landscape areas in sun or shade
Appearance: Wheat like flower spikes, slender clumps of grassy foliage
Control: Mulch well, dig out by hand, or solarise the soil during the summer months.
Dock
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Up to 120 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Where It Grows: Garden areas in sun or shade
Appearance: Large, wavy-edge leaves, large seed heads covered with brown seeds
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull and dig up during spring using a spudding tool or spade.
Henbit
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 30 cm tall and wide
Where It Grows: Lawn and garden areas in sun or shade
Appearance: Low, creeping plant, scallop-edge leaves, purple flowers
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull each plant individually by hand, or spray a mixture of water, white vinegar, and dish soap.
Fleabane
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: 60 cm tall and 40 cm wide
Where It Grows: Garden areas in sun to partial shade
Appearance: Slender leaves, upright, branching stem, puffy white to pale lavender daisies
Control: Mulch garden areas, pull young plants with a weed whacker, and cover mature plants with a plastic bag before pulling to avoid release of more seeds.
Nettle
Type: Broadleaf perennial
Size: Up to 180 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Where It Grows: Garden areas with moist soil
Appearance: Sawtooth-edge leaves, yellowish flower clusters with stinging hairs
Control: Mulch to prevent, dig or fork out young plants, hoe off seedlings on a warm or dry day, and always wear gloves.
Prostrate Spurge
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: 8 cm tall, 40 cm wide
Where It Grows: Garden areas with dry soil
Appearance: Green or purple-blushed leaves, dense mats
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull young seedlings right away, remove entire root system to prevent regrowth, and always wear gloves.
Musk Thistle
Type: Broadleaf biennial
Size: Up to 180 cm tall and 40 cm wide
Where It Grows: Landscape and garden areas with full sun
Appearance: Prickly leaves, tall stems topped by heavy purple flowers
Control: Mulch to prevent, hand-pull, regularly mow the lawn, or remove its root completely below ground with a hoe or shovel.
Ragweed
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: Up to 120 cm tall and 60 cm wide
Where It Grows: Landscape areas in sun or partial shade
Appearance: Finely cut green leaves resembling ferns
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull by hand in early summer, and mow the lawn regularly.
Yellow Sweet Clover
Type: Broadleaf annual
Size: 60 cm tall, 50 cm wide
Where It Grows: Landscape and garden areas
Appearance: Lanky branches, clover-like leaves, fragrant yellow flowers
Control: Mulch to prevent, pull plants by hand or using a shovel, spot treat with white vinegar, or cut first and second year stems before flowering occurs.
Conclusion
Weeds in your garden are inevitable. Yet, with proper identification and management, you can keep them under control. You can choose manual removal and natural remedies or professional gardening services. Taking proactive steps will keep your outdoor environment healthy and thriving. Consult with experts for personalised advice on weed control strategies.