Weeds are a terribly irritating and destructive force of nature that plague almost every garden in the world. According to the Department of Agronomy, Penn State University, weeds are plants whose undesirable properties outweigh their desirable properties. These undesirable properties extend to their damaging or restricting the growth of neighboring plants, undesirable apperance, or uncontrollable growth. In order to get rid of the weeds in our gardens, we can either pull them out physically, or kill them with lawn weed killer.
Weed killer for lawns vary in effectiveness and eco friendliness. Some are very powerful, while others tend to work more slowly. They also vary by type. There are general purpose herbicides, that kill all kinds of plants, selective herbicides, that only kill certain weeds. Here are 5 weed killer for lawns that I recommend you trying.
Total Kill
This is a non-selective, all vegetation, herbicide that will kill off any plant it is applied to. It is so powerful that it can last two seasons before needing re-application.
Turf King is ideally used on the pathways or garden sheds that you have on your lawn. It is quite a powerful weed killer, so you should avoid using it near your prized plants or unaffected lawn areas. An unfortunate downside is that this lawn weed killer is extremely toxic. As such, I advise that you do not use it near freshwater streams or near your well (if you have one), less the water get tainted.
Triple Selective Weed Killer
Triple Selective is a specialized lawn weed killer that targets and kills over 120 different types of weeds without harming your lawn. It is especially effective against clovers, nut grass, chickweed and vines. It also works well against broadleaf weeds.
Triple Selective Weed Killer for lawns is a good choice for the common household lawn, although it can be applied on golf courses and gardens. Do not use if your lawn consists of Dichondria, Lippia, St. Augustine or Clover as it will kill off your lovely lawn.
Roundup Weedkillers
Made in Australia, the Roundup series of weedkillers are extremely versatile. They have a variety of lawn weed killer products to choose from and are highly effective against almost all kinds of weeds. I recommend using Roundup for woody weeds.
Organic and Eco Friendly Weed Killers
If you want to try something eco friendly or organic, you can use either Vinegar or Lemon juice. Vinegar, when sprayed over weeds, will kill them. However, be careful as vinegar acts as a general herbicide and will kill your own plants as well. Use it sparingly.
On the other hand, lemon juice can also be used. It is not as effective as vinegar as a lawn weed killer, but can still be used to finish off small weeds, especially those growing in cracks in the pavement or walls.
Sources
Dwight D Ligenfelter, What are Weeds?, Penn State University
Turf King, Interstate Products
Triple Threat Selective Weed Killer, Valtec Industries
Roundup Weed Killers, Scotts
