Texas weeds can be a hassle to deal with, especially in the summer heat. Who wants to deal with weeds anytime of the year? Weeds make lawns look unhealthy and not pretty. Gardeners dread seeing them in their gardens. There are two types of weeds: Annual and Perennial. Annual ones come in one-year cycles and reseed themselves. Perennial weeds remain alive and only die at the root. Then, weeds come in two classifications. Either grassy or broadleaf. Texas-not surprisingly with all its different climates and geographies-has many kinds of weeds. Below are four common Texas weeds and how to rid them.
Grassy
Dallisgrass-a perennial weed that is dark green, low growing, and clumps. Many of the seeds arrive after mowing. Best methods to kill these weeds are to dig them out or any herbicide with MSMA or CMA, like Weed Hoe or Weed-B-Gon Crabgrass Killer.
Crabgrass-an annual weed that sprouts in warm-season. It has spreading runners and a light green foliage. The best killer is herbicides specifically for crabgrass, which comes in many varieties.
Broadleaf
Clover-this Texas weed comes in an annual or perennial depending on location. It usually arrives in cooler weather. If the lawn has a dense turf area, they will not show or even come in, and herbicides with Trimec are a good alternative. Plus, using Bindi Weed Killer seems to be very popular.
Dandelions-these bright yellow weeds are perennial. You can start seeing this weed in early spring with large, dark green leaves attached. The herbicide Ortho Weed B Gon Max Killer For Lawns is the most common killer. Also, mixing dish soap and vinegar is a good alternative.
Herbicides come in three kinds: pre-emergent, post-emergent, and nonselective. Pre-emergent is obviously used before seeds take root. This weed killer needs to be put on the lawn at least a month before planting, so putting spreading it around Mid-September or Mid-March is a good idea. Post-emergent herbicides mainly are for broadleaf weeds and are used after the weeds have already shown. The last weed killer, nonselective, will kill anything it touches (so careful where you put this on your lawns). Many gardeners and landscapers have been going Green and deciding on organic weed killer. Scythe and Neem Oil are well known organic ones. However, lately, vinegar has become a popular choice. Vinegar is a household product that many have and can easily be used to kill weeds. The best places to get help and many choices of herbicides are any gardening or outdoors store. The two best ones are Lowe’s and Home Depot. Lowe’s has their weed killer priced up to $80, and Home Depot sells theirs up to $100. Both stores have many fertilizers as well, which can keep the lawn healthy. Also, if herbicides are not really an option, or you are worried about your lawn, just keep the lawn mowed at least three inches, so mowing does not need to be done every weekend. The lawn can hide weeds.
Barbara Brown, http://landscaping.suite101.com
Patricia Diaz, http://moscowfood.coop/archive/VinegarKillsWeeds.html
Melissa Howard, http://gardening-products.suite101.com
UC IPM, www.ipm.ucdavis.edu
Kristin Marino, www.allaboutlawns.com/lawn-weeds-pests/dont-throw-a-fit-over-lawn-weeds.php
www.gardenguides.com
www.lawnbeltusa.com/lawntips.htm
www.lowes.com
www.homedepot.com
