Five Warm Season Lawn Weeds You Need To Know About
Posted on: 24 May 2018
If you've recently purchased a home with a lush, green lawn, you're undoubtedly looking forward to spending many happy hours enjoying your outdoor living space with friends and family. Playing lawn games such as croquet and volleyball is just one of the advantages of owning a home with a yard, and few things feel better on bare feet than well-kept, velvety green lawn on a warm summer day — until you step on a weed. Chances are good that the previous owner put some serious work into making the lawn weed-free prior to putting it in the market for the purpose of appealing to prospective buyers, but now that summer's almost here, the weeds will be making a comeback.
Following are five warm-season weeds you need to know about for lawn maintenance.
Buttercups
As their name implies, buttercups have charming little yellow flowers, and many unsuspecting homeowners are unaware that they're weeds until the plants have gained a strong foothold in their lawns. The problem with buttercups is that they can choke out lawn grass in just one summer, and although the plants are attractive for the few short weeks while they're in bloom, they don't have anything aesthetic to offer during the rest of the year.
Wild Morning Glories
Sometimes called bindweed, wild morning glories are low, fast-growing plants that need to be destroyed as soon as they make an appearance. Their roots need to be dug out completely because they'll grow back even stronger otherwise. Most homeowners find that getting rid of this plant requires the services of a professional landscaping company.
Yellow Woodsorrel
Many homeowners initially mistake yellow woodsorrel for clover because the leaves are very similar. However, woodsorrel can quickly soak up water and nutrients from the soil, leaving little for surrounding lawn grass.
Prostrate Spurge
This weed lies low in the grass and sports small, purple flowers. Its stems and leaves are coated with a sticky substance, so be sure to put on gloves before you remove them by hand. These can be pulled up fairly easily provided the soil is damp.
Bittersweet Nightshade
Bittersweet nightshade often goes unnoticed because it tends to pop up in shady spots. It has attractive purple flowers that go on to form reddish-purple fruit. If left unchecked, it develops strong, woody stems and is very difficult to get rid of. Because purple nightshade is poisonous, it should never be tolerated in your outdoor living space.
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