Every winter I have weeds in my yard. Most of the herbicides I purchase are for warm weather.
What can I use to get rid of fall and winter weeds?
Cooler weather will be here soon and most of us are looking forward to putting away the lawn mower for the season. But, fall and winter doesn't mean you can ignore your lawn. These are prime germination times for a variety of weeds that can invade your turf. Annual bluegrass (Poa annua) is probably the most common winter turf weed. Seeds begin to germinate in August and will continue to sprout until Spring. It's a low-growing plant with fine stems and leaves. It grows in clumps and will die back in late Spring.
Henbit, a common winter broadleaf weed, germinates from seed beginning in September. Sometimes called dead nettle, it has square stems with rounded, coarsely toothed leaves. Pinkish purple trumpet-shaped flowers appear in clusters at the ends of the stems in mid-winter. Another winter annual broadleaf weed, chickweed, often appears in moist, shaded areas and areas of low-mowing heights. Its creeping habit with numerous branched stems can lead to dense patches. Leaves are opposite, oval and bright green.
Most of these weeds can be controlled by hand removal if your infestation isn't too great. If you have an extensive weed problem, you may want to consider chemical control methods. Be sure to correctly identify the weed and the type of turf you have. Read and follow label instructions carefully for herbicide selected.
Misapplication can cause poor results, injure desirable plants and even be dangerous in some situations. If you have any questions about the correct herbicides for your problem or how to apply them correctly, contact us here at the county Extension office. Contact us at (334) 265-0233.
