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White clover is a plant that the homeowner either loves or hated. Knowing how to control white clover in lawns and garden beds is useful for many gardeners who did not purposely plant white clover. Getting rid of white clover once it has established itself might be difficult, but it is doable with the appropriate equipment and patience. Let’s look at how to recognize white clover and how to get rid of it.
Knowing what you’re up against is the first step in controlling weeds in the spring. Unfortunately, Northern Virginia has a number of harmful weeds that are common in the area.
Let’s take a look at some of the most prevalent and vexing spring lawn weeds found in Ashburn, Aldie, and Leesburg, VA lawns.
This is by far one of the most common spring lawn weeds we see in our area. It’s also one of the first flowers to bloom in early spring. Because chickweed is a winter annual weed, it germinates over the winter. Chances are you’ve seen this vexing weed at some point, whether in your own lawn or in surrounding garden beds.
It has little white blooms with fleshy egg-shaped leaves and thrives in lawns that have been thinned away. It’s best treated with a selective, liquid broadleaf weed management product, and with a solid lawn care plan, it shouldn’t be an issue for long.
This low-growing winter annual weed appears in lawns in early spring, growing in dense areas. It grows creepingly and is distinguished by its rounded leaves and light blue and white flowers.
This weed prefers the shade and damp soils. During active growth, it must be spot-treated with liquid, specific, post-emergent broadleaf weed control. A repeat treatment is frequently required, especially if you have a severe infestation.
Ground Ivy, sometimes known as “creeping Charlie,” is a low-growing perennial weed with an unpleasant stench when crushed. It is distinguished by scalloped leaves and purple/blue flowers. This ubiquitous and difficult-to-control spring lawn weed belongs to the mint family. As it crawls through the soil surface, it fights to establish roots at each point where the leaf joins to the stem (also known as a “node”).weed ground ivy in the lawn
During active growth, ground ivy requires a liquid, specific post-emergent broadleaf weed management. Because ground ivy frequently develops around the edges of lawns and near trees and bushes, it must be carefully treated with the appropriate chemical. It is also crucial to recognize that controlling ground ivy will take continual work. If it’s getting too thick, ground ivy may need to be treated for several years until it’s at a level you can handle.
This bright yellow flowering spring lawn weed grows quickly and is quite hardy. To put it another way, the dandelion is a survivor. Even when the conditions for germination are not good, dandelion seeds will remain viable in the soil until the conditions improve.
Dandelions, as a perennial weed, may die above the surface but may reappear if not treated with an efficient weed control agent. Dandelions can even emerge in the fall, creating the impression of an endless cycle of weed growth on the lawn.
Fortunately, if you handle your dandelion infestation properly, you can break the cycle. If sprayed at the proper time and with the right chemical, dandelions are quite straightforward to control. They necessitate selective, liquid broadleaf weed management during active growth.
Winter perennials, wild garlic and onion grow from underground bulbs. Both of these weeds have tall, grassy appearances, but wild garlic has round, hollow leaves, whilst wild onion has flat, solid leaves. Wild garlic and onion spread more quickly in thin, compacted lawns.
Both of these plants will appear to die off in the summer, yet the underground bulb can live for several years. Applying selective, liquid weed control to these spring lawn weeds will help control them by causing the leaves to wilt and vanish. Of course, they may reappear as the weather cools down, such as in the fall or early winter, and may necessitate continued treatment.
White clover is a perennial weed that grows close to the ground and spreads in a creeping way. It is a white-flowering plant that has the ability to spread quickly across a lawn. White clover thrives in lawns that have been thinned out so that it does not compete with healthy turf.
One of the most annoying aspects of white clover is that its blossoms might attract bees. Going barefoot in your lawn during the summer could be unsafe due to an infestation of white clover. Fortunately, it is extremely simple to reclaim control of your lawn with specific, liquid broadleaf weed management treatments before clover develops flowers and bees appear. Keep in mind that a tough condition may necessitate more than one treatment.
Hand-pulling grass weeds is the most secure method. This is my preferred strategy for my own grass, although we understand it isn’t always feasible.
To pull weeds with taproots, we recommend wearing gloves and using a thin digging tool. We have discovered that the best time to pull weeds is when they’re mature enough to identify but not totally established.
Herbicides are often the best solution for weeds that cannot be picked or that cover a vast area. We do not, however, propose employing chemical herbicides without first conducting study.
Most herbicides are classified as either pre-emergent or post-emergent. Pre-emergent herbicides are administered to the soil directly and prevent seed germination. These products restrict future weed growth while preserving existing weeds.
A post-emergent herbicide is required to target adult weeds in your grass. Select a selective herbicide that is labeled as safe for your grass species. Herbicides that are not selective kill all plants that come into contact with them, including turf grass.
Weeds that prefer poor soil conditions can be discouraged by fertilizing your grass as needed. Furthermore, consistent feeding promotes robust, healthy lawn growth both above and below ground. Weeds will have less space to grow as a result.
Some granular fertilizers contain pre-emergent herbicides, so you may be able to complete two tasks at once.
When it comes to controlling flowering weeds, timing is important. You may prevent the next generation of weeds from invading your lawn by removing flowering weeds before they go to seed.
The earlier you eliminate particularly aggressive weeds, the better. Post-emergent herbicides can be used as long as active growth is present. Hand-pulling weeds will make it easier to remove young weeds that have yet to develop robust root systems.
Maintaining healthy turf grass is one of the most effective ways to prevent weeds in your yard. Weeds will find it difficult to break through a densely growing lawn. Choose a grass variety appropriate for your land and overseed as needed to mend thin or bare sections.
Mowing on a regular basis will significantly reduce the quantity of weeds that go to seed. I’ve been known to bring out the mower early solely to clip out weed blossoms that were growing above the lawn. This basic step is easy to overlook because it is all about prevention, but you will definitely see a change after a season or two.
Finally, pre-emergent herbicides can work wonders on many common grass weeds. Choose a formula that targets the weeds that are most common in your yard. For optimum control in most regions, we recommend spraying a pre-emergent herbicide twice a year.
There are several weeds with white flowers, both perennial and annual. Lawn daisy, chickweed, dandelion, wild violet, wild carrot, and white clover are some of the most prevalent white flower weeds.
Weeds can be identified by their flower or leaves. Use this knowledge to identify weeds in your lawn. You might be able to discover an internet tool that can assist you in identifying common lawn weeds growing in your grass.
Many plants have little white blossoms. However, if they’re growing in your grass and you didn’t plant them, they’re probably weeds. Keep in mind that many weeds have creeping stems and spread rapidly. If the plant in your grass is a lawn weed, the sooner you recognize it, the sooner you can take steps to eradicate it.
The emergence of white clover on a lawn is frequently indicative of a nitrogen deficit. When there is a lack of nitrogen in the soil, white clover grows while turf grass suffers. we recommend taking a soil test if you detect an unusual amount of white clover in your lawn.
Clover will not be killed by mowing. In fact, clover rebounds from being cut better than most turf grasses, so avoid cutting your lawn too short in an attempt to suppress weeds.
