Guest post by Emily Higgins

One of the things that can mar the beauty of a lawn is weeds. They spread across a lawn and dig their roots down into the soil. So, you need to identify them and learn how to remove weeds that are taking over your lawn.

How to Identify the Weeds in Your Yard

San Antonio, Texas, is in Hardiness Zone 8b/9a, and the average winter temperature is between 10 and 15 degrees Fahrenheit. This means that winter weeds will try to produce seeds before the summer heat comes and the summer weeds take over. So, in San Antonio there are two weed growing seasons — both the winter and the summer. Identification of what weeds will grow is vital before anything can be done about them.

Here are some weeds that grow in the San Antonio area.

Chickweed

This weed has green leaves that are small and elliptical shaped with white flowers. It’s a medicinal plant as well and likes to grow in moist soil in darker areas. Plus, birds love it, and by eating it, they will spread it everywhere they fly when they excrete. It’s one of the most challenging weeds to remove. One reason is that one plant can produce about 15,000 seeds, and it will even adapt to different heights of mowing.

Texas Dandelion

This variety is the local type of the common dandelion. It’s taller than the regular dandelion, and the flower is more lemon in color than golden. There are black tubes in the center of the flower, and it produces a milky sap. If it’s growing in soil that’s not compacted, then it can be uprooted easily.

Henbit

The plant belongs to the mint family and is as invasive as the rest of the mint family. Chickens enjoy eating it — hence the name. The leaves are circular with scallop-shaped indents on the dark green sides, and it has small purple flowers. It can produce 2,000 seeds per plant. The seeds are produced on stems that are on the ground. It can also self-root from stems touching the ground.

Cleaver

The other name for this weed is Bedstraw, and it grows on everything it encounters. Cleaver has stems that are long and branch out. There are hairs on every leaf, which is what attaches it to whatever brushes against it. It will thrive in an area that is dark and shaded. It has tiny white flowers and is dangerous if ingested by pets or humans.

Wild Carrot

This is also known as Queen Anne’s Lace. It looks similar to a carrot plant and smells like one. The flowers are white umbel flowers that branch out from a common stem. It also has sticky hairs on the stems and leaves. This plant is related to poison hemlock, so be careful handling it.

Bermuda Grass

This is an extremely aggressive weed and hard to eradicate. It loves fertilizer and will move above ground by the solons and underground by rhizomes into flower beds.

How to Remove Weeds

There are ways to work on getting rid of weeds in a lawn. Removing the weeds entirely by digging them out is ideal, but it’s difficult to do if you have a large yard. The next best step is to stop the weeds from multiplying. One of the easiest ways is to mow the weeds before they go to seed. Mow the weeds as often as possible to prevent the seed heads from reaching maturity.

You can also apply herbicide at the right time of the growing season, after reading the instructions carefully. That can prevent the germination of the summer weeds. For example, Bermuda grass is hard to pull out by hand so an herbicide can be used by spraying the growing foliage. It will be absorbed and transferred to the roots, and then the whole plant will be killed.

The critical thing to remember when using an herbicide is to read the directions and follow them. Some products can’t be sprayed in vegetable gardens but can be sprayed at the edge of a bed.

Consider Hiring a Professional

Dealing with weeds can be frustrating, especially in the dry Texas heat. Similar to damage caused by harsh fertilizers, using the wrong herbicide or using a herbicide incorrectly can leave your lawn looking just as damaged. With all the qualified lawn care professionals in San Antonio and the average weed control cost being $50 and $70, it might not be a bad idea to hire a professional. Not only will they be able to thoroughly identify different weeds, but they have the means necessary to remove them in an efficient way to maintain a healthy lawn surrounding the affected areas.

A lawn is relaxing to look at when it’s the color of green velvet. Weeds, on the other hand, are like a relentless marching army trying to overtake it. However, to keep your lawn looking good, weed control is a must.

Question: Which weeds do you have the most problems controlling?

Emily Higgins is a writer and homeowner inspired by retro pinups — she is constantly working on revamping her fixer upper to have a more chic vintage style. When she’s not working on remodeling, she can be found tending to her organic garden and cooking for family and friends.

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