Different Lawn Weeds and How to Remove Them

Having a nice lawn means you will have to know how to remove weeds, but knowing how to remove them isn't just a case of simply cutting the grass regularly or digging them up, but with so many weeds that can affect your lawn, what is the best way to deal with them?

Good lawn management with regular feeding and mowing will encourage a thicker, greener lawn which can help repel serious weed and moss problems. However, no matter how much care you take with your lawn, seeds will still blow into your garden, and bird droppings will also contain weed seeds, so you need to regularly check for weed problems and deal with them before they become serious.

What's the Best Way to Remove Lawn Weeds?

Lawn Weeds can be removed simply by digging them out manually, but this is often a temporary measure, as a small portion of the weed plant is often left in the ground, which will regrow. The most effective method of weed control is to use a selective herbicide which will directly target the weed and leave the grass unaffected.

Today, many selective herbicides are available on the domestic market that will kill weeds without harming the grass, so there's no reason to have a lawn full of dandelions, daisies or clovers!

Most Common UK Weeds

The most common types of lawn weeds in the UK are Daisy, Trefoil, Black Medic, White Clover, Red Clover, Slender Speedwell, Germander Speedwell, Greater Plantain, Ribwort Plantain, Bucks-horn Plantain, Selfheal, Dandelion, Cats Ear, Autumn Hawkbit, Smooth Hawksbeard, Bristly Ox-Tongue, Creeping Buttercup, Bulbous Buttercup, Crowfoot, Lesser Celandine, Mouse-ear Chickweed, Common Chickweed, Yarrow, Silverweed, Parsley Piert, Knotgrass, Broad-leaved Dock, Common Sorrel, Common Ragwort, Ground Ivy, Scarlet Pimpernel, Doves-foot Cranesbill, Creeping Thistle, Horsetail and Moss.

Weed Removing Tools

If you get to the weed before it has a chance to grow too large, you may be able to remove most of it with a simple hand weeding tool like this one.

For the more stubborn weeds, you might want to give something like this weed puller a go, as it will help you get deeper into the root.

Lawn Feed & Weed Killer

Lawn care takes time and will require different tasks all year round. One of the most popular and easy to use is EverGreen's Complete 4in1 lawn feed, weed and moss killer. Check the full details on the pack before using it on your lawn.

How to Recognise Common Weeds

The Daisy

This is one of the most common and recognisable lawn and turf weeds in the UK, as it can grow in a wide range of conditions. As a perennial weed, the Daisy spreads using short underground runners (stolons). The Daisy can be easily recognised by the small spoon-shaped and slightly scalloped leaves, which form a small rosette and the distinct flowers with a yellow centre surrounded by white petals.

White Clover

This is one of the most recognisable weeds in UK lawns and is another perennial weed, so it will need regular treatment. White Clover is very common and has creeping runners that travel along the surface, which can quickly choke out grass, so you will need to act fast if you see any signs of this.

White Clover can be recognised by their leaves which are divided into three and have a whitish band near the base of the leaf.

Dandelion

This is a prevalent perennial weed in the UK that is very common in all types of lawns and fields. The Dandelion forms a large flat rosette on the lawn with a long stout tap root.

Even though the Dandelion is a weed, its leaves have many health benefits. The leaves are lance-shaped and hairless, with a deep downward pointing teeth shape. Dandelions can grow up to 12 inches in length and will kill the grass beneath.

They also produce a single yellow flower from March to November, which eventually turns into thousands of tiny seeds which are propagated by the wind, so you will want to target this one before it gets too out of hand.

Help Removing Weeds

If you have an out-of-control weed problem, don't have the time or don't know where to start, it's probably time you contact a specialist that can help you in your garden. Contact a local gardener and see how they can help you, so you have more time to relax in your garden.