If you’re like a lot of people, you probably associate weeds with the spring. There is no question that many weed species thrive in the warm weather of the spring and summer. But there are also a number of winter lawn weeds that should be on your radar.
Winter annual weeds germinate in late summer and early fall and then will pop up during warmer winter days, which certainly do happen here in Louisville.
Some of the Kentucky lawn weeds that we see occur during the winter include:
1. Common Chickweed
2. Winter Creeper
3. Yellow Rocket
4. Henbit
5. Wild Onion
These are just some examples of common Kentucky weeds that you might see sneak into your lawn in the winter. Let’s look at each and also what you can do about winter weed control.
This winter annual can be found in both sunny and shaded areas and has even adapted to different soil types. Chickweed produces shallow, fibrous roots and grows close to the ground. It is often identified by its small white flowers.
Birds and insects feast on this weed and it happens to be a common ingredient in birdseed.
This aggressive perennial woody vine can be a difficult weed to control. Anytime that you’re dealing with a viney weed, you’ll notice that it grows very quickly (and it doesn’t take long for the problem to get out of hand).
With a weed as aggressive as Winter Creeper, you want to take proactive measures to prevent it from growing in the first place.
This aptly named weed grows tall with bright yellow flowers. It can be a winter annual or biennial and it reproduces by seed. The stalks of this weed can grow quite tall (as high as one to two feet) and will really stick out from your lawn.
Yellow Rocket is a member of the mustard family and it’s highly adaptable, even to tough conditions. Sometimes you might even see this weed pop up in the cracks of sidewalks or around hardscaping.
Another one of the common Kentucky weeds, Henbit is characterized by its slender pink or purple flowers that are produced on square stems. Henbit weed seeds germinate during the fall and through the winter.
Henbit is commonly confused for Purple Deadnettle (and vice versa) and the University of Kentucky reports that the two winter annual species are of the same genus. The biggest visual difference is that the upper leaves and stems of Purple Deadnettle appear more reddish.
This bulbous perennial weed is a prolific spreader. Wild Onion will first start growing in the late fall and may grow throughout the winter months. This grassy weed will grow in dense clumps.
Wild Garlic is a similar weed to Wild Onion but has more rounded leaves. Just like Wild Onion, Wild Garlic is a winter perennial that might grow throughout the colder months.
The best way to address winter lawn weeds is with a proactive lawn care program that will attempt to stop them in the first place.
At Limbwalker, the lawn care treatments that are taking place in the Fall involve planning ahead for potential invaders.
Different weeds come out at different times of the year, which is why our weed control program is varied (including specialty controls when they are needed).
But the other aspect of preventative weed control that’s not always talked about is growing a thick and healthy lawn. One of the best ways to prevent common Kentucky weeds is by growing thick turf that is tough for weeds to invade.
That is not to say that weeds will never be a problem. As you know, weeds can be incredibly persistent and just keep trying to come back. But when you partner with a Louisville Lawn Care professional, you’ll help set yourself up for the most possible success.
When it comes time to make a choice in Louisville lawn care, we would stress the importance of evaluating your options. You want to find a company that does implement a multi-faceted strategy to fight against weeds.
But you also want to make sure that the company is focused on promoting a thick and healthy turf that will start to naturally defend itself against invaders.
At Limbwalker, we know that we are not your only choice for lawn care in Louisville, KY. There are a number of other Louisville lawn care services to choose from. But we aim to be different. We truly care about the customers we’re working with and we want to see you have success.
In the end, you need to find the company that’s right for you.
It might feel like a big decision (and a lot of research), but it will be worth it. In the end, by choosing the right lawn care company for your Lousiville home, you can hand over your worries and get back to enjoying your lawn.
Are you ready to have a thick and healthy lawn that is naturally defending against weeds and getting everything it needs at your Louisville, KY home? Get in touch with us to get a quote for our lawn care programs, which include three lawn care pricing options.
Sources: Common Chickweed, Winter Creeper, Yellow Rocket, Henbit
