Now that Spring has really sprung it is time to decide how, or even if you need, to control the weed population in your lawn. As I explain in my book, many weeds such as field woodrush and clover can integrate very well with the various types of grass, having very little effect on surface quality.

Other weeds, however, very much spoil the surface because  the prostrate rosette type of growth smothers and kills the grass, the most common of these being daisies, dandelions and plantains.

I would always advocate choosing the best environmental solution which would be to remove these troublesome weeds by hand, fairly easy to do by inserting a screwdriver or something similar under the rosette and prising it out of the soil, making sure the deep tap root is fully removed to prevent regrowth. It takes time and effort but costs nothing and the grass quickly fills in the resulting damage, although it can be helped by dressing with a little sand and grass seed.

If you are unsure of what is in your lawn then it is always worth getting expert help either in person, expenses only for a visit, or by e-mailing me a picture for a free assessment using the Lawn Assessment form.

If you wish to remove all the lawn weeds then spraying with a selective weedkiller is required. This has to be applied in good growing conditions as it kills the weeds by interfering with their hormones and forcing them into a frenzy of growth which cannot be sustained, thereby killing them. There are many different types on the market but some weeds such as clover are more difficult to control so ensure the product is suitable for using in your particular situation.

Image Credit: Rob the Moment – Flickr