Weeds are a nuisance, stealing vital nutrients from your grass and dragging down the curb appeal of your property. However, there are four cool-season weeds to look out for on your lawn in Ohio: dandelions, chickweed, henbit, and clover. These pesky plants are most common during the cooler weather in the spring or fall, and you'll want to know what they look like, how they spread, and what you can do to control the population. Continue reading to learn more about each of these weeds!

1. Dandelions

Dandelions are one of the most common weeds found in Ohio. They are a broadleaf perennial that grows a long, smooth stalk with the recognizable bright, yellow flower at the end. The leaves, which have toothed edges, form a cluster at the base of the flower, making this weed easy to spot on your lawn.

Dandelions are most common in early spring, though they can stick around throughout the year. Since they're a perennial, they're very challenging to eliminate. They spread through seeds, which is when they showcase their famous white, puffball-like heads, and through taproots that grow new shoots. Because of this, you'll want to utilize post-emergent weed control treatments, which are applied directly onto existing dandelions, to kill them at their roots. You can also administer pre-emergents in early spring to get ahead of them before they surface on your lawn and cause problems.

Each dandelion can produce upwards of 20,000 seeds, making it a rapidly spreading weed!

2. Chickweed

Chickweed is a winter annual that can tolerate all kinds of sun exposure and soil conditions. It grows low to the ground, with long stems that creep along and form dense clusters, and has oval-shaped leaves with pointed tips. It also produces small, white flowers and has a shallow root system. Chickweed usually germinates in the fall, though it can do so throughout the growing season and spreads through seeds.

While you can manually pull chickweed by hand, the best way to eliminate any currently growing on your lawn in Ohio is by applying post-emergent weed control treatments. Pre-emergent treatments are also effective at preventing newly germinated seeds from breaking through the soil surface, but timing is crucial when administering them.

3. Henbit

Henbit is another winter annual common on lawns in Ohio. It's low-growing, with stems branching out from the plant, and has scalloped or heart-shaped leaves opposite each other on the stem. It also produces small, tubular, pinkish-purple flowers. This seed-spreading plant usually germinates in the fall but can also do so in the spring.

Henbit is an aggressive spreader, so you'll want to tackle this weed as soon as you notice it on your lawn. You can hand-pull them or spray post-emergent herbicides directly onto the growth. Additionally, pre-emergents are ideal for getting ahead of henbit and preventing new ones from sprouting.

4. Clover

Clover is the last cool-season weed to look out for on your lawn in Ohio. Clover is a perennial that boasts the well-known tri-leaflets at the end of the stems, which grow in clusters. They also produce tiny, white flowers. This weed germinates during the cooler weather in the spring and fall, though it can remain on your lawn throughout the growing season.

Clover is a challenging weed to eliminate, spreading through seeds and stolons. Because of this, it's best to utilize weed control treatments to tackle it. Post-emergents will kill any existing growth on your lawn, while pre-emergents will block newly germinated seeds from accessing the resources they need to grow through the soil.

Call us today to schedule our weed control service.

If you want to keep your lawn free of dandelions, chickweed, henbit, clover, and other pesky weeds, you've come to the right place! At Degree Lawn & Landscape, we offer our weed control service to residential and commercial properties and HOAs in Mason, Liberty Township, West Chester, OH, and nearby areas. Our team utilizes pre-emergent treatments in early spring to prevent new weeds from surfacing and post-emergents throughout the growing season to eradicate any existing growth. These treatments are highly effective against all types of weeds common in our area, so you can rest assured that your lawn will stay weed-free year-round! Call us today at (513) 874-3256 to schedule our weed control service!