Lawn care comes with a thousand obstacles — broadleaf weeds chief among them.
Broadleaf weeds are known for quickly overtaking existing plants and ruining once-perfect lawns and landscaping. And, although broadleaf weeds are easy to spot, they can be incredibly difficult to get rid of. Learn more about these pesky garden pests, and how you can prevent them from overtaking your perfectly-curated lawn with this blog from McCall Service.
What are broadleaf weeds?
Broadleaf weeds are a type of weed named for their appearance—weeds that grow wide leaves from a sturdy stem. These weeds can come in many types, shapes, and sizes, which can make it difficult to pinpoint exactly how to deal with them.
Common types of broadleaf weeds are:
- Broadleaf plantains
- Dandelions
- Chickweed
- Ground ivy
Where do broadleaf weeds grow?
Just like any other weed, broadleaf weeds pop up wherever they’re able to grow. They’re very hardy and can survive rocky, dry, or crowded areas where other plants may not be able to survive, including in between cracks in the sidewalk or in between pieces of sod and turf. They grow and multiply quickly, making them a big competitor to existing plants, garden flowers, and landscaping.
How are broadleaf weeds different from other weeds?
Other unwanted plants—like sedge or crabgrass—can also spread quickly into unwanted areas. However, broadleaf weeds are typically considered more problematic to get rid of because of their deep root systems that can overtake the existing plant life in the area.
Additionally, broadleaf weeds can grow much taller than other types of weeds, which can put a damper on the hours of hard work you put into landscaping and gardening by creating eyesores.
Can I prevent broadleaf weeds?
More often than not broadleaf weeds sprout wherever they want to, even with our best efforts to stop them. They’re more likely to grow in shady areas without any plants where they have room to grow without boundaries, but can easily invade other areas as well.
While this may be discouraging, you can prevent broadleaf weeds from taking over your landscaping by treating them quickly and properly.
How do I treat broadleaf weeds?
Broadleaf weeds can survive many weed treatments and methods. To prevent the plant from resprouting, it’s important to kill the plant completely. If even part of the root system remains alive, the same plant can resprout again.
Common home treatment methods include:
- Manual removal
- Natural remedies (such as spraying them with a salt and vinegar solution)
- Commercially-available herbicides
While these solutions may work temporarily, it can be difficult to know if the weed has been killed completely or if its seed has already spread to other areas. Repeated and aggressive treatment may be needed to eradicate the issue. This, unfortunately, can lead to the loss of neighboring plants.
What does professional weed treatment look like?
Professional lawn care eliminates the guessing game of weed treatment. With expert knowledge and professional-grade herbicides, lawn care technicians will come through and apply a pre-emergent type of herbicide to prevent the weeds from germinating beforehand. Having these services can help quickly identify the problem and the best way to treat it, saving you time and money in the long run.
Get rid of weeds—Call McCall.
When you’re dealing with weeds, time is of the essence—get your landscaping back on track with McCall Service. Helping homes since 1928, McCall does it all. Learn more about our services and request a free quote today!