If you’re like most people, you want to have a lush, thick lawn. Maybe you water and fertilize and aerate, maybe you just cross your fingers and hope for the best. But no matter your approach, pesky weeds overtake your Nashville landscaping year after year.

The weeds you’re seeing fall into two primary categories: grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds.

As you probably guessed, grassy weeds are…grassy. And broadleaf weeds have…you guessed it again! Broad leaves.

Today we’re going to look at the bothersome broadleaf weeds that are so common here in Middle Tennessee.

Common Types of Broadleaf Weeds

There are dozens of weeds that are categorized as broadleaf weeds. But while there are many different kinds, they have one thing in common: Their size and shape sticks out like a sore thumb next to the grass in your yard. Here are a few of the most common types:

  • Dandelions
  • Plantain
  • Chickweed
  • Clover

Clockwise from top left: dandelions, chickweed, plantain, clover

Broadleaf Weed Control

Identify Your Weeds

The best way to get control over your broadleaf weeds is to start by identifying them. Maybe it’s one of the four weeds pictured above. If not, look through all of the broadleaf weeds to see if you can identify the ones you’re struggling with.

The reason it’s important to identify the weed is that there are a wide range of growing seasons and life cycles for broadleaf weeds. They can be annuals, bi-annuals, or perennials. Some grow in the spring, others thrive in summer or fall.

The better you understand the weeds in your lawn, the better equipped you’ll be to get rid of them. You’ll also be able to look for herbicides engineered specifically for the weeds you’re seeing.

Feed Your Lawn

While herbicides are one piece of the puzzle, the best way to keep weeds out of your lawn is to have grass that is too dense and strong for weeds to survive. Here are a couple tips to help make that happen:

  • Don’t mow your grass too short. While it can be tempting to cut your grass as short as possible to avoid having to mow as often, this approach makes it much easier for weeds to grow. Instead, set your mower deck to one of the highest settings so your grass can stay thick and drown out the weeds.
  • Fertilize, aerate, and overseed. Along with keeping your grass a little longer, you also want to provide a healthy environment for your grass to thrive. Fertilizing, aerating, and overseeding at the proper times throughout the year can go a long way toward strengthening your grass and keeping broadleaf weeds at bay.

Fighting back broadleaf weeds in your lawn can be quite the undertaking. Depending on how much time and energy you want to put into maintaining your yard, it might be time to call some Nashville landscaping professionals to handle the job for you.

Want a quote from the Greathouse Company? We’d love to hear from you. Just click below to request a consultation!