Prioritizing tree freeze protection over winter ensures your specimens survive cold temperatures and are ready for a spectacular springtime display. In this guide, we’ll outline which trees are vulnerable to frost and explain how to keep trees from freezing.

Why Your Hardiness Zone Matters

The USDA Plant Hardiness Zones run from zone 1A to zone 13b. Gardeners can use this standard to determine which trees and plants are most likely to thrive in their local weather conditions and withstand extreme temperatures. When you purchase a tree, the product label will likely indicate which hardiness zones it can grow in.

Choosing trees suitable for your hardiness zone is essential. Growing trees outside their recommended hardiness zones increases the risk of frost damage in winter and heat damage in summer.

You can determine your hardiness zone by entering your ZIP code in the USDA Plant Hardiness Zone Map. The map key lists the average lowest temperatures in every zone to help you choose the most suitable trees for your climate.

Which Trees Are Most Vulnerable to Cold Weather?

Certain trees are more prone to frost damage than others. Species that usually require tree frost protection include:

• Apple
• Maple
• Cherry
• Walnut
• Willow
• Sycamore

As a rule of thumb, evergreen trees and species with thick bark are less likely to sustain damage. However, freeze and frost can kill newly planted trees and young trees of any type. Therefore, you should protect trees from frost until they’re larger and more established.

The temperature at which trees and other plants experience frost and freeze damage depends on the species and the stage of the tree’s development. Refer to the information on the tree’s label to determine its ideal temperature ranges.

Frost vs. Freeze: What’s the Difference?

Frost and freeze are both types of tree damage caused by cold weather, but there are several differences to be aware of. Frost happens when ice crystals form on the external surfaces of the tree, which can cause leaf and flower damage. However, frost is less likely to damage the tree’s vascular system, and many species will bounce back when the temperatures improve.

Freeze is much more harmful than frost and happens when the water inside the tree freezes. This causes the cells to expand and can lead to irreversible damage. Tree freeze is most likely to occur during extreme weather fluctuations. Slower decreases in the outdoor temperature allow trees to adjust to the colder conditions and make tree freeze less likely.

Signs of Tree Frost Damage

Tree frost damages the outer surfaces of the tree, and delicate structures like leaves and blossoms are particularly vulnerable. The leaves and blossoms may appear shriveled or burnt, and they may fall off the tree altogether. Newly grown tissues are more prone to frost damage than older growth.

The symptoms of freeze damage are often much more dramatic, and the tree may die altogether without adequate protection. Affected parts of the tree may darken or even appear black, and the damaged limbs or branches may droop or fall from the tree. As the frozen tissues expand, you may notice cracks forming in the branches or trunk.

In fruit trees, frost and freeze damage can affect the plant’s ability to produce fruit buds. Research by Michigan State University shows that temperatures of 28 degrees Fahrenheit kill around 10% of the buds on fruit trees, including apples, peaches and pears. At 24 degrees, around 90% of buds will die off. Fewer surviving buds means fewer fruits to pick at harvest time, and you may not notice the damage until you experience a disappointing yield.

Freeze and frost damage aren’t just bad for the tree itself. Cold weather damage increases the risk of falling branches, which could lead to injury or property damage. Therefore, tree freeze protection is essential for your home and family’s safety.

Why Is Winter Lawn Prep Important?

Many people believe they can ignore their lawns in the cold winter months, but this is far from the truth. After all, you can’t expect to neglect your landscaping for months and have a healthy lawn as soon as the weather warms up.

Winter maintenance is light, but the few tasks you have to do are essential to avoid costly problems in the spring.

When Is the Best Time to Start Prepping Your Lawn for Winter?

If you’re wondering when to winterize your lawn, maintenance is something you have to keep up year-round, and you can start preparing for winter as soon as the temperatures drop.

However, some states have restrictions and cutoff dates for winter fertilization. For example, New Jersey has a blackout period from November to February.

6 Essential Winter Lawn Prep Steps

Here are the vital steps you need to take to prepare your lawn for the winter.

1. Spot-Treat Lawn Weeds and Diseases

When getting your lawn ready for winter, apply herbicides to any weedy areas. Weed issues worsen if ignored, so it’s best to take care of them before the next year.

Additionally, cool-season grasses might experience snow mold in winter. This lawn fungus thrives in cold, wet conditions and can kill your grass. You can prevent snow mold by applying a winter fertilizer (dormant feeding) before the first frost. This fertilizer helps the grass store nutrients to survive the winter while minimizing growth during the colder months.

2. Don’t Stress the Grass

Heavy blankets of snow put pressure on the grass, causing it to brown out or die. To limit this damage, avoid walking on the lawn; foot traffic can severely worsen this problem.

Another winter stressor to grass is salt. To protect your grass from rock salt, avoid shoveling snow full of salt onto it and salting areas near it. If possible, use a calcium chloride-based mixture, which is less harmful to turf.

3. Clear Your Yard of Objects and Debris

While you’re working on your winter lawn care, remove any objects from your lawn before winter starts. Grass trapped underneath outdoor furniture, toys and decorations can die due to a lack of sunlight.

Also, rake leaves thoroughly from cool-season grasses before winter. Here’s an important tip: Clear the yard before the first frost to make leaf removal easier. Otherwise, you may accidentally rip up turf when raking over frozen grass.

4. Winterize Your Gas Lawn Mower

Make sure to mow your lawn one last time at a low mower height before winterizing your lawn mower. This term refers to the process of fixing up and properly storing your lawn mower at the end of the mowing season. These tasks include:

• Sharpening or replacing mower blades
• Changing the oil
• Tightening loose parts
• Inspecting for leaks and other problems
• Draining any remaining fuel
• Checking the manual for additional maintenance

For a more detailed guide, check out our blog on winterizing your lawn mower for storage.

5. Adjust Your Irrigation Schedule

Grass grows slower in colder temperatures, so your lawn’s irrigation needs are lower. Make sure you adapt your irrigation schedule to prevent overflowing and damaging your lawn with excess water.

6. Make a Plan for Spring

Both warm-season and cool-season grasses start growing again in spring. Watch for when your lawn begins to grow so you can mow and water again. Just as in winter, stay on the lookout for weeds and diseases.

Consider Professional Landscaping Services

Need someone to help you out? No matter the time of year, Lawn Doctor is here to help you achieve a beautiful lawn. Contact us today for a lawn care evaluation or to schedule an appointment.

Is Annual Bluegrass a Grass or a Weed?

While annual bluegrass is technically a grass species, it’s often classified as a weed due to its invasive nature. It can compete with desirable grasses and plants, creating an uneven and unattractive lawn. Annual bluegrass is particularly problematic because it can thrive in a wide range of environments, including shady or damp areas, where other grasses struggle. It grows fast and quickly takes over, especially in cooler seasons, making it a constant challenge for homeowners.

How to Identify Annual Bluegrass

Annual bluegrass typically grows in small clumps and has a light green color, which can stand out against the darker green of other grass species. The plant has smooth leaves with a boat-shaped tip and can produce seed heads even when mowed short. This species is often confused with similar weeds, such as crabgrass, but it’s distinguished by cool-season growth and its preference for moist, compacted soil.

How to Kill Annual Bluegrass

There are several methods for annual bluegrass control, and the approach you choose may depend on the time of year and the severity of the infestation.

Timing for Treatment

The best time to kill annual bluegrass is in the fall or early spring, when the weed is most actively growing. Treating it during these times reduces its ability to reseed and spread.

Post-Emergent Treatments

If you’re dealing with an active infestation, annual bluegrass control post-emergence is a viable option. Post-emergent herbicides specifically designed to target Poa annua can be applied once the weed has already germinated. These herbicides work by disrupting the plant’s ability to grow and reproduce, eventually killing it.

Hand-Pulling

Hand-pulling can be an effective method to remove smaller infestations of annual bluegrass. This approach is time-consuming and may not be practical for larger areas. If you’re going this route, be sure to remove the entire root system to prevent regrowth.

Preventing Annual Bluegrass

Prevention is the best method for controlling annual bluegrass. By taking proactive steps, you can stop this weed from germinating and spreading in your lawn.

Pre-Emergent Herbicides

Applying a pre-emergent herbicide is one of the most effective ways to prevent annual bluegrass from taking over your lawn. It works by preventing the seeds from germinating, effectively halting growth before it starts.

The best time to apply a pre-emergent herbicide for annual bluegrass is in late summer or early fall, well before the seeds begin to germinate. In some areas, you may need to apply a second treatment in the spring to ensure complete coverage.

Proper Lawn Care

Steps you can take to keep your lawn in top condition and minimize the chances of a weed invasion include:

Aerating your lawn: Annual bluegrass thrives in compacted soil. Regular aeration can help loosen the soil, making it harder for the weed to take root.

Mowing your lawn properly: Cutting your grass too short can encourage the growth of annual bluegrass. Aim to keep your lawn at a height that allows it to grow thick and strong, which crowds out weeds.

Watering wisely: Overwatering can create the damp, compacted soil that annual bluegrass loves. Water deeply and infrequently to encourage strong root growth and discourage the weed.

Fertilizing regularly: A well-fed lawn is more resistant to weeds. Apply fertilizer according to the needs of your specific grass species to keep your lawn healthy and resilient.

When to Call a Professional

If you’re dealing with a severe infestation of annual bluegrass or unsure how to treat it, it may be time to call a professional weed control service. The experts at Lawn Doctor can assess your lawn and recommend the best course of action, whether that involves applying specialized herbicides or implementing a comprehensive lawn care program to prevent future issues.

Fertilization, like any lawn care task, requires special attention when it comes to timing, frequency, and location. All of these factors impact its effectiveness and the overall health of your grass. In fact, neglecting them can hurt your lawn. Our advice will help you establish an effective lawn fertilizer schedule.

Why Fertilization Timing Matters

It’s important to keep your geographical location and grass type in mind when building your personalized fertilization schedule. The goal is to align your lawn feedings with periods of peak active growth. This timing lets your grass best absorb the nutrients it needs to grow green and lush and resist disease throughout the year.

If you live in the South or Transition Zone, your fertilization schedule may start as early as March. If you live in the North, your lawn may not be ready to green up and grow with fertilizer until May. Plan your first feeding for right around the same time your lawn needs a first mow.

Grass Type and Location Make a Huge Difference

Every variety of grass falls into one of two categories:  cool-season or warm-season turfgrass. Lawns in the North include cool-season grasses like Tall and Fine Fescue, Rye, and Kentucky Bluegrass. Lawns South of the growing transition zone are considered warm-season grasses such as Centipede, Bermuda, Saint Augustine, and Zoysia. The Transition Zone includes a mixture of cool and warm-season grasses that both thrive within this region. 

Because of their different climate conditions, warm and cool-season grasses have different fertilization requirements. Additionally, individual grass types also impact the lawn fertilizer schedule. As a result, the timing and frequency tips below are only general rules of thumb. For the most accurate information concerning your lawn’s specific fertilizer schedule, consult your local Lawn Doctor professional. They can help refine your grass fertilizer schedule and pest control program.

How Often Should You Fertilize Your Lawn? 

Cool-season and warm-season turfgrass should be fertilized frequently during the optimum climate conditions to encourage root development and turfgrass density. Timing is dependent on your region and growing conditions. Grass should be fertilized every four to six weeks with the number of treatments ranging from four to eight per service season. The lawn’s health plays an effect and certain growing conditions may necessitate fewer fertilizer applications. Contact your local Lawn Doctor for information on fertilizer programs in your area.

When Should You Fertilize Your Lawn? 

Cool-season grasses should be fertilized well in the spring to encourage deep roots and healthy top growth well before the signs and symptoms of summer stress. Light fertilizer applications made in summer will ensure the turf remains healthy, continues to push new growth, and recover from hot and dry conditions. Fall fertilizer applications remain the most important for plant recovery and storing nutrients before winter dormancy. 

Warm-season grasses are fertilized in early spring to encourage new growth and develop a healthy root system. During late spring and summer, warm-season turfgrass thrives and as a result requires more stabilized nutrients to outcompete weeds. Late summer and fall fertilizer applications improve the overall health and appearance of your lawn, allowing the turf to store nutrients before winter dormancy and encourage a rapid spring greening.

Your Seasonal Fertilization Schedule

Once you’ve identified your cool- or warm-season grass, you can treat your lawn to an optimal care schedule. While some people fertilize their lawns just once a year, you’ll get healthier, more beautiful results with strategic applications that span the seasons. Here are some general timing tips for your lawn’s natural growth cycle.

Spring

• Cool-season grasses (April-May): Your grass is slowing down after early spring growth. Fertilize in the late spring to help balance top growth and root development, and prepare for summer stress.
• Warm-season grasses (March-May): Warm-season grasses are coming out of dormancy. Fertilize in the mid to late spring to encourage healthy growth as soil temperatures rise.

Summer

• Cool-season grasses (N/A): Cool-season grasses are under heat stress and may go dormant. Fertilizing during the summer can cause burning or excessive leaf growth.
• Warm-season grasses (June-July): Early to mid-summer is the prime growing period for warm-season grasses. Fertilize now to support strong, dense growth during the hottest days.

Fall

• Cool-season grasses (September-November): Fall is the most important time to fertilize cool-season grasses. Feed your lawn in the early fall to promote root growth and recovery after the hot, dry summer. Fertilize again in the late fall to prepare for winter dormancy and early spring growth.
• Warm-season grasses (September): As temperatures drop, warm-season grasses begin preparing for dormancy. Use a light application of fertilizer in the early fall to help your grass store energy for the next growing season.

Get Started on Your Lawn Fertilizer Schedule Now

Spring is the best time to get the ball rolling on fertilizer schedule. The sooner your lawn is fed, the better equipped it will be to thrive over the coming months. Don’t forget to consider other lawn care maintenance schedules too. Fill out the form below or contact Lawn Doctor today for expert lawn and garden fertilization services.

All that sounds great, except for one thing – weeds. Because there is more flexibility and movement with a gravel path, it can potentially see some unwanted growth, as weed seeds sprout from the ground into the gravel surface. In addition, grass can also potentially sprout from the gravel areas.

Common Weeds That Grow Through Gravel

Woody, grassy and broadleaf weeds are the three most common types of gravel leaf plants. Woody weeds are extremely hardy and may resemble small trees and shrubs. Common woody weed species include mimosa and black locust.

Grassy weeds are similar in appearance to blades of grass, with species such as sandbur and velvetleaf. Broadleaf weeds include dandelions, clover, chickweed and spear thistle.

How to Kill/Get Rid of Weeds in Gravel

When weeds make their way into gravel applications, they can be stubborn and tough to remove. Hand-pulling and chemical herbicides are a few common solutions for removing weeds from gravel. However, hand removal is hard on the hands and time-consuming, while certain herbicides also kill flowers and surrounding grass.

Some helpful organic weed control options include:

• Solarization: Solarization treatments are easy, mess-free and environmentally friendly. Simply cover the weeded areas with plastic when the weather is warm and sunny. The direct sunshine should naturally eliminate the weeds and their seeds.
• Boiling water: This treatment is better suited for small areas of newly emerging weeds. Pouring boiling water over the affected areas scalds the weeds and halts their growth.

How to Prevent Weeds in Gravel

Placing barriers along the edges between your lawn and gravel applications may help prevent the weeds in the grass from spreading seeds in the gravel. You can also place a layer of landscape fabric over the underlying soil before laying your gravel to block weed growth. Here are some weed control tips in more detail:

Weed the area thoroughly yourself

Before you put the gravel down, make sure to thoroughly go through the soil in search of weeds and any other signs of plant life. Or if you already have the gravel in the pathway or driveway, temporarily remove it with a shovel.

Turn the soil and check for any weeds, and pull them out. It is much easier to remove the weeds this way, than with gravel blocking getting the entire weed out.

Rake the area, and some protective mulch, and then put the gravel on the top layer.

Use garden fabric to keep weeds away

Some people take this a step further and use garden or landscape fabric instead of, or in addition to, the mulch. This step will indeed add time and effort to the job, but it also offers very good results as far as keeping the weeds away. You also have to make sure to have a method to have the material held down into the ground, so that it does not blow away. Then simply put the gravel on top of this level.

Use salt for your weed control

Some people “brine” their gravel pathways with salt water. This avoids the use of herbicides completely. However, this can have some side effects. While the salt can indeed kill weeds, it can also kill anything else in its path, including grass and gardens. So you do not want to use this on a surface where the salt water will roll down into areas you do want to thrive.

How Weed Control Differs With Gravel Versus Grass

When it comes to weed control for grass and keeping weeds out of gravel driveways, you can use the same weed killers for both purposes. However, while string trimmers are safe for use on grass lawns, they’re not recommended for gravel or rocks. The hard surfaces can wear down or damage the machine’s cutting wires, and the rapid movement of the trimmer may cause loose gravel to fly up and increase the risk of injury.

Talk to your Lawn Doctor lawn care professional

Lawn Doctor has a variety of ways to establish pre-emergent weed control, as well as broadleaf weed and crabgrass control, so that any such weeds are dealt with immediately before your gravel driveway or gravel sidewalk looks out of control. Of course, these weed control and prevention services are also available for the rest of your lawn as well to keep the weeds at bay. Good luck with your gravel, and let us know if we can help.

You may also be familiar with pH levels if you have a pool. It is important to test the pH levels – and adjust the acidity – in order for the water to be clean and safe to swim in. The same goes for lawn soil pH balancing. You need to test your lawn’s pH levels to make sure it’s in balance if you want to have a healthy, green lawn. If your lawn is too acidic, or too alkaline, it will not be healthy or lush or green, and it may not be getting the nutrients it should be getting. Learn why lawn pH levels matter how to test soil pH.

The Benefits of Balanced pH in Your Soil

Having the perfect pH level in your soil is important for plants, like your lawn, to be able to absorb nutrients they need to grow. Lawns with a low, or acidic, soil pH also tend to grow unwanted plants like weeds or moss.

When your lawn’s pH is just right, you’ll notice:

• Lush, green grass growth
• Improved disease- and pest-resistance
• Better water absorption and retention
• Enhanced nutrient uptake
• Increased fertilizer effectiveness

So if you want to have a beautiful lawn, you need to test the soil pH levels on a regular basis and adjust accordingly. The exact number for your soil’s pH level should, generally speaking, be around a range of 6.0 to 6.5 to 7.0, depending upon what type of turf you have for your lawn. A pH level below 6 is considered acidic, and a level above 7 is considered alkaline. The levels between 6 and 7 are considered neutral.

Lawns thrive in soil that is slightly acidic, so making sure your soil is in the right range is key to getting a beautiful lawn. Each grass type can survive in a different pH level. You can talk with your Lawn Doctor lawn care professional about what is the optimum soil pH level for your lawn.

Also, keep in mind, though, that you should have the type of grass that is ideal for your climate, and your area’s soil. If you do not, you will be fighting a losing battle when it comes to your soil’s pH level, and when it comes to having a lush, healthy lawn.

How to Raise pH in Soil

If your soil’s pH is too low (acidic), your grass may struggle to grow. Signs of low lawn pH include:

• Yellow or brown grass
• Moss and weeds
• Slow grass growth
• Increased susceptibility to diseases

To increase lawn pH and create a more alkaline environment, we recommend adding lime or wood ash to the soil or applying bone meal or oyster shells. Remember, raising soil pH should be a gradual process that may take several months.

How to Lower pH in Soil

On the flip side, if your soil is too alkaline (high pH), your grass may also face challenges. Alkaline lawn symptoms include:

• Pale or yellowing grass (chlorosis)
• Poor nutrient absorption, especially iron
• Stunted grass growth
• Increased susceptibility to certain pests

To lower pH in your lawn and create a more acidic environment, add sulfur to the soil by applying organic matter like compost or pine needles. Use aluminum sulfate for quicker results.

As with raising pH, lowering it is also a gradual process that requires patience.

Soil Testing Kits

While at-home soil testing kits are readily available, they come with downsides. These tests are often not as accurate as professional lab tests and may require multiple tests for consistency. Some limitations of DIY soil tests include:

• Potential for user error in sample collection or test interpretation
• Limited range of nutrients tested
• Inability to detect certain soil issues or imbalances

To save yourself time and hassle, we recommend collecting a soil sample and sending it to a professional lab for analysis. At Lawn Doctor, we can take care of this entire process for you, ensuring accurate results and tailored recommendations for your lawn’s specific needs.

Professional soil testing provides a comprehensive analysis of your lawn’s pH levels and nutrient content, allowing us to develop a customized treatment plan. This approach not only saves you time but also ensures any pH adjustments or fertilizer applications are precisely what your lawn needs to thrive.

Achieving the ideal lawn pH is an ongoing process that requires regular monitoring and adjustments. With our expertise and professional soil pH balancing services, we can help you maintain the perfect pH levels for a lush, healthy lawn year-round.

What Is a Lawn Restoration?

Lawn restoration is a groundskeeping process that helps replenish and restore dry or damaged grass and eliminates weed growth. Specific lawn care procedures and treatments can vary depending on the condition of your lawn, grass type and climate. Some common lawn care restoration steps include:

• Overseeding. Overseeding involves planting new grass seed into existing grass. This procedure can help encourage new growth in bare areas for improved density
• Core aeration. Core aeration is a lawn care procedure in which small cores of soil are physically removed from the damaged lawn to improve water drainage and minimize soil compaction.

Do You Need a Complete Lawn Renovation?

Generally speaking, you would want to consider a full lawn restoration if the problem areas total about 40% or more on your lawn. This is especially true if the problem goes deeper than grass into your soil. If it is less than that, you can most likely resolve your problems without an entire yard renovation.

Other reasons that you may need to consider a full yard renovation:

1. Your grass is the wrong choice for your climate or yard.

If you have a cool-season grass in a warm-season climate, it’s best to just do a complete lawn restoration, instead of having severe growing problems year after year. Or if your yard does not get much sunlight, you should pick a grass that can thrive without needing a lot of sunlight.

1. Your lawn is severely affected by disease or weeds.

In these cases, you will need to treat the underlying causes as well, to make sure that it doesn’t happen again when your new lawn comes in.

1. There are drainage issues that are causing problems.

Your drainage problems will need to be fixed before the new lawn is installed.

When To Do Lawn Restoration

You want to start your lawn restoration late summer or early fall, although it can technically be done at other times of the year as well, with the exception of during a cold winter. The idea is to find the peak growing season for grass in your area, so the grass will grow quicker.

Steps for Lawn Restoration

When working with you on your yard renovation, your local Lawn Doctor technician will walk you through the steps that will need to be taken to complete your lawn restoration.

Some of these steps include:

Kill or Dig Up Existing Grass

Our technicians can either apply products to kill everything on the existing lawn, or we can physically remove it via tilling. We will also rake the area to clear it of any thatch and debris.

Resolve Underlying Issues

For example, if weeds have stopped the lawn from growing, we would treat the underlying weed problem as part of the lawn restoration. We would also fix any drainage issues that caused the problems and install an irrigation system for you as well.

Choose the Correct Grass Species

At Lawn Doctor, we have decades of experience in knowing what treatments are best for your type of grass, and because our franchises are locally owned and operated, we know what type of treatment is just right for your area. We can also help you find a lawn that is less resistant to drought if your area is facing severe water restrictions.

Prepare the Soil

Preparations can include treatments such as additional raking or soil aeration. We may also wet the soil to have it more malleable for the new seeds. In some cases, our technicians will put fertilizer in the soil, or further treat it to make sure weeds stay away. This depends on your individual situation.

Plant and Fertilize the Seeds

If needed your local Lawn Doctor technician can put in grass sod instead of the seeds. It is important to be gentle with your lawn at this stage. We will be careful not to over-fertilize or over-saturate your lawn, as it would be counterproductive.

Add Landscaping

Adding plants, flowers and other greenery will create an attractive aesthetic while preventing issues like weed growth. However, while certain plants can naturally prevent weeds, other species may actually encourage weed growth. We’ll help you make the correct landscaping choices for your particular climate and grass type, resulting in a healthy, thriving lawn.

Keep Up With Maintenance

Similar to an automobile or appliance, periodic maintenance is essential to ensure your lawn remains healthy and functional. Keeping up with maintenance will also help preserve your lawn’s lush, green appearance and prevent recurring issues such as overgrowth and dehydration. Ask us about routine maintenance programs to ensure your new lawn is taken care of.

Restore Your Lawn Today With Lawn Doctor

Lawn restoration is a great way to beautify your home’s exterior and enhance curb appeal. If you’re interested in revamping your lawn, Lawn Doctor is at your service. We offer a wide range of lawn care services, including restoration and maintenance. Plus, all of our services come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. Contact the Lawn Doctor team today to schedule lawn restoration and maintenance services.

How to Identify Broadleaf Weeds

A broadleaf weed tends to proliferate, with some species towering over other weeds and grasses, often mimicking cultivated plants. Other species look like ground cover and creepers. Although aesthetically different, all broadleaf weeds have netted veins on the leaves, nodes with one or more leaves and leaves that grow from the stem. There are a multitude of types of broadleaf, each distinct in look. Some species of broadleaf have small, petite flowers, while others have jagged, prickly leaves. Despite the differences in species, there’s one common denominator: they’re weeds that don’t fall into the grass family category and are identified by their unique leaves.

What Are Some Common Types of Broadleaf Weeds?

From the hundreds of broadleaf weed species, these are the most widely recognized:

• Poison ivy: This is a creeping allergenic weed (shrub-like) with a compound leaf containing a film of poison that causes painful blisters and rashes.
• Common ragweed: A tall weed with feather-like leaves, widespread during the summer. It’s known to cause seasonal allergies because of its high pollen count.
• Dandelion: These are tall, pretty-looking weeds with small puffballs and yellow flowers. The leaves are tooth-shaped and the seeds are wind-borne.
• Thistle: Out of all the weeds, the thistle is probably the prettiest. The flower head is either pink or purple, while the leaves look like they have razor-sharp prickles.

• Clover: The clover looks like a ground cover, and has small, broad trifoliate leaves housing tiny flowers in shades of red and pink.

How to Kill Broadleaf Weeds

The key to killing broadleaf weeds is understanding the species. A professional lawn service company can help identify the species and advise which herbicide to use. To effectively kill broadleaf weeds, you may need a lawn treatment plan to prevent them from returning.

Here’s how to kill broadleaf weeds:

• Apply a post-emergent herbicide treatment tailored to broadleaf weeds (be careful it doesn’t target broadleaf vegetables). They kill weeds after they’ve germinated.
• For a more natural method, use a homemade mixture of Epsom salts, vinegar, a strong essential oil and dishwasher soap.
• If you have small infestations and weed clusters, you can exercise broadleaf control by removing them by hand. If you opt for this method, make sure to use a garden tool like a trowel to help remove deep roots.

How to Prevent Broadleaf Weeds

Aggressive broadleaf weed infestations need a preventive management plan. When weeds grow, they spread their seeds quickly, making it crucial to address the issue and stop future invasions.

For a permanently nourished and healthy lawn and garden that’s inhospitable to weed growth, try the following:

• Educate yourself about the types of weeds in your garden.
• Mow your lawn — this prevents weeds from reaching the flowering and seeding stages.
• Use organic mulch in your garden beds (wood chips, shredded leaves).
• Create a healthy soil environment by fertilizing regularly to provide balanced nutrients and pH levels.
• Use a pre-emergent herbicide as part of a garden treatment plan to prevent seeds from germinating.

Looking after your garden, nurturing it and using preventive herbicides reduces the need for emergency weed management down the line. Prevention is easier than killing broadleaf weeds.

If you need assistance with broadleaf weeds in your yard, contact Lawn Doctor for professional weed control that sticks.

Cold temperatures can put emerging grass shoots under stress, leading to a patchy or unhealthy lawn. Conversely, beginning too late could prevent your lawn from recovering fully from the winter weather. Let’s explore which factors impact the timing of your post-winter yard cleanup.

Where You Live

Whether your area has mild or prolonged winters significantly impacts your after-winter lawn care time line. People living in regions with relatively mild winter conditions can often start their lawn care routines earlier because spring tends to arrive earlier in these locations.

On the other hand, you should exercise caution if cold weather persists into the spring where you live. Late frosts and lingering snow pose a risk to emerging shoots. Therefore, you should wait for consistently warmer weather before tackling tasks like aeration and overseeding.

Local Weather Conditions

Winter conditions can vary significantly between locations in the same climate zones. Keep track of local weather trends to avoid starting lawn care before the last frosts.

Grass Species

Some grass species tolerate cold temperatures better than others, so it’s worth knowing which grass types your lawn contains. Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and other cool-season species are relatively frost-tolerant, so you can safely start post-winter yard care earlier in the spring.

Warm-season grasses, such as Bermuda grass and Bahia grass, emerge from dormancy later than cool-season species. Therefore, you’re more likely to cause damage by starting your lawn care routine too soon. Wait until the last frost ends before fertilizing, aerating or overseeding warm-season grass.

Determining when to start lawn care after winter can be challenging without expert knowledge. If you’re unsure, a lawn care professional can assess your lawn and advise you on the most optimal time to start your routine.

Post-Winter Lawn Care Steps

Lawn care after winter involves treating any issues that could stop your lawn from regenerating and encouraging new, healthy growth. Follow this checklist to achieve a lush springtime lawn:

1. Assess the Lawn’s Condition

Inspecting the condition of your lawn helps you spot problems that could affect grass growth. When assessing your lawn after winter, you should:

• Check your lawn for dead patches, paying particular attention to slopes and other areas where snow typically accumulates.
• Locate and remove any thatch accumulation to improve drainage.
• Check for burrows, chewed grass and other signs of pest infestation and book a lawn pest control service if necessary.
• Test the soil’s pH and nutrient levels to help you determine how much fertilizer to use.

Alternatively, you could hire a lawn care professional to inspect your lawn. Lawn Doctor can create a personalized post-winter lawn care plan to suit your climate, grass type and yard characteristics.

2. Remove Debris

Ideally, you should rake your lawn throughout winter to remove dead leaves as they accumulate. However, heavy snowfall can make this task practically impossible. After the snow melts, remove rock salt, leaves, pine cones and other debris and thoroughly weed your lawn to promote healthy growth.

3. Aerate and Overseed

Aerating your lawn improves drainage and increases the soil’s mineral content. You should consider lawn aeration if your lawn becomes waterlogged over the winter. While you can aerate small areas by pricking the soil with a garden fork, aerator rollers are more efficient for large areas.

After aeration, encourage any dead or damaged areas to regrow by overseeding. Loosen the soil with a garden rake and apply fresh grass seed at the rate recommended on the packaging.

4. Apply a Fertilizer

Applying fertilizer to your lawn increases the nutrient content of the soil and can give new shoots a boost. Quick-release fertilizers rapidly increase nutrient levels and can help you revive damaged areas quickly. Meanwhile, slow-release formulas release nutrients more slowly, so you don’t need to apply them as often. If you test your soil, the results can help you determine the best fertilizer for your lawn.

5. Mow Regularly

You should stop cutting your grass completely over winter and wait until the ground thaws to resume mowing. Avoid damaging new growth by mowing in dry conditions and using a higher cutting height until the lawn is established. Most spring lawns require weekly mowing, but you should cut the grass more often if it grows rapidly.

Types of Weeds

To understand how to treat a lawn, it’s important to understand the weeds themselves. Weeds are plants, just like the grass in your lawn. Because they are plants, weeds flourish in the same conditions that a lush, green lawn would. Weeds also grow when the grass is cut low and the soil is compacted. These ideal conditions can lead to a lawn full of weeds, but there are a few different types of weeds to be aware of: 

• Broadleaf weed. These weeds include dandelions, clover, ground ivy, oxalis, chickweed, thistle, dollarweed, and plantain. The leaves on these weeds are broad and flat.

• Grassy weed. These weeds include crabgrass, foxtail, annual bluegrass, and quackgrass. These weeds grow in blades and look like grass.

• Grass-like weed. These weeds include nut sedge, wild onion, and wild garlic. These weeds may look somewhat like grass, but they grow in a more tubular and hollow shape.

It’s important to identify which type of weeds are growing in your yard before choosing a treatment. Some products are specifically designed for certain types of weeds and can only be used for that kind. 

The Steps for Controlling Weeds

These are the general steps for how to get rid of weeds in your lawn, regardless of the type of treatment. 

1. Identify the type of weeds. Determining if you’re working with broadleaf or grass-like weeds will help you choose the right products. The tips above can help or a professional can identify it as well. 
2. Choose a treatment. There are natural herbicides or products to use that can help treat your weed problem. If you use a product, choose one for the right type of weeds and grass that you have. If you choose a natural solution, read below to learn more about how to use it. 
3. Kill the weeds. If you use a product, follow the directions exactly. Consider reading the directions at least three times before starting. With whatever treatment you choose, make sure it is between 45 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit with little to no wind and a very low chance of rain. All herbicides can’t differentiate between grass and weeds, so it’s crucial to only apply it to the weed. That’s why the lack of wind is crucial to help keep the products from blowing onto other plants. 
4. Maintain proper lawn care. Mow higher and water deeply to keep the grass from being too low or the soil too compacted. These techniques will help prevent future weed growth and make weed treatments last longer. 

How to Get Rid of Weeds in Grass

The best defense against weeds is a thick healthy lawn. Cool-season grasses, Tall Fescue, Ryegrass and Bluegrass thrive in moderate to above freezing temperatures 40 to 85 degrees fahrenheit. Warm-season grasses perform best in warm conditions ranging from 60 to 95 degrees fahrenheit. Both grass types attract different weeds based on the environmental and regional challenges. Following the correct mowing height can prevent these weeds from germinating and establishing in home lawns. height for cool-season grass is between 2.5 and 4 inches, while warm-season grass grows between 1 and 3 inches. Maintain your cool-season grass at 4 inches and hot-season grass to 3 inches to combat weed growth and boost your turf’s health. Besides Mowing your lawn, here are some other effective ways to control weeds.

Hand Pulling Weeds

One highly effective way to control and stop the spread of weeds in your turf is by yanking the entire plant, including its root system. Pulling weeds is fun and easy if you only deal with a few stray weeds. However, if you’re removing all the weeds in your turf, you’ll find it more labor-intensive and demanding. Most grassy weeds have thorns and other dangerous physical features that make the weeds risky to pull by using your hands. The best thing about letting LAWN DOCTOR pull the weeds on your behalf is that it aids total removal of the weeds.

Pry Weeds With a Weeder

Prying weeds with a weeder is not a typical process of controlling weeds. However, homes and businesses with controllable turfs use this method to control weeds. The process requires pushing down the weeder’s handle while yanking the turf upwards using your other hand. Handheld weeders have a fulcrum to let you leverage the unit’s flow and movements. You might need to dig deeper into the soil to remove weeds with roots anchored deep into the ground.

Using Scuffle Hoe

Scuffle hoes are pretty demanding and labor-intensive, but they get the job done efficiently. A scuffle hoe will cut through the roots of the target weed. These units have adjustable cut depths, meaning you can adjust them to cut virtually any size or type of weed. However, scuffle hoes aren’t the best weed control tools if the target weeds have re-rooted into the soil and formed other underground parts.

Post-Emergence Herbicides

Post-emergent Herbicides are types of weed control that control existing weeds and prevent them from growing again. These herbicides are primarily utilized on mature weeds regardless of the type and size. The process involves using advanced chemistry to destroy the weeds permanently and stop the possibility of growing in the future. The best thing with post-emergent herbicides is that they target the weeds and won’t damage the surrounding grass.

How to Kill Weeds Without Killing Grass

We recommend using targeted herbicides designed specifically for lawn care. Killing lawn weeds starts with pre-emergent herbicides to prevent weed seeds from sprouting. Apply these products in early spring before weeds begin to grow. Post-emergent herbicides kill existing weeds and work best when applied directly to actively growing plants. The key is choosing the right product for the specific types of weeds you’re trying to remove.

Should You Use Home Remedies?

Natural solutions, such as vinegar and boiling water, don’t really work to kill weeds in grass. Vinegar only kills visible plant parts, so the weed grows back. Salt solutions damage the surrounding soil and grass. Hand-pulling works for small areas but becomes impractical for larger lawns. Professional herbicide treatments combined with proper maintenance provide the most reliable results. 

Combining professional treatments with proper lawn maintenance is the best way to get weeds out of your lawn.

Controlling weeds in your lawn is doable when following the right steps and using the right products. But you may want to prevent weed problems before they become a crisis. The best way to tackle these problems early on is with pre-emergent weed care. Pre-emergent weed care every six to eight weeks can keep weeds from becoming a crisis and help you stay in control of your lawn, helping it grow green and lush. 

If you find weeds persist in your lawn, you may need the help of a lawn expert. Contact your local Lawn Doctor for lawn weed control.