Spring and Summer Annual Weeds: Tips for Effective Control
Spring rains and summer heat create great growing conditions for Carolina lawns—and Carolina weeds. Since weeds compete with your grass for nutrients, water and sunlight, early intervention is essential. Here’s what you need to know about spring and summer annual weeds and how control products can help you maintain a healthy lawn starting now.
What Are Annual Weeds?
Annual weeds complete their life cycle within a single year—from germinating and flowering to reproducing and dying. In contrast to perennial weeds, which live for multiple years and often have simpler-looking flowers, annual weeds need to grow more quickly to ensure they produce seeds for future growth.
As part of your free lawn analysis, we can determine if it makes sense to start control applications for spring and summer annual weeds as early as January.
The Most Common Spring and Summer Annual Weeds
In the Carolinas, these annual weeds are the most likely to show up during our warmer months:
- Crabgrass: A fast-growing grass with a coarse, clumpy appearance.
- Goosegrass: Similar to crabgrass but with silvery-green leaves.
- Spurge: A low-growing weed with small, round leaves.
- Foxtail: A grass with bushy seed heads resembling a fox’s tail.
- Lespedeza: A legume with trifoliate leaves and small pink or purple flowers.
If you’re still dealing with winter weeds like Poa annua, now’s a great time to manage them as well.
How to Control Spring and Summer Weeds
Along with good year-round lawn care, weed control requires a mix of pre-emergent and post-emergent strategies tailored to your yard’s needs.
Pre-Emergent Weed Control Solutions
Pre-emergent herbicides create a protective barrier in the soil to stop weed seeds from germinating. Whether a pre-emergent is selective (targeting specific weeds) or non-selective (controlling all new growth), it must be applied correctly.
It may still be too early to apply pre-emergents for your lawn, so consider consulting with a lawn care expert to determine the best timing.
Post-Emergent Weed Control Solutions
During spring and summer, control remains important for any weeds that have survived. That’s where post-emergent herbicides come in, effectively targeting weeds that have already sprouted. Our team can use various tools and techniques to eliminate established weeds from your lawn.
Both pre and post-emergent control herbicides can be harmful to grass and other plants if applied incorrectly. Our weed control specialists can help create a plan to give your yard the most safe protection possible.
Why Choose Barefoot Lawn Care for Annual Weed Control?
When it comes to lawn care, the one thing more frustrating than dealing with weeds is being locked into a maintenance contract. Barefoot Lawn Care eliminates this hassle by only billing as each service is performed, giving you the flexibility to stop at any time. This approach reflects our confidence in our top-of-the-line lawn products and practices.
Contact Barefoot Lawn Care Today
Having served the Carolinas since 1988, Barefoot Lawn Care has earned the trust of both residents and businesses for quality yard results. Whether you’re in the Raleigh or Wilmington areas, we can provide the essential services your lawn needs.
Contact us today to request your free lawn analysis and learn how we can help keep your lawn healthy.
