Winter Weed Control in North Carolina
Weed control may not be top of mind in the winter; but, here in North Carolina, it’s a must. Our unpredictable winters mean weeds often get the warmth they need to flourish.
That’s right, even when your lawn is dormant, weeds may be active below the surface. Luckily, there are lawn care treatments and steps you can take to control those pesky winter weeds.
Here are the weeds you should look out for and steps you can take to control them:
Winter Weeds in North Carolina
Winter weeds start germinating in the late summer and early fall, grow throughout January and February, and flower into unsightly weeds around March. These are some of the most common winter weeds we see in North Carolina:
- Chickweed
- Poa Annua (annual bluegrass)
- Hairy bittercress
- Dandelions
- Henbit
- Wild Violet
- Clover
How to Control Weeds During the Winter
Since the lifecycle of a winter weed is long, it’s important to start treating them as soon as possible. The earlier you begin treating, the less likely they’ll live through the winter.
To control and treat winter weeds, you’ll need to do two things: maintain your turf and apply regular pre-emergent weed control.
First, maintain your lawn by keeping it well-fertilized, adequately watered, and mowed to the proper height. Ideal heights for common grasses are:
- Bermuda and zoysia 1 ½ – 2”
- Centipede 1 – 1 ½ ”
- St. Augustine 3 – 4”
Keeping your grass to these heights ensures that your lawn has healthy roots and is soaking up the nutrients, leaving little for weeds to take in. If you have flowerbeds, keeping them mulched also reduces the risk of weeds germinating in them.
Second, it’s important to apply pre-emergent weed control to kill weed seedlings as they germinate and before they emerge from the soil. This will help control many winter annual broadleaf weeds as well as poa annua leaving your warm season lawn, clean, brown and weed free for the winter.
Winter Weed Killer
For DIY weed control, it’s important to know that liquid weed killers will typically only control actively growing broadleaf weeds.
Leave Winter Weed Control to the Pros
This is where professional lawn maintenance can save you a lot of time and money. As experts in North Carolina lawns, Barefoot Lawn Care knows what it takes to treat and control pesky winter weeds. No more treating your lawn, only to realize the herbicide you purchased doesn’t work on the weeds in your yard.
If you’d like to hand your lawn over to the pros this winter, log into your customer portal or contact us today for your free consultation.