Early Weed Surge Is Hitting Lawns Hard—Fix It Fast

If weeds are already showing up in your lawn, you’re not imagining things. A wet winter coupled with a warmer than typical start to spring is triggering early weed growth. That’s a major issue because many lawns are just emerging out of dormancy and aren’t prepared to fight off those weeds just yet. At this point, you’re not preventing weeds but dealing with weeds that have already started to grow. If you’re seeing weeds now, you need to act right away to prevent them from becoming a season-long problem. 

Related: When to Fertilize Your Lawn This Spring for Greener Grass All Summer

Why Are Weeds Showing Up Early?

Warm snaps in late winter are causing soil temperatures to be warmer than usual, promoting weed growth. As a result, weed seeds are germinating earlier than they did last year. Couple that with a wet winter that saw heavy snowfall that’s keeping your lawn moist, and you have a recipe for heavy weed growth. Your lawn is also just waking up from dormancy, giving fast growing weeds the chance to establish themselves before your grass has a chance to thicken. 

Why This Matters

Since weeds compete with grass for nutrients, this early weed surge puts your lawn at a disadvantage. Weeds are getting a head start while grass is still just waking up.  And once weeds get established, it's much more difficult to get them under control for the remainder of the season. That’s why taking action is crucial to not just eliminate the weeds you see now but also to prevent the problem from rapidly spreading. 

What You Can Do Now

Fortunately, you have a few options when it comes to managing weeds.

Spot-Treat Existing Weeds

It’s too early in the season for a broad application of post emergent weed control. Generally, your lawn should be out of dormancy and have gone through three or four mowings to ensure your grass is strong enough to endure this treatment. You can, however, spot treat weeds in your lawn. Use a selective herbicide that won’t harm your grass and apply it to existing weeds using a handheld pump sprayer. By killing off weeds that are already emerging, your grass won’t have to compete with it as it is emerging from dormancy.

Prevent New Weeds

Even if some weeds have already appeared, applying a preemergent can still help your lawn. Preemergent won’t take out the weeds that have already sprouted but it will prevent any other weed seed that’s in your lawn from germinating. 

Delay fertilizing

While you might be tempted to fertilize now to help your grass catch up, it can actually make the situation worse. Fertilizing while your lawn is dormant will only feed weeds, causing them to grow more quickly. Wait until you get your weed issue under control using the above methods before you start spreading fertilizer.

How To Keep Weeds From Taking Over

Once you’ve managed the early weed growth, the key to keeping them at bay is staying consistent with your weed management. 

• Mow properly: Mow your lawn to the optimal height for the grass type and mow often. Keeping a consistent mowing schedule of 1 to 2 times a week will encourage your lawn to grow taller and thicker, which will block out weeds.
  
• Apply post emergents: Once your lawn has come out of dormancy and you’ve mowed it a few times, administer your post emergent weed treatments to take out any new weed growth.
  
• Fertilize: After you get your weed issues under control, follow up with fertilizer to give your lawn a boost. This will help the grass grow thick, so it can crowd out weeds.

Related: Is Spring Really the Best Time to Dethatch Your Lawn? It Depends on Your Grass Type

Bottom Line

Although weeds may have gotten the jump on your lawn this season, it’s not too late to address the issue. Applying a preemergent now and following up with a spot treatment for existing weeds can get your lawn back into position for a lush green spring and summer. Taking action now can mean the difference between nipping your weed problem in the bud and having to battle with them all summer long.