Hoping for a lush yard in spring? Autumn is the time to kill these three common weeds

Give a weed an inch and it will take a yard. This statement holds for many people battling weeds in the lawn. Weeds are opportunistic and take advantage of bare, thin or stressed areas. Ridding the lawn of an abundance of weeds is possible. It is all in the timing.

Weeds are easiest to control when they are establishing and actively growing. This stage of development varies and depends on the species. Now is the time to rid our lawns of spring’s most troublesome weeds. Now through early November is the best time to treat dandelions, henbit and chickweed.

Dandelions are perennial weeds that prepare for winter by storing energy in the roots. Henbit and chickweed germinate in cool, rainy fall weather and lay dormant over winter, ready to burst into all their glory when spring arrives. These weeds are small, about the size of a dime or quarter, and often hide in the grass.

Treating them now knocks them out, resulting in a weed-free lawn in the spring. Untreated, this trio can turn our lush green carpet of lawn into a yellow, purple and lime patchwork. Once they start to flower, weed control is challenging and increases the chance of damaging other landscape plants.

Herbicide applications come in two forms: liquid or granular. Both are acceptable treatments, but liquids do have an advantage. Liquid herbicides sprayed through a pump disperse the water droplets for thorough coverage over the foliage. This often results in a more effective termination.

Granular herbicides, while effective, should be applied to a damp turf as the pellets coated with the herbicide need to adhere to the foliage. The chemical is absorbed into the leaf for control. Coverage is not as uniform or thorough, and some weeds may return in the spring.

Several products are on the market for broadleaf weed control. They contain active ingredients such as 2,4-D, MCPP, Dicamba or Carfentrazone. Ideally, products that include a combination of these chemicals work best.

Another advantage of fall weed control is safety. One issue with broadleaf weed control products is they drift and damage non-target plants. When these products are applied, they form a vapor which is absorbed by the expanding foliage. These products can travel on even a light breeze on a warm spring day. The result is twisted, puckered and deformed leaves.

Spring is an active period of growth in our landscape as trees, shrubs, flowers and vegetables begin to grow again. Herbicide damage is our most common plant problem question at the Extension office in late May. The good news is the damage is primarily cosmetic. By applying these products in the fall when landscape plants are going dormant, herbicide drift is not an issue.

Don’t let the weeds overtake your yard. Take advantage of a calm, sunny autumn day and rid your lawn of nasty spring weeds. You can look forward to a lush, full carpet of green grass.

Dennis Patton is a horticulture agent with Kansas State University Research and Extension. Need help? Contact the Johnson County Extension gardening hotline at 913-715-7050 or email garden.help@jocogov.org.