The best way to control lawn weeds is to prevent them. After mowing in the spring, mow the lawn one notch higher for the rest of the summer. Higher turf means deeper roots, which keep the lawn healthier, thicker, and more competitive with weeds. That taller lawn also shades the soil, preventing weed seeds from germinating, and retains more moisture so the lawns stays greener longer into the summer.
If the lawn is thin, consider overseeding every year to maintain a thicker, fuller lawn. When over-seeding is done using newer disease-resistant grasses, disease kills the older varieties, leaving the more robust variety in its place.
Sharpening the mower blade at least once during the growing season is recommended. A mower performs better with a sharp blade and generates less pollution because the engine will not be working as hard. A mulching mower will not work properly if the blade is dull. If the edges of the cut grass look torn or shredded, it is time to sharpen the blade.
Homeowners can remove lawn weeds manually or use a non-selective weed control product. In either case, they will need to repair the lawn by filling in the holes left behind after digging the grass weeds out or patching with sod. Make sure the lawn is level again so water will not stand in the repaired area.
Creeping Charlie (Glecoma Hederacea)
Ground ivy, also called Creeping Charlie, will aggressively leave the shadier spots where it gets started and run out into the full-sun areas of the lawn. As weeds go, Creeping Charlie is not easily managed and may require a repeat application of a control product. Some of the better products contain three active ingredients: 2-4D, MCPP, and Dicamba.
Perennial Grassy Weeds.
These include tall fescue, nimblewill, and quackgrass, which all cause problems in lawns. Commercial lawn-care companies may be able to treat the lawn with a product that will selectively remove one or more of these three weeds. Unfortunately, the material may also discolor the lawn, and more than one application may be needed.
Source: Richard Hentschel, University of Illinois Extension horticulture educator, 630-584-6166,