A weed is any plant that grows where it’s not wanted. For example, weeds grow in lawns because the lawn does not compete with them for water and nutrients, which they need to survive. There are many reasons why weeds may be growing in your yard grass; most of these reasons can be solved by proper care of your yard or applying a weed killer.
What are some common causes why you might find weeds in your grass? Read on to learn more!
1. Soil disturbance
The biggest reason why weeds sprout up in a lawn is soil disturbance. When your lawn is first installed, or when you begin to seed it for the first time, the roots of the new grass are pushed up into the surface of the soil, which makes them more susceptible to heat and sun exposure leading to death. This also leaves behind small pockets where weeds can take hold.
2. Buildup of thatch
Thatch is a layer of material that builds up in your lawn over time, and if it builds up too high, the aforementioned heat and sun exposure problem will become worse for new grass seedlings. In addition, weeds can get established in this layer before the new grass even has a chance to sprout.
3. Light exposure and fertility
You may notice that weeds like crabgrass and dandelions can grow in areas where they’ve been planted by you or plant themselves as seeds from bird droppings or other sources. This is because weed plants tend to be stronger than grass plants, and they will often win out in the struggle for sunlight and nutrients.
4. Hydrology
In plainer terms, this means how water flows over your lawn. For example, if your yard is sloped or terraced in a way that allows puddles to form on flat surfaces of grass, weeds will grow there because they can survive flooding more easily than grass plants that require oxygen.
5. Meddling with Mother Nature
If you have applied weed killers or other herbicides to your lawn to keep it weed-free, the chemicals can kill off all of the grasses and allow any seeds already present in the soil to sprout into weeds instead. This is especially true if your herbicides don’t specify that they will not interfere with specific types of grasses.
Learn more: How to Get Rid of Weeds in Your Lawn
6. Exotic grasses
If you have installed exotic grass in your lawn, for example, because it is adapted to drought conditions or shade tolerance, seeds of other types of plants can take hold of the roots and start growing. Then these weeds will crowd out the original grasses until they die off after being shaded too long.
The best way to get rid of weeds is by seeking professional Lawn Care Services in Cumming. It’s also important that you maintain your lawn, as it will help prevent the growth of those pesky weeds!
