As winter approaches, Georgia homeowners might be feeling a little relieved that their battle with persistent warm weather weeds is over. While that may be true, the war with common cold weather weeds is just beginning.
What are the most common winter weeds in Georgia?
Several weeds such as chickweed, henbit and white clover can be persistent growers during the winter months. These are easy to spot when mature as they form a carpet of purple and white flowers across your lawn.
Winter weeds such as annual ryegrass and annual bluegrass (poa annua), are a little more challenging to spot at first. But as they grow, tufts of grass form which can easily take over an entire lawn. Although they are called grasses, these two types of grass are considered weeds because they grow in thick clumps and compete with more desirable grasses.
- Poa Annua – This very common winter weed drops 2,000 seeds per plant. Seeds germinate in early fall and begin to grow from 2 inches to 12 inches tall during late fall and throughout winter. Annual bluegrass goes to seed in spring and early summer where they lie dormant until the ground begins to cool in the fall.
- Annual Ryegrass – This grass has the same germinating and growing season as annual bluegrass. Rygrass becomes a problem when it begins to dominate desired vegetation. When it dies off in late spring, Georgia lawns are left with large bare patches that become susceptible to summer weeds and erosion.
How to prevent winter weeds
The ideal time to treat your Georgia lawn for common winter weeds is late September or early October. Applying pre-emergent herbicides by early fall will stop seeds from germinating, therefore preventing winter weeds from sprouting.
As ground temperatures begin to cool in Atlanta, hundreds of thousands of seeds fall to the ground and germinate by late fall / early winter. Soon after, new plants emerge. At this stage, post-emergent herbicides are best for attacking common winter weeds.
How to control winter weeds
These annual grasses will begin to grow in late fall and throughout the winter. If pre-emergent herbicides were applied, it’s still possible some seeds survived. If you see grasses sprouting, try applying a post-emergent herbicide which will attack new growth before they have a chance to go to seed.
Another way to ensure established grasses do not go to seed is to pull them out of the ground by hand. Dig all the way down to the roots to remove the threat of unwanted grasses.
Simply Green can help!
The best way to battle common winter weeds is making sure your lawn is healthy year-round. Following best practices in lawn maintenance is key for a sustainable, healthy lawn and garden. The healthier the lawn, the more difficult it is for weeds to thrive.
If you need some help creating a beautiful and healthy lawn, Simply Green Lawn Care Plus can help. Call today to schedule a consultation and assessment to determine the health of your landscape. Based on those results, technicians determine the best treatment plan to keep your lawn and gardens healthy all year long.
