Finding any Weed in your Jacksonville lawn can be frustrating, but some are easy to control with common lawn sprays. But, there are a few weeds that require a bit more work. Learn more about these worst weeds in Jacksonville and how to get rid of them.
Dollarweed
This perennial weed features small rounded flat leaves. Dollarweed (pictured above) grows in wetter areas of your lawn. Look for scalloped glossy leaves with white flowers that look like tiny umbrellas. Dollarweed, also called pennywort, spreads by seed as well as rhizomes and tubers found underground.
Prevent this weed from sprouting by improving drainage whenever possible. You can avoid using chemicals by pulling the dollarweed by hand or using natural remedies such as boiling water or baking soda. If you need to bring out the big guns — a synthetic herbicide — look for a broadleaf chemical labeled for dollarweed/pennywort, and follow label directions precisely.
Quackgrass
This persistent weed appears in Jacksonville lawns with blue-green leaves that stand tall. The roughness of the leaves is especially apparent when the weed pops up on softer Zoysia grass. Quackgrass features a rounded seed on top of the stem that’s also spiked. A bright pink rosette sits at the top of the seed. This worst weed likes to spread throughout lawns and flower beds if not controlled.
Remove any young Quackgrass plants that you see by pulling them from the white root. Make sure the root is intact, so it doesn’t reseed and create a bigger problem. Non-selective weed killers are helpful but should be a last resort as it will also kill any other plants near the sprayed area.
Crabgrass
This well-known weed plagues lawn lovers all over the country. But once again, Jacksonville comes out on top! We’ve got several species of crabgrass to fight. You could be dealing with smooth, blanket, tropical, Southern, or India crabgrass. You’ll note the rounded shape of the grass coupled with blades a few inches long pop up everywhere if not controlled.
It’s best to apply a pre-emergent in the spring to help keep this weed at bay throughout the year. Once crabgrass appears, stop fertilizing and watering the area to see if that helps diminish growth. You can use an organic herbicide, but it may take several applications since most aren’t as strong as the man-made chemicals. Applying a chemical such as glyphosate will kill the crabgrass, but may also harm the grass.
Goosegrass
This weed is commonly mistaken for crabgrass, but goosegrass is much broader and takes up more space. This annual weed forms a tight rosette of flat leaves that are close to the ground. It’s hard to get rid of thanks to its low profile to the ground. Many Jacksonville homeowners struggle to keep this weed under control even when lowering the setting on their lawn mower blades.
An ounce of prevention here is worth a pound of herbicide. A small amount of pre-emergent applied in the spring can prevent this invader from moving in. Once it pops up, you may consider using Nitrophos Barricade or Tenacity to help rid your lawn of the goosegrass.
Keeping a full and healthy lawn is the best way to discourage weeds from creeping into the yard. Make sure to mow regularly as well as water only once or twice per week. Regular lawn care will help the grass roots grow deep and an established lawn will crowd out any of these worst weeds in Jacksonville.
Have questions about lawn care in Jacksonville? Make sure to check our Jacksonville, FL lawn care page.
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