Various Types of Garden Weeds and How to Eliminate Them

Weeds are actually plants that are left to grow by nature unchecked in its natural habitat. Depending on its location, there are diverse groups of alien labs disposable that thrive in different climates and settings. If left to grow wild, weeds can overcrowd other landscaping shrubs, grasses and other ornamental plants.Weeds are classified mostly according to the shape of the foliage, its manner of growth, and the time when it grows.

Crabgrass – once this grassy weed has started to occupy a place in your garden it can be very challenging to eradicate it. This type is annual and it germinates by seeds dispersed during the previous year. Sunlight is the best friend of crabgrass where it helps it to sprout. With this type of weed, it’s convenient for one to prevent it from growing instead of controlling it once it has sprung. The weed starts to germinate once warmer temperatures comes (15 C) usually middle of May and then continuing through spring and summer. Apply mulch on areas where there are wanted plants so as to stop crabgrass from germinating.

Wild Onion – A close cousin of the cultured onion (Allium cepa), wild onion resembles like a grass at a glance. Close examination will reveal triangular leaf configuration contrary to a lance or linear-shaped blade that one notices on a lawn grass. It can grow from its small buried bulb up to two feet when it blooms in late summer. One will notice a distinctive onion aroma when near this weed. Ways to prevent this wild onion from sprouting is to cover the soil with mulch or either use “Solarization” so that weed seeds will be eliminated. This process should be done in the spring where weed seeds start to germinate.

Broad-leafed weed– This kind of weed is easily distinguished because of its broad foliage which usually are in pairs or in clusters, composed of flat, wide leaves attached to the stem. Examples are:

Dandelion – You recognize them especially when you see its seeds blown by the wind. They start to flourish during hot summer weather where thousands of seeds are scattered by breeze or by grazing animals. It is virtually impossible to prevent dandelions from spreading when it starts to flower and seed. Before this weed reaches its flowering stage, dig it out from the ground, roots, stems and all to control its population. Any part of the root left, will mature to another plant. If there are seed heads, cover it with a paper bag being careful not to disturb the seeds.

Plantain – This weed is very common in gardens. It is a perennial that thrives in cooler seasons and is found almost everywhere. The foliage are rosette-shaped and have conspicuous veins. Leaves may appear parallel-veined, dark green to purple and may be hairy or smooth. Seed heads resembling rats’ tails is the distinction of this weed. The flowers are white and arranged in a spike. Blooming starts in June to September. Plantains can be removed by pulling them out if in small amounts. Others use broad-leaf herbicides but be careful for herbicides do not spare other broad-leafed plants.

Henbit – This annual weed has purplish blooms which at first glance you would think that it’s one of the flowers in your garden..NOT. Identification of this pest of a plant is through the arrangement of its foliage. Henbit has leaves that are linked straight to the stem without petioles. You will notice it in early spring/late fall when temperature is at its low.

The best control for this nasty weed is to use pre-emergent control herbicides. But for me as an advocate of organic gardening, I would try to nip it at the bud tips to stop it from growing further. Another thing is to mulch and mulch! Mulch covers the soil and prevents the sun from helping exposed weed seeds sprout from the top soil. Mulch will also lock in moisture which is beneficial to the plants.