Why is My Lawn Chock Full of Weeds?

Weeds in your yard can be frustrating, especially when it seems like they’re trying to take over.

If your lawn is more weeds than grass, there’s probably an underlying reason for their dominance. Simply pulling up the weeds won’t do you need to strengthen the general health of your lawn to have the thick, green grass you desire.

For a smattering of stray weeds, you can still pull them by hand as long as you get the root. But if your lawn has been overrun by weeds, a little more of a game plan is needed.

This guide will help lead you through the process of renovating a weed filled lawn, and if you need some additional help, we’ll also suggest our favorite professional lawn care company to aid you in ensuring you can maintain a weed free lawn.

Why Your Lawn Is Full of Weeds

You should probably understand why your grass has been overtaken by weeds, so it doesn’t happen again. Here are some lawn situations that can result in weeds not just surviving, but thriving:

• Mowing too low: Weeds love thinning grass. The most effective way of keeping weeds out is to have thick, tall, dense grass throughout your lawn. When your grass is too short, it’s also more vulnerable to weed takeover. Keeping your lawn mower on the highest setting might help with this.
• Not enough water: Weeds are known for sturdy roots and can steal your grass’s moisture. If you’re not watering your grass properly, the weeds will steal whatever water is there from the grass.
• Bad drainage: Conversely, when water does not drain out of the soil as it should, root-rot can occur and fungus can grow. A few weed species do better in wet situations.
• Compacted soil: When your soil is overly compact, whether due to too much foot traffic or a less-than-ideal soil composition, your grass’s roots won’t be able to find the nutrients, water, or air that they require. This stressed turf is a great place for weeds to proliferate.
• Lack of soil nutrition: Your soil might not have the nutrients that turfgrass requires to flourish. Most grass, too, likes its soil a little acidic, while many weeds can also thrive in a wider range of pH.

Expert Advice

Finally, mowing too short allows the canopy to open up for weeds to grow.

Many weed seeds are light-sensitive, so they see sunlight after being buried as a signal that it is not desperately competitive and that this is a good time to make a run for it.

And most weeds that infiltrate lawns can be a signal of an underlying issue. We call these weeds indicator weeds. Some of these issues and the weeds they contribute to can be mitigated by how the lawn is managed.