Is doveweed invading your lawn, leaving it thin, patchy and sparse? When invasive annual weeds like doveweed take hold, expert lawn care services are needed to restore your turf’s health. Doveweed is one of the most difficult weeds to control and can overtake lawns before homeowners even realize there’s a problem. To manage unwanted lawn weeds and take back control of your yard, here are the key facts to know about doveweed.
How to Control Doveweed in Your Lawn
If you haven’t heard of doveweed before, you’re not alone. You see, it’s a “new” problem in grass and lawn care. However, that doesn’t mean it’s not already hitting Texas lawns hard. Doveweed is aggressive and fast spreading, making it extremely hard to control. No wonder so many lawn care experts are now classifying it as the world’s worst weed. You might also hear doveweed being referred to as “naked stem dewflower.” It germinates later in the season than other weeds like crabgrass. In fact, much of its success depends upon this later germination. Its seeds wait until soil temperatures routinely hit 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit to germinate in late spring. This means that pre-emergent herbicides that were applied in February or March may not have enough strength left to make a dent in the growth of doveweed.
The other thing that helps ensure the success of doveweed is its similar appearance to St. Augustine grass. Many homeowners simply don’t know there’s a problem until it gets out of control. Doveweed is able to reproduce by spreading its stems to other parts of the lawn. So without realizing it, homeowners are helping spread the weed each time they mow. The stems get cut and fall elsewhere in the turf, giving doveweed a chance to establish another home. The leaves of the doveweed are thick and rubbery and often appear shiny. This particular weed prefers a wet environment, so if you have areas of your lawn where drainage is poor, they may be more susceptible to a doveweed infestation. Due to the complexity of identifying and managing doveweed, hiring a professional weed control service is typically your best option.
Why Doveweed Treatment Timing Matters for Weed Control
The application of pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides is typically required to get a handle on the problem. It is essential to apply the right herbicides in the correct amount to get rid of doveweed, while also protecting the turf you want to keep. Moreover, the timing of herbicide application is just as important as choosing the right formula. When a pre-emergent herbicide is applied too late, it will be ineffective. The same is true for a too-early application of a post-emergent herbicide. Both errors waste time and money while posing a potential danger to your lawn. If you want to bring doveweed under control, then give us a call today. We know how to use pre-emergent for weed prevention and post-emergent treatment to manage an outbreak of doveweed. It’s important that we act quickly to diagnose the problem before it can spread to an even larger portion of your lawn. For North Texas homeowners, we are your number one ally for doveweed control.
Contact Us for Expert Weed Control Services in North Texas
If you’re dealing with a doveweed infestation, contact the specialists at Green Top Lawn Care. We provide weed control solutions, lawn disease treatments, insect control and other top-rated lawn care solutions. Call (817) 684-4044 or request a free weed control quote today.
