3 Winter Weeds to Protect Your Lawn from in Indiana

Winter weeds represent a significant nuisance for property owners in Carmel, Indiana. Since wintertime is when your grass and plants will go dormant, the last thing you want is to have pesky weeds stealing away the vital nutrients that your lawn will need to survive the freezing winter season. As many property owners have learned, hand-pulling weeds can be exhausting and can even trigger germination. That’s because some weeds produce so many seeds that disrupting them only causes a release of more seeds.

The good news is that there is already a proven process for controlling winter weeds without making them more pervasive in your lawn. The key is to identify the types of weeds that are impacting your grass and then taking swift action by scheduling professional weed control. Here are the 3 main weeds that you’ll want to keep an eye out for in Indiana in order to protect your lawn this winter.

1. Purple Deadnettle

Purple deadnettle is an invasive and aggressive species of weed belonging to the mint family. They are plentiful in this region during the cooler months, so they can be pervasive in lawns. It grows spade-shaped, triangular leaves and buds small purple flowers. These weeds like low competition, cool temperatures, shade, and moist soils. The best defense against these weeds is to grow your lawn full and thick. Lawn professionals also use post-emergent herbicides to control their spread.

2. Henbit

Henbit is a weed that is also a member of the mint family. It gets its name from the fact that chickens enjoy eating it. It also bears a resemblance to purple deadnettle but has its own distinct characteristics. Henbit’s leaves are round and produce flowers that are dark pink and tube-shaped. This weed grows in damp soils and is particularly attracted to thinning grass.

One of the factors that make henbit so difficult to control is its resiliency and pollination rate. It can pollinate a lot faster than other weeds if it is not treated with a herbicide. Thick and healthy lawns offer a great defense against this weed as well as post-emergent herbicides.

3. Field Pennycress

Field pennycress is a member of the mustard family. This weed is also referred to as “stinkweed” due to the pungent odor it emits when it is disrupted. Field pennycress looks like a thin-leafed version of cabbage. It is often layered, with each layer containing four leaves arranged in a cross-like pattern. It sprouts tiny white flowers.

This weed thrives in moist, shaded lawns. It usually shows up in loam and clay soil types but if your soil is too moist, it can be inviting to these weeds. It is important to address this weed before it flowers, as it can spread quickly. Most professionals will target field pennycress with a selective herbicide containing glyphosate.