Weeds Gone Wild

We've all experienced weeds gone wild - they spread and sprawl at an aggressive pace. We are here to break down types of weeds, the harm they can cause, and what you can do control them.

What Weeds Should I Watch Out For?

1. Crabgrass - a grassy weed that loves to branch out and take over anything in its path

2. Dandelions - long stems with yellow flowers act as an aggressive lawn bully

3. Purslane - a self-pollinating weed that can produce up to 50,000 seeds 

4. Spurge - thick and fast-growing, this weed likes to dwell in the cracks of your pavement 

5. Woodsorrel (aka oxalis) - this heart-shaped weed is sometimes shiny, sometimes fuzzy, but always annoying

So, Where Do They Come From?

Weeds spread in several different ways, which is why they can be hard to control. Some spread via seed, using wind, water, or animals to travel. Weeds with long, thick stems lurk and climb their way to victory, whether it be underground or on the surface.

What Do They Do?

Other than being an eyesore, weeds can harm your plants! They are capable of stealing water and nutrients, blocking sunlight, and spreading or smothering your desirable plants. They also hang out in a place your landscape plants avoid - pavement cracks. Weeds are opportunistic, squeezing into any spot they can. This is easy to do since their roots are small and don't require much soil to spread.

They Must Have a Weakness, Right?

You may think a lack of water will kill weeds like it does with other vegetation; that is unfortunately not the case. Weeds' roots are shallow, so a little water goes a long way. Some weeds even have "drought tolerance" - if the weather is hot, they will lay low until the next rainfall.

Okay, These Weeds Need to Go!

Sure, weeds have a lot of tricks up their sleeve, but so do you (yes, you do!). If you see any weeds, hand-pull them (if they're young) or spot-treat them with Ortho® GroundClear® Weed & Grass Killer Super Concentrate1 or Ortho® GroundClear® Super Weed & Grass Killer1, a fast-acting formula that starts working immediately and kills to the root. If you want to get rid of weeds and ensure they don't come back, give 'em a spray of Ortho® GroundClear® Year Long Vegetation Killer or Ortho® GroundClear® Year Long Vegetation Killer1. This product starts to kill weeds in just one hour, and prevents for up to one year! It's time to bring the beauty back to your landscape. Take care of weeds once and for all with Ortho®.