Tag: perennials

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Weeds are complex, unwanted guests that can grow almost anywhere in the United States. In particular, the diversity of Dallas’ climate promotes many opportunities for a variety of weeds to grow.

Common Weeds in Dallas? Since Dallas tends to have a hot, dry summer, it’s prone to annual summer weeds. Here’s a look at the top 5 common weeds you may encounter in your garden if you live in Dallas:

1. Crabgrass
2. Nutsedge
3. Spurge
4. Sandbur
5. Buttonweed

In order to better understand the characteristics of these particular weeds, it’s essential to examine the underlying factors that promote weed growth. Additionally, further examining these weeds will help in better managing your lawn or garden. 

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What Causes Weeds?

Unwanted weeds can begin to appear in your lawn for a variety of reasons, from overwatering to planting your garden too far apart. Here’s a look at a few of the common causes:

Flowers too Far Apart

• Too much space between your flowers and plants encourages weeds to grow. 
• Ensure plants are properly spaced to deter the growth of additional weeds.

Overwatering

• Certain weeds like Nutsedge and Crabgrass (both common in Dallas) thrive in wet soil conditions.
• Additionally, your lawn’s health deteriorates with overwatering, encouraging weed growth.

High Reproduction Rate

• Weeds are able to populate your yard very quickly. A single weed is capable of producing thousands of additional seeds for future weeds

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A Closer Look at Common Weeds in Dallas

Since weeds are plants, albeit unwanted plants, they exhibit similar characteristics and categorizations as flowers and plants:

Annual: Annual weeds will grow for a single year or throughout a specific season and are spread by seeds.

Perennial: Perennial weeds can spread through seeds or root systems, and are often more difficult to get rid of, as they will come back year after year if not addressed.

Crabgrass

• Crabgrass is a summer season annual weed. Since it’s technically a type of grass, it is particularly prevalent in most homeowners’ yards.
• Crabgrass germinates when your soil is around 55° F for about five days.
• Additionally, Crabgrass can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds, causing it to be especially difficult to manage.

Spurge

• Spurge, a prevalent weed in Dallas, is another annual summer weed.
• This weed can thrive in dry or poor soil conditions and even full sun.
• If enough is consumed, Spurge can be toxic to pets and wildlife.

Nutsedge

• Similar to Crabgrass, Nutsedge is a summer weed known for having a complex root system. As a result, it can be difficult to remove.
• Nutsedge is also a perennial, meaning it can come back year after year.
• It grows more quickly and taller than grass, making it easy to identify.

Sandbur

• Sandbur is often found in dry soils across much of the southern United States.
• Another summer annual, Sandbur thrives in sandy soil and large, sparse fields.
•  Sandbur and Crabgrass can often grow together in lawns or yards, though they are still easy to differentiate. 

Buttonweed

• Virginia Buttonweed is a perennial summer weed characterized by its
• spreading branches.
• Similar to Nutsedge and Crabgrass, Buttonweed thrives in wet soil, like an overwatered lawn.
• Buttonweed’s seed production can also occur both above and below ground via self-pollinating flowers.

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Tips for Managing Weeds

• It’s usually best to treat your weeds in the colder months when perennials are dormant under the soil. Herbicides are especially effective during a seeds’ germination cycle.

• Fill in the empty spaces around your flowers and plants with mulch to prevent weeds from germinating. The mulch will help block light to the weeds.

• Many perennial weeds survive via their complex root systems. When weeding your yard or garden, remove as much of the roots as possible to eliminate further growth.