You grew up watching your grandmother hand-pull weeds from her garden. There was something peaceful about the way she knelt down among her flowers, patiently tugging at stubborn stems with dirt-caked gloves. So, when you became a homeowner, it felt natural to follow in her footsteps. As you look over your lawn, you find yourself wondering, “How hard could it be to pull the weeds up from my lawn?”
To that, we would say: a lot harder and more time-consuming than you realize.
While your grandma might have had success with hand-pulling in a small garden bed, managing an entire lawn’s weed problem is a different story. Whether you try to yank them out by hand or spray them with store-bought herbicides, the results can be incomplete, short-lived, or, worse, damaging to your lawn.
Before you tackle your lawn’s weeds all on your own, take a look at these potential risks of DIY weed control.
Incomplete Weed Removal
Pulling weeds by hand or with a tool is simple, right? You see the weed, you remove it, and your lawn looks better instantly. Well, not exactly. Many common lawn weeds, like dandelions or crabgrass, have deep or complex root systems, and unless you remove every last bit of root, the weed will likely grow back in no time.
You also need to consider the growth of perennial weeds. These weeds spread through underground rhizomes, which can remain hidden and undisturbed by surface-level pulling (or DIY weed killers like vinegar and Dawn dish soap). This means that while your lawn may look tidy for a few days, the problem is still there and will resurface quickly.
Misidentifying Weeds
There are dozens of weed varieties, and each requires a specific control method. Mistaking a clover for a desirable ground cover or failing to recognize a grassy weed like nutsedge can lead to poor treatment choices. And, unfortunately, most homeowners do not have the training or knowledge to correctly identify weed species.
When you misidentify the weeds growing in your yard, you are likely to apply the wrong type of herbicide or to kill harmless plants. Not only is this ineffective, but it also wastes time and money. Worse, misapplied chemicals can actually encourage certain weeds to spread, creating an even larger issue.
Overuse of Chemicals
Store-bought herbicides promise fast results, but using them without the proper knowledge can do more harm than good and lead to one of the biggest risks of DIY weed control, which is the tendency to over-apply the weed killer. While we’re often taught that more is better, this is not the case with lawn treatments. In fact, excessive herbicide use can stress or kill your grass, damage nearby plants, and contaminate soil and water.
Overusing chemicals also increases the likelihood of herbicide resistance. This means that over time, the weeds in your lawn may adapt to common treatments, becoming harder and harder to eliminate. Proper chemical usage requires careful calibration and timing, both of which only trained lawn care professionals have the knowledge to manage.
Less Effective Results
Even when done “correctly,” DIY weed control often doesn’t produce long-term success. That’s because weeds are opportunistic. They thrive in poor soil conditions, under-fertilized lawns, and areas where grass coverage is sparse. Simply removing weeds doesn’t address the underlying issues that allow them to flourish.
For this reason, professionals go beyond weed removal whenever they receive a desperate call from a homeowner. They analyze soil health and nutrient content, evaluate sun exposure, and tailor weed control methods to the specific environment. This comprehensive approach ensures the lawn isn’t just weed-free for a week but actually healthier and more resilient in the long run.
Get Better Results With Professional Weed Control
Tired of watching weeds return no matter how many times you pull or spray them? Hire a professional for weed control services! Lawn care experts have the training and tools to correctly identify the weeds taking over your yard and apply the right products at the right time. And unlike store-bought herbicides, professional treatments are selected for your specific grass type, soil conditions, and climate, are environmentally friendly, and are applied to keep your lawn safe and reduce the chance of harming beneficial plants.
As if that wasn’t exciting enough, experts also take a much more detailed approach to weed control. Specifically, they don’t just treat what’s visible; they look deeper, addressing the underlying causes that allow weeds to thrive in the first place. Based on a thorough assessment, they can recommend fertilizer applications, aeration and overseeding, pest control, and disease treatment to create a healthier yard.
In addition to better results, you get something just as valuable: your time back. No more second-guessing what product to buy or spending hours in the sun trying to make a dent in the weed problem. With a professional weed control service, you get reliable treatments, long-term solutions, and a lawn that truly looks its best.
Protect Your Lawn From Weeds With Help From Lawn Specialties
Are you dealing with crabgrass, ragweed, clover, dandelions, or another type of weed? Lawn Specialties is ready to provide expert solutions that keep your lawn looking its best year-round. Contact us today to learn more about our weed control services and get your lawn on the path to lasting health and beauty.
