Weeds that we most often see in NY state
Broadleaf and other common weeds
Broadleaf weeds are easy to control with both natural and chemical methods.
Dandelion
Everyone knows what these are. Common in lawns, roadsides, and disturbed areas, thriving in full sun or partial shade. Easy to spot treat with organic and chemical applications.
White Clover
A low-growing perennial with trifoliate leaves (three leaflets) and round, white to pinkish flower heads that attract bees. Spreads via stolons, forming patches in thin or undernourished lawns. Fixes nitrogen in soil, making it persistent in sunny or partially shaded areas with poor fertility.
Broadleaf Plantain
Recognizable by its broad, oval leaves arranged in a tight rosette, with prominent veins. Sends up tall, leafless stalks topped with tiny, greenish flowers. Thrives in compacted soils, tolerating heavy foot traffic, and is common in lawns, driveways, and paths. These weeds actually have some health benefits also.
Chickweed
A delicate annual with small, oval leaves and tiny, star-shaped white flowers. Stems are weak and sprawling, often forming mats. Thrives in cool, moist conditions, especially in spring and fall, and is common in shady lawns, gardens, or overwatered areas. Seeds prolifically.
Shepard's Purse
A winter annual with a basal rosette of lobed leaves and slender stems topped with small white flowers. Distinctive heart-shaped seedpods resemble purses. Found in lawns, gardens, and cracks in pavement, thriving in cool weather and spreading quickly.
Ground Ivy
A low-growing perennial with square stems, scalloped, heart-shaped leaves, and a minty odor when crushed. Small, tubular purple flowers bloom in spring. Spreads via creeping runners, forming dense mats in shady, moist lawns or under trees. Tough to eliminate, often it will keep growing back.
Grassy Weeds
Grassy weeds are have fewer options for treatment since there are no natural forms of selective herbicides to control them. They can easily be killed naturally by non-selective herbicides in flower beds, walkways etc. But controlling these weeds in lawns requires chemical herbicides.
Crabgrass
Very hard to control without specific herbicides. Thrives in compacted, sunny lawns or bare patches, outcompeting turfgrass in hot, dry conditions. Often found in overused or under-fertilized lawns. Crabgrass will take over your lawn if not controlled. There is no organic selective herbicide for crabgrass.
Goosegrass
Looks a lot like crabgrass but has longer, narrower stems. Also germinates later (June-July) than crabgrass (April-May). It thrives in compacted, sunny soils, often in lawns and paths.
Yellow Nutsedge
A grass-like perennial sedge with glossy, yellowish-green, triangular stems and narrow leaves. Produces spiky, yellow-brown flower heads in summer. Spreads via underground tubers (nutlets). Very noticeable due to how fast it grows above your turf grass. Requires a particular herbicide to treat.
Quackgrass
Quackgrass differs from goosegrass and crabgrass by being perennial, with deep rhizomes instead of annual seed spread. It’s coarser than annual bluegrass and less sprawling than crabgrass, but like goosegrass, it invades stressed lawns. It tolerates a wider range of soils than either.
Poa Annua
Poa annua (annual bluegrass) is a low-growing, light-green, bunch-type grass with fine, soft leaves and boat-shaped leaf tips. It forms dense clumps and produces small, triangular seed heads year-round. Common in New York’s cool-season lawns, it thrives in moist, shady, or compacted areas, germinating in fall and spring. Best controlled with pre-emergent since it is an annual grass.