Unleash the Power: Mastering Weed Control for Your Lawn, Landscaping, and Hardscaping!
A close-up view of a yard full of weeds in Cayce, SC.
Maybe your yard, like the one above, has more weeds than grass. And maybe you have a sinking feeling of embarrassment every time you have to look at it. If you are wondering how to remove weeds from the lawn…
Don’t worry! Help has arrived.
We’ll go over your options in this post and answer some of the most frequently asked questions about weeds in lawn care. Most importantly, we’ll discuss all the best options for how to kill weeds.
In this post, we’ll cover all your pressing questions on weed-related topics like:
What is a weed, anyway?
What are some common lawn weeds in South Carolina?
What types of weed control methods are available in general?
What types of chemical weed killers are there?
What is the best weed-killer chemical?
Is professional weed killer better?
What is weed killer concentrate?
Are weed killers dangerous?
What is a good strategy for overall lawn weed control?
Interested in the best weed killers for your lawn in the Columbia, SC area?
At Boots On Enterprises, we do all kinds of landscaping and lawn care services including a weed control service for our clients, as well as lawn treatments, pest treatments, tree services, lawn maintenance, and almost any other landscaping or hardscaping services you can think of.
Simply contact us today for a FREE estimate.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
Next-day and same-week service is available.
Many types of lawn weeds have taken over this lawn in Columbia, SC.
What is a weed anyway?
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. That is really the issue when we define what plants are considered to be weeds in someone’s yard.
Weeds are any wild plants that grow in areas controlled by people that are undesirable. They steal the nutrients, water, and sunlight from the plants that we do want to grow in our lawns, gardens, and on farms.
While some weeds can have beneficial properties in the right locations, we understand that you don’t want them in your lawn, garden, or landscaping, and we are committed to providing the best weed control for lawns for our clients.
Out-of-control weeds near a Trex-built deck in Columbia, SC.
Common lawn weeds in South Carolina
Some of the most common types of weeds in a lawn in South Carolina include plants like crabgrass, creeping Charlie, white clover, dandelions, buttercup, chickweed, thistle, goosegrass, nutsedge, Bermuda grass, and more.
Different lawn weed types may need different types of weed control to help keep them out of your yard. For example, broadleaf weeds may respond to one type of treatment but grassy weeds may need something else.
If you have a serious weed issue or don’t have time to do meticulous lawn care yourself, consider hiring a professional weed control company near you to get rid of the weeds and develop a solid weed prevention plan to keep your lawn looking its best.
Man removing dandelions with a mechanical device for removing dandelion weeds by pulling the tap root near a wooden fence.
What types of weed control methods are available in general?
There are five primary overarching methods of weed control options.
Hand-pulling weeds
Pulling weeds by hand is especially effective for small areas or if weeds are sparse. Although, you may decide to go with a mechanical device like the one pictured above to save your back.
Mulch/landscape fabric
This works well in flower beds to help discourage weed growth by limiting sunlight, water, and nutrients to unwanted plants. Check out our resource on mulch and especially the inorganic options for the best mulch for weed control.
Mowing/weed whacking
This option is a good choice when there are a lot of weeds you want to get rid of quickly. But this is a very short-term method and in a few days, those weeds will be back. And they may have scattered a bunch of seeds during mowing that will bring more weeds along later.
Quality lawn care practices
Doing all the right things to maintain a healthy lawn with vibrant grass can help your lawn be strong enough to keep most weeds at bay many times.
Chemical weed killers/weed treatments
This can be the most effective way to get rid of weeds in your yard long-term. But it’s critical to use chemicals that are safe for pets, people, and the environment. This category includes commercially available and homemade chemical treatments and natural/organic weed killers.
Man spraying herbicide on weeds in a yard near bushes and a stacked stone garden wall.
What types of chemical weed killers are there?
Commercially available chemical herbicides play a crucial role in a comprehensive weed control plan for your lawn. However, they are not the sole solution for controlling weeds. Proper mowing practices, watering, and lawn care are also important aspects of preventing weed growth.
Below, we’ll discuss some different categories of weed killers you can find on the market and how each one works. Keep in mind that many of these chemicals can be dangerous if misused. It’s important to be very familiar with them before using them yourself.
This is not an exhaustive list of weed control herbicides. But it will give you a place to start your research.
Pre-emergent herbicides
These types of herbicides need to be applied before the germination process begins for weed seeds to form a barrier that keeps them from growing. This type of weed killer is great for preventing annual weeds like crabgrass from sprouting when it’s applied ahead of time.
Early spring and early fall are often the best times for pre-emergent weed killers to be applied.
Examples of pre-emergent herbicides:
Barricade® (Prodiamine) — A long-lasting option that works on most weeds, grassy and broadleaf. Often used for residential and commercial lawns.
Gallery® (Isoxaben) — This treatment works mostly for broadleaf weeds and can be used on lawns and ornamental flower beds.
Ronstar® (Oxadiazon) — This treatment controls grassy and broadleaf weeds. It’s often used on landscape beds and turfgrass.
Preen (trifluralin) — It’s a good option for preventing weeds in a lawn or landscaped area.
Pre-M® (Pendimethalin) — Works on most weeds and can be used for lawns, flower beds, and landscaped areas.
Dimension®, Preen® (Dithiopyr) — Preen weed killer (and others like it) works best on grassy and broadleaf weeds and is used on lawns, golf courses, football fields, and soccer fields.
Post-emergent herbicides
A post-emergent herbicide kills weeds after they have sprouted and are visible above the soil. The ideal weed control plan will use a combination of both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides for the best weed control.
These chemicals can be selective or non-selective and come in a variety of formulas and applications. The treatments are available as weed killer spray, granules, and spot treatment options.
Examples of post-emergent herbicides:
Ortho Weed B Gon® Plus Crabgrass Control (dimethylamine salts, Quinclorac) — Ortho weed killer is sold in ready-to-use concentrate. This selective herbicide can handle almost all common weeds.
Spectracide® Weed and Grass Killer (diquat dibromide) — Non-selective herbicide that is best for removing weeds and grass from hardscape areas.
Green Gobbler® 20% Vinegar Weed Killer — Non-selective herbicide that is best for landscaped areas.
Roundup ProMax® — Roundup weed killer is a complete post-emergence herbicide for broadleaf weeds. It has a quick effect and works best for trim and edge applications, turf renovation, removing vines, clearing brush, and weeding shrub beds.
Contact herbicides
A contact herbicide only kills the part of the plant that the chemical touches. Sometimes you’ll see a “quick kill” with this type of herbicide. It can be quite satisfying to see a weed wilt right before your eyes.
However, because the contact herbicides don’t kill the root, it’s possible for the plant to survive and then keep growing, coming back from the treatment.
Examples of contact herbicides:
Goal® (oxyfluorfen) — Forms a chemical barrier on the soil’s surface to stop weeds from growing upon emergence.
Sharpen® (saflufenacil) — Acts within 3 days. Controls only broadleaf weeds. Often used for preharvest weed control.
Gramoxone® (paraquat) — This is also a restricted-use pesticide that can work on plants that are resistant to Roundup.
Diquat® (diquat dibromide) — Works on land and in water.
Systemic herbicides
A systemic herbicide is one that is absorbed through the leaves or stem and the chemical then is transported throughout the entire plant. It usually takes a bit of time for this type of herbicide to travel to the root system and kill the weed. In fact, the speed of its effect depends on the current temperature. So it works faster during a hot summer month than in the spring.
Killing the roots is a great idea so that the weed can’t grow back. This is the most effective type of weed killer long-term.
Examples of systemic herbicides:
Roundup®, Rodeo®, and Eraser® (glyphosate) — Good for landscaping and spot treatments.
Southern Ag® 2,4-D Amine/24d weed killer/4-2 d weed killer/Hi-Yield 2,4-D Selective Weed Killer/ (dimethylamine salt) — A concentrated form. Works well for most weeds except for grassy ones.
Selective herbicides
A selective herbicide is specially designed to kill certain weeds but not harm grass. They tend to help keep broadleaf weeds under control.
Broadleaf weeds include such weeds as dandelions, dollar weed, clover, ground ivy, oxalis, and others.
It’s important to be very familiar with the instructions, precautions, and warnings of these chemicals before attempting to apply them. And it can be wise to hire a professional landscaper near you if you aren’t sure how to properly handle these chemicals or don’t know which would be best for your lawn.
Also, some of these strong weed killers may be regulated in some areas, so it’s important to stay on top of local laws and regulations.
Examples of selective herbicides:
Southern Ag® 2,4-D Amine/24d weed killer/4-2 d weed killer/Hi-Yield 2,4-D Selective Weed Killer/ (dimethylamine salt) — A concentrated form. Works well for most weeds except for grassy ones.
Roundup® Ready Xtend Crop System (Dicamba) — This treatment controls broadleaf weeds for lawns, crops, and other areas. But it is regulated and restricted in some areas.
MCPA (2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid) — This option works in many different areas like lawns, pastures, and landscaping areas.
Sonora®, Triad Select®, Image All-In-One® (Clopyralid) — This chemical can control tough broadleaf weeds that are often difficult to kill, particularly thistles and clovers. But it is restricted sometimes near sensitive crops.
Ortho Weed B Gon® (2,4-D) — This selective herbicide kills many broadleaf weeds without harming grass and surrounding plants.
Nonselective herbicides
When it comes to getting weeds under control, a nonselective herbicide like glyphosate is hard to beat. And while it is powerful and effective, it’s also important to remember that it will kill any plant it is applied to including grass and the plants you desire to keep in your yard.
You can definitely remove the weeds from your lawn with this option, but be sure to follow all package instructions, precautions, and warnings. And if you have any doubt about what to do or how to apply these potent weed killers, check with a trusted local landscaper near you.
Examples of nonselective herbicides
Roundup® (Glyphosate-based herbicides) — This weed spray kills weeds and grass and any kind of plant. It’s perfect for total vegetation control for hardscaping and used in agricultural and non-agricultural settings. This is the strongest weed-killer chemical available.
Ignite®, Liberty®, Rely®, Finale®, Basta® (Glufosinate-Ammonium) — This weed killer spray works against all kinds of weeds and grasses. It’s a good choice for hardscaping areas.
Keep in mind that there are “over-the-counter” and pro-grade weed killers. Landscapers are able to buy chemicals that are different from what non-professionals can purchase. (We’ll talk about the differences in a few sections down below.)
Woman wearing black holding fresh root vegetables and peppers while standing in an organic garden.
Organic herbicides
Natural and organic weed-killer options are also available. It’s important to keep in mind that the choices with organic weed killers are more limited. And, often, weeds require more treatments with organic weed control methods and you may not get results that are as good as you’d find with non-organic weed control treatments.
It’s also critical to note that “organic” doesn’t mean that a treatment is not harmful. Always carefully read and follow any instructions or warnings on any product you buy to be safe.
Examples of natural or organic weed control products
Corn gluten meal (CGM)
Salt spray
Citric acid
Vinegar-based products
Landscaping worker wearing jeans spraying grass with weed killer sprayer near a brick garden wall.
What is the best weed-killer chemical?
As you can see, there are a LOT of herbicides and weed-killer treatments to choose from. It can be a bit overwhelming to try to figure out which treatments would be best for your lawn, landscaping, flower beds, and garden.
There is no one-size-fits-all absolute best weed-killer product on the market today.
The best weed killer for lawns, gardens, landscaping areas, or hardscaping depends on your particular goals and needs. A landscaping professional will know your particular area and can evaluate your property to help if you aren’t sure what route to take.
You can use a cocktail of some of the previously mentioned yard weed killer options if you are familiar with how to combine and use them properly.
Or when choosing a weed killer spray or treatment, you may want to go with something that is a pre-mixed combination of herbicides and treatments like these options:
Combination weed killers (pre-emergence and post-emergence)
Tenacity Turf Herbicide (Mesotrione 40%) — Tenacity weed killer is a systematic pre-emergence and post-emergence herbicide. It is best for controlling weeds in turfgrasses.
Combination weed killer and fertilizer
Roundup® Weed & Feed (glyphosate and nitrogen fertilizer) — This product is a broad-spectrum herbicide that kills many types of weeds plus the slow-release nitrogen fertilizer helps to boost the health of your grass.
Combination weed and crabgrass killer
Spectracide® Weed Stop for Lawns Plus Crabgrass Killer — Kills weeds and crabgrass.
Combination weed and grass killer
Hi-Yield® Weed & Grass Killer (Imazapyr) —This product is a post-emergent selective herbicide that kills annual and perennial grasses as well as some broadleaf weeds like clover and chickweed. It is systemic, so it goes to the roots and eventually kills the whole plant. This product does not kill trees, shrubs, or flowers.
Check out our next section about prescription or professional weed killers for some of the most effective options.
Is professional weed killer better?
What is the difference between an over-the-counter weed killer that is available to the average consumer and a professional-grade weed killer?
The main difference is the concentration of the active ingredients. A professional-grade weed killer has a higher concentration which means that it is more effective to kill weeds. But, because of the higher strength, they can be more dangerous and people need more training before using them.
Professional weed control companies and landscapers have the know-how to avoid causing damage to plants or the environment because they have learned how to safely use these products. And they tend to get the best results if you are worried about controlling common yard weeds or if you have unusual circumstances.
A blurred background with green grass and plants and a yellow warning triangle-shaped sign with scull and crossbones labeled, “toxic.”
Are weed killers dangerous?
It’s important to remember that all weed killers can be dangerous if used improperly — they could potentially harm people, pets, plants, or the environment.
Before using any chemical, always read the label carefully and follow all instructions, precautions, and heed all warnings. It’s also good to wear gloves and eye protection whenever you use potentially hazardous chemicals.
What are some of the possible dangers of weed killers?
Weed killers can cause skin irritation, eye irritation, breathing problems, and other health concerns for people, pets, and wildlife.
How to find safety information for herbicides
If you have any questions or concerns, check with the manufacturer’s safety data sheet, your state’s Department Department of Agriculture’s recommendations, your state government’s recommendations and tips, the EPA’s website, your state’s laws, and local laws. Things can be complicated. So be sure to do your research thoroughly.
Another option is to entrust your lawn care to a trusted professional landscaper near you who can take care of your lawn and any treatments safely.
A brick home with a severely overgrown yard with major weed overgrowth in need of a weed control company’s services.
What is weed killer concentrate?
Is concentrated weed killer better? When you have a big problem with common lawn weeds and need to kill weeds in a large area, a concentrated weed killer solution may be easier to use and more cost-effective than ready-to-use weed killers.
Concentrated herbicides require dilution before use according to their package instructions. These can be the best weed killer for lawns if you are considering factors like cost-effectiveness, customization of dose, greater coverage, and easier storage.
You can find a concentrated weed killer for lawns at such reputable retailers as Home Depot, Lowe’s, Amazon, and more.
Again, be sure to read all label instructions, precautions, and warnings. And it’s a good idea to look up the manufacturer’s safety data sheet (SDS), as well.
A lawn overrun by weeds in Columbia, SC that needs weed control companies to help with post-emergent weed control.
What is a good strategy for overall lawn weed control?
To take care of weeds in the yard, you may want to consider a comprehensive strategy that includes the following:
Solid lawn care methods done on a regular schedule including core aeration twice per year, overseeding twice per year, mowing at an optimal height (in SC, a height of 2.5-3 inches is ideal).
Proper watering and fertilizing techniques at the right time.
Pre- and post-emergent weed killers tailored to your lawn’s needs.
Spot treatment of weeds as needed.
Appropriate pest control.
Good mulch and landscape fabric for flowerbeds and landscaped areas.
Ready to contact weed control companies near you in Columbia, SC?
If this all sounds a bit overwhelming, why not contact us for help? At Boots On Enterprises, we are happy to take care of your weed control plan for you so you don’t have to worry about which chemicals to use, what the laws are, or how often you need to treat your lawn.
We do all types of landscaping services, hardscaping services, tree services, and more.
Contact us today for a FREE estimate.
Phone: 803-521-4978
Email: bootsonenterprises@gmail.com
Next-day and same-week service is available.
