In neighborhoods across America, perfectly manicured lawns are the pride of many homeowners. However, even the most pampered lawns can fall prey to the nuisance of weeds. Weeds are classified in three different groups, with hundreds of varieties of weeds in each group, and each one containing weeds that are popular roadblocks to perfect-looking lawns.
The first group--grassy weeds--is so named because it has the appearance of grass blades. Crabgrass is one of the most common grassy weeds. It, as with other grassy weeds, can be identified as a cluster growing close to the ground with shoots reaching up like crab legs.
Crabgrass grows best in full sun and thrives in hot, dry weather. The weed is easy to control by applying a pre-emergent herbicide to you lawn. Keeping the grass cut to at least 2 1/2 inches also helps to keep this and many other grassy weeds at bay.
Broad-leaf weeds are marked by their wide, flat leaves. Dandelions--one of the most popular broad-left weeds--can quickly inundate a lawn due to the white, fluffy seeds that easily drift in the air. Dandelions are classified as a "broad-leaf weed" and can easily be controlled using a herbicide.
The dandelion root is thick and grows several inches into the ground. If you choose to remove the plant by hand, you must dig down to remove the entire root.
Grass-like weeds can be identified as a dark green stem growing higher than the lawn grass. Wild onions--a common example of a grass-like weed--are closely related to the cultivated onion, sharing a similar odor and appearance.
Wild onions grow from a bulb, but are difficult to pull up from the ground. They can be controlled by applying herbicide to the lawn or by digging up the underground bulbs.