Q: I have had it will all of the weeds in my lawn. What can I do to control them better? – Robert from Austintown

A: Your lawn must be in bloom this time of year, right? While some liken this sight to providing food for the pollinators, other see a blooming lawn as a sign of mismanagement. Neither is a perfect view of lawn management. While some have thought of no-mow may and others keep things mowed every couple of days this time of year, nobody has the perfect answers.

The typical perennial broad-leafed weeds such as dandelions, ground ivy, violets, plantains, and others are often difficult to control. Some consider them unsightly, and they compete with your turf grass for space, water, and nutrients. But, there are many control options beyond thinking of herbicides as the first option. Control depends on how your lawn looks, what grass species are growing there, the drainage of your lawn area, how high you mow, your how you manage leaves in the fall and much more.

Overall, you want to focus on managing the correct species of grass in your lawn and keep them as happy as possible. This includes dealing with issues such as drainage and heavily shaded areas to decide what is best for your property and the lawn you desire.

The first option should always be cultural. A healthy lawn can out-compete most weeds and good lawn care practices will help get and keep your lawn in its best shape. One good cultural practice is managing the lawn for these best grass species for our area. Ohio State University evaluations have found that a mix of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass and fescues is a good combination for Ohio.

Now is not the time of year to reseed the lawn, but you can prepare now for reseeding in August depending on your specific weed control situation. Even with overseeding, your lawn may require the same overseeding for a few seasons to get this mixture established. Mowing is another key part of a healthy lawn. Mowing high to around 3 inches helps the turf grass develop strong roots and the longer grass blades shade out weeds before they get started. Mowing too short is even more detrimental in the summertime when bare areas can allow for weeds to take hold. Fertilizing is not always a solution to make turf grow better. Your fertilizer application should always be based on a laboratory soil test report. Details on this are at http://go.osu.edu/soiltesting

Another option is tolerance. A picture-perfect lawn is a goal for some people, but achieving one takes time and expense. Developing a tolerance for some weeds in a lawn will save you effort and money. Also, some perennial lawn weeds like dandelions and ground ivy provide a food source for pollinators. To reduce the number of weeds to a level you can live with, just pull them out by hand.

Chemical controls (herbicides) a an option to consider, but are not the end all options for weed control. If this is your choice, know that “Herbicides should be considered an aid, but not a cure, for broadleaf weed problems in landscaped turf.” (Rutgers Extension) If you choose to use herbicides, do so with the mindset that you need to do a better job of managing the lawn overall once the weeds have been controlled.

You can contact a professional to treat the weeds or do it yourself. If you choose to do it yourself, you need to know what type of perennial broad-leaf weed(s) you have, because no single product will control every type of lawn weed. We can help you with weed ID if you bring a sample to our clinic. Once you know what the weeds are, look for products formulated to control the type of weed you have. And most importantly, for the best results and your protection, read and follow the directions on the product label.

For more information: http://go.osu.edu/controllawnweeds

For more on lawn grass cultivar selection, go to: http://go.osu.edu/lawnselection

For more on maintaining a healthy lawn, go to: https://go.osu.edu/healthylawn

To identify your lawn weeds, go to: http://go.osu.edu/lawnweeds

David Sprague is an OSU Extension Master Gardener Volunteer. Eric Barrett is OSU Extension educator for agriculture and natural resources in Mahoning County. The plant and pest clinic is open Mondays and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to noon at the OSU Extension Office in Canfield. Details are at http://go.osu.edu/mahoningclinic