Winter annual weeds germinate in the fall, survive the winter season, and grow actively in the spring, spreading thousands of seeds. They die in late spring before starting their life cycle once again in the fall. Common winter annual weeds in Indiana include catchweed bedstraw, henbit, deadnettle, prickly lettuce, and others.

Applying weed control treatments in the fall and spring will effectively prevent them from wreaking havoc on your turf. Keep reading to learn more about winter annual weeds and how you can protect your grass from them.

What are winter annual weeds?

If you think your lawn is safe from pesky weeds in the winter when most plants are dormant, think again. Winter annual weeds start germinating in the fall and continue to survive in the frigid winter. Many property owners get surprised in the early spring months when they notice these weeds in their yard that seem to appear overnight. Before winter annual weeds die off in late spring, they spread thousands of seeds that go dormant throughout the rest of the year and then start to germinate again in the fall.

Common Winter Annual Weeds in Indiana

Henbit lawn weed near Jamestown, IN.

Lawns in our area are not safe from winter annual weeds. In Indiana, here are common winter annual weeds that you should look out for:

  • Catchweed Bedstraw: This fast-growing weed loves moist soils and can be identified by the fine hairs on its leaves and stems.
  • Common Chickweed: Common chickweed has bright green leaves and white, star-shaped flowers.
  • Corn Speedwell: You can identify this weed by its habit of growing low to the ground and its blue flowers.
  • Henbit: This winter annual weed is characterized by its round leaves that are green and purple. Henbit is also commonly confused with its cousin, deadnettle since they both come from the mint family.
  • Prickly Lettuce: This type of weed has yellow flowers and leaves with spines on the underside. Butterflies love to feed on this weed which can grow as tall as five feet.
  • Purple Deadnettle: This aggressive weed boasts square stems, triangular leaves, and light purple flowers.

Correctly identifying weeds is key to managing and controlling their spread on your lawn.

Protect your lawn by applying weed control treatments in the fall and spring.

Lawn care professional spraying weed control after winter near Bristol, IN.

When dealing with winter annual weeds, prevention is always the best course of action. Applying pre-emergent weed control treatments in the fall will prevent the dormant weed seeds from germinating, so you won't have to worry about them popping up in the spring. If you fail to schedule a pre-emergent application, don't fret! There are also post-emergent herbicides that will kill existing winter annual weeds that are thriving in your lawn in the spring.

We recommend that you hire a professional lawn care company to apply weed control treatments. This is because they have the right products and the knowledge to apply the treatments correctly. When you do the application yourself, you might use too much or too little, which can cause more harm than good to your turf.

Protect your lawn from winter annual weeds with our weed control treatments! Call us today!

Winter annual weeds are a problem that nobody wants to deal with. They compete with your grass for space and essential nutrients, which is why you need to take action to remove them from your yard. At Grow Pros Lawn Care, LLC, we offer weed control treatments that will protect your lawn from pesky weeds. Whether you need pre-emergent or post-emergent weed control treatments, we have you covered. Our services are available for commercial and residential properties in Elkhart, Granger, South Bend, IN and nearby communities. Call us today at (574) 326-3526 to schedule!