With Thanksgiving and Christmas just around the corner (we know, this year has gone by way too fast), you’re probably familiar with a few uninvited guests showing up to the festivities. Whether it’s an extra helping of family drama or Aunt Carol’s mysterious side dish that no one touches, there’s always a surprise or two at the table. Believe it or not, your Georgia lawn faces a similar situation in winter…only its uninvited guests are winter weeds.
Below is a quick breakdown of winter weeds and what to watch out for from the lawn care team at Nature’s Turf, offering professional lawn care services for those pesky uninvited guests.
Do winter weeds really matter in Georgia?
During the colder months, most warm-season grasses in Georgia go through a phase called dormancy. It might look like your lawn has completely given up, but don’t worry, it’s not dead. It’s just taking a long winter nap, saving up energy for fresh growth once spring rolls around.
Yet, just because your lawn is dormant doesn’t mean it’s safe. In fact:
- They move in fast: While your warm-season grass is resting, winter weeds take advantage of the “open space”.
- They steal what your lawn needs: Even when they’re small, these weeds can rob your turf of sunlight, nutrients, and any room to grow.
- They don’t leave quietly: If you ignore them now, they’ll stick around and make an even stronger comeback once spring hits.
Who are these “uninvited guests”?
When we’re talking about winter weeds, we’re mainly talking about “broadleaf weeds”, think weeds like dandelion, chickweed, and the biggest uninvited guest of all: Poa annua. For more information on Poa annua, check out our blog here!
These weeds will often show up at the edges of your lawn or in shady areas, basically any place where your dormant yard is “weaker”.
What Your Dormant Lawn Needs
Think of this dormant season as a season of defense for your yard, rather than the aggressive growth found in the Spring or Summer. This means your yard needs a few key things to defend effectively:
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- Clean Soil Surface: Regularly pick up leaves, sticks, and other Fall/Winter debris that may impact the territory winter weeds could claim.
- Well-Timed Lawn Care Treatments: Winter weeds like Poa annua can be controlled with a combination of pre-emergent and post-emergent weed treatments designed to stop germination and kill existing growth.
Smart Moves You Can Make Now
- Apply or maintain a good pre-emergent barrier. Even when your Georgia grass is dormant, the seeds of unwanted weeds are waiting. A pre-emergent stops many of them from sprouting and provides that level of defense we mentioned above.
- Spot treat visible weeds early. If you already see weeds, hit them while they’re vulnerable and before they spread.
- Keep the turf healthy enough to compete. That means clear debris (stick/leaves), mow at a reasonable height (if needed), and adjust watering if we’re in a dry stretch.
Your Lawn’s Enemy Isn’t Laziness…it’s Neglect
The worst thing you can do right now is wait until Spring and just hope your lawn bounces back on its own…hint, hint…that’s exactly what these uninvited guests are counting on. By then, weeds will be bigger, tougher, and rooted in deeper. The good news? You can start your defense now and set your lawn up for success when the warm season returns. Ultimately, as we’ve mentioned before, starting lawn care now sets the stage for the vibrant yard you’ve always dreamed of.
Nature’s Turf – Your Lawn Care Shield Against Uninvited Guests
Thankfully, you don’t have to fight these winter weeds or dormant lawn alone. Nature’s Turf offers personalized, professional, and effective lawn care services year-round so you can get back to worrying about what really matters…like how you can get rid of that mysterious dish from Aunt Carol without her noticing.
For more information on winter lawn care and weed control in Georgia, reach out to the lawn care experts at Nature’s Turf today!
