Learn More about Herbicides to Control Lawn Weeds

When you go to the lawn and garden store to buy weed control products, it can be a bit daunting. Let's try to simplify your choices for controlling the vast majority of weeds that can spring up in your yard. Then we will review the timing of herbicide applications.

There are two kinds of weeds we all target - broadleaf (dandelions) and grassy (including crab grass). For broadleaf weed control, you can count on a three-way combination of ingredients: Mecoprop (MCPP), 2, 4 D, and Dicamba. Trimec was the trade name for this product when it was first formulated 35 years ago. The patent has since expired and the product is now sold under dozens of brand names, including Three-Way, Weed B Gon, and Lawn Weed Killer. Look for the combination of the three ingredients on the label. This combination product is still the industry standard used for comparison when new herbicides are introduced and tested. This is a staple to have in your weed war arsenal.

There are a few broadleaf weeds, such as Creeping Charlie and oxalis, that this three-way combination doesn't effectively handle. For those really tough weeds, you will need at least one more herbicide to use in combination with the Trimec-type product. Two good choices are triclopyr and quinclorac. You may find triclopyr alone in a product or combined with other chemicals, such as mecoprop or dicamba. It provides good, tough weed control if you time the application correctly.

Quinclorac is another story. It is a relatively new herbicide that has the ability to knock out the really tough weeds mentioned above while also controling crabgrass throughout the season. It is under patent until 2007 (this keeps the cost up) and is sold under the trade name Drive. Another benefit to Drive is that it is relatively safe to use on new grass seedlings, which is important if you are establishing grass in the spring.

The final must-have product for weed control is a non-selective weed killer, such as glyphosate. This will kill anything green, so use it carefully. It is intended for use in sidewalk cracks and other areas where you need quick, non-selective control at a decent price. Once sold only under the brand name Roundup, it now can be found under many brand names.

When using any herbicide, read and follow the package directions carefully.