Posted on September 17th, 2022
There’s nothing quite like the feeling of coming home from a long hard day and casting your gaze upon your beautiful lawn. There is a sense of calm that gardening brings—whether it’s when you’re hard at work with your next lawn care project or when you take a minute to appreciate all the hard work that is paying off.
Summertime is when pesky summer weeds can ruin the sight of your lush green lawn. Turf Unlimited is here to help you with the right turf protection—before, during, and after the invasion of ground ivy, crabgrass, or any other weed that wants to take over your beautiful lawn.
Struggling with summer weeds in your Northern Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire lawn? Contact Turf Unlimited today or call (888) 649-9919 for a free estimate on professional weed control services that will restore your lawn’s beauty.
Essential summer weed control strategies:
In this post, we examine ways in which you can help protect your lawn from those pesky summer weeds. Here, we’ll look at common summertime weeds, how to treat and prep your lawn, and how Turf Unlimited can help eliminate weeds from your Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire property.
Turf protection from summer weeds begins with knowing what you are dealing with. If you’re unsure as to what type of grass you have, it’s best to give us a call for identification.
There are cool-climate grasses and warm-climate grasses, all growing in the range from 1/4 inch to 3 inches in length. In Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, cool-season grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fine fescue dominate. Understanding your grass type often determines the type of weed that will or will not grow in the shade of the grass leaves.
Weeds can be annuals or perennials—if left alone, they can annoy you once a year or all year round. Crabgrass is a common annual weed that plagues New England lawns. Even when it dies after a growing season and you think you’ve gotten rid of it, it leaves thousands of seeds to grow and haunt you the following year.
Dandelions are an example of a perennial weed, growing from their deep taproots and germinating new seeds to spread even further. Other weeds can be more grass-like, with a broadleaf structure or thicker sedge. Common summer weeds in our region include foxtail, goosegrass, ground ivy, clover, and chickweed.
Removing a small section of grass and taking it down to your nearest garden center, along with any suspicious-looking weeds, blades, or roots is also a safe bet if we’re unable to assist you first. Proper identification is the foundation of effective weed control.
Summer weed protection requires knowing not only what you are dealing with but also when. In other words, what time of year is it—and what stage of growth are the weeds in?
If you’re ahead of the game and there’s still frost on the ground (but you’ve been here before, and you’re thinking ahead to what a summer’s lawn will look like ruined by dandelions and crabgrass), then you’re looking for a preventer. Pre-emergent weed control prevents seeds from germinating by creating a chemical barrier in the soil.
Pre-emergent herbicides should be applied in early spring before soil temperatures reach 55°F—typically late March to early April in Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. This timing is critical because once weed seeds germinate, pre-emergents become ineffective.
Post-emergent weed control is for when you’ve left it a little late, and you need to fight back against weeds that are already growing. These herbicides target actively growing weeds and work best when weeds are young and vigorously growing. Post-emergent treatments can be selective (targeting specific weed types without harming grass) or non-selective (killing everything they touch).
| Treatment Type | Best Timing | Target Weeds | Application Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-Emergent | Early Spring (March-April) | Crabgrass, foxtail, goosegrass | Apply before soil reaches 55°F |
| Post-Emergent | Late Spring-Summer | Dandelions, clover, ground ivy | Target actively growing weeds |
| Fall Pre-Emergent | Late Summer (August-September) | Winter annuals | Prevents fall germination |
Perhaps you’ve mowed your grass too low or in the same direction over and over, which has caused soil compaction. Or maybe your lawn care plan up until now hasn’t utilized enough water, and your lawn is thirsty, allowing foxtail and goosegrass to take over.
Whatever the reason for needing pre-emergent or post-emergent herbicide, rest assured that properly applied products won’t kill your lawn in the process. What you do want to achieve though is thorough penetration so that you’re not wasting the application.
Check your lawn for any clumps of debris that might have accumulated over winter. Thatch is the name given for organic remains that get caught up between the grass blades and their roots. It is in these ‘in-between spaces’ that weeds like to grow. When thatch exceeds half an inch in depth, it prevents water, nutrients, and herbicides from reaching the soil.
Dethatching may make your lawn look a little ugly initially—but give it a month, and it will thank you for it. Use a thatching rake to get it done yourself, or contact Turf Unlimited for professional dethatching services.
Aeration is another process that will breathe new life into your lawn by allowing for better absorption of oxygen, water, and nutrients. This is especially important in New England where heavy clay soils are common and compaction occurs easily.
First, start by looking at your lawn’s roots: if they don’t go deeper than 2 inches into the ground, then you’ll need to water the lawn a day before hiring a core aerator to get the job done properly. Core aeration removes small plugs of soil, creating channels for air, water, and nutrients to penetrate. After aeration, add a thin layer of compost to improve soil quality.
Overseed your lawn in early spring or early fall when temperatures are moderate and rainfall is more consistent. Dense grass is your best defense against weeds—thick turf leaves no room for weed seeds to establish. Then water the seed consistently to help it get established, keeping the top inch of soil moist until germination occurs.
Our comprehensive lawn care programs include overseeding, aeration, and fertilization to create the thick, healthy turf that naturally resists weed invasion.
Mowing your grass right is key to a good lawn care plan. A thick lawn is a healthy lawn. The denser the grass, the more impervious it is to resist weeds. You never want to ‘scalp’ your lawn completely, thinking that by giving it a shorter cut, you’re saving on another mow in a few weeks.
Taller grass actually shades out the weeds, preventing them from germinating. For cool-season grasses common in Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, maintain a height of 2.5 to 3 inches during summer months. This height allows grass to develop deeper root systems, shade the soil surface, and outcompete weeds for resources.
Your grass will grow nice and straight if you keep changing your mowing direction between mows. Alternating patterns prevents soil compaction and ensures even growth. And remember to keep your mower blades nice and sharp—dull blades tear grass rather than cutting cleanly, creating stress and entry points for disease.
Never remove more than one-third of the grass blade in a single mowing. Cutting too much at once stresses the grass, weakens root systems, and creates opportunities for weeds to establish. If your lawn has gotten away from you, gradually reduce height over several mowings rather than scalping it all at once.
Overuse of herbicides and heavy machinery may sound overwhelming if you’re looking for the calm respite that gardening offers when you’re doing it yourself by hand. While professional treatments offer the most effective results, there are natural options for homeowners who prefer a hands-on approach.
Vinegar as a weed killer has been known to offer fair weed protection, but it does require vinegar with a level of 20 percent acetic acid that you’re more likely to find at a home improvement store than your local supermarket. Standard household vinegar (5% acetic acid) is largely ineffective. Be cautious—high-concentration vinegar can damage grass and should only be spot-treated on weeds.
If you’re content pulling weeds out by hand (roots and all, remember), then a garden or stirrup hoe will work well for surface weeds. For deeper-rooted perennials like dandelions, a handheld weeder works better—ask for a Japanese weeder, leverage weeder, or fishtail weeder depending on the types of weed you have.
Hand weeding is most effective when soil is moist, making it easier to extract the entire root system. Weed after rain or watering for best results. Remove weeds before they flower and set seed to prevent future generations.
Consider stone or mulch for areas where you are losing the battle to weeds—perhaps a section of the path or under trees where grass struggles to grow. You can always beautify an area like this further with attractive garden plants, ground covers, or ornamental grasses that thrive in challenging conditions.
Apply pre-emergent herbicide in early spring, typically late March to early April in Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire. The key is timing application before soil temperatures consistently reach 55°F, which triggers crabgrass germination. A second application in late summer (August-September) prevents fall-germinating winter annual weeds. Our pre-emergent weed control services ensure proper timing for maximum effectiveness.
Several factors can reduce herbicide effectiveness. Applying during extreme heat or drought stresses both weeds and grass, reducing absorption. Rain within 24 hours of application can wash away products before they’re absorbed. Mature weeds with established root systems may require multiple applications. Thatch buildup can prevent herbicides from reaching the soil. Professional application accounts for these variables to ensure successful weed control.
It’s never too late to start controlling weeds, though prevention is always easier than elimination. Post-emergent herbicides work on actively growing weeds throughout summer. However, mature weeds are harder to kill and may require multiple treatments. Focus on preventing weeds from going to seed to reduce future problems. Even if you’ve missed the pre-emergent window this year, you can still improve your lawn and plan for better prevention next season.
Water deeply and infrequently rather than shallow and often. Aim for 1-1.5 inches of water per week (including rainfall) applied in one or two sessions. Deep watering encourages grass roots to grow deeper, creating drought-resistant turf that outcompetes weeds. Shallow frequent watering keeps the soil surface moist, which actually encourages weed seed germination. Water early morning to reduce evaporation and disease risk.
No, pre-emergent herbicides prevent all seeds from germinating, including grass seed. If you’re overseeding, skip pre-emergent application in that area or wait 8-12 weeks after seeding before applying. Post-emergent herbicides can also stress newly germinated grass. The best approach is to overseed in early fall, allow grass to establish through winter, then apply pre-emergent in early spring. Our lawn care programs coordinate these treatments for optimal results.
Turf Unlimited wants to help you with your turf protection plan so that you can feast your eyes on the thick and healthy lawn that you deserve. We are the preferred lawn care professionals in the Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire area, and we’ve earned our good reputation by going the extra mile with our customers.
Whether you need professional weed control, a curated lawn maintenance program, care for your trees and shrubs, or even just a consultation to identify the grass and weeds that you’re dealing with, Turf Unlimited has the expertise and local knowledge to help. We understand the unique challenges of New England lawns—from our clay soils and variable weather to the specific weeds that thrive in our region.
Our comprehensive approach combines proper timing, professional-grade products, and proven techniques to create the dense, healthy turf that naturally resists weed invasion. We don’t just treat symptoms—we build long-term lawn health that reduces your reliance on herbicides over time.
Ready to reclaim your lawn from summer weeds? Contact Turf Unlimited today for your free estimate, or call (888) 649-9919 to speak with our lawn care experts. Serving Northern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire with professional weed control and comprehensive lawn care services. We’ve got you covered.
