Best Weed Killer Reviews
Weeds growing in your lawn can be more than just unsightly. In fact, they can rob your grass of vital nutrients, alter the health of your turf and even leave your lawn more prone to pest problems.
Just like a lot of plants you can break them down into two categories. Annual weeds which need to grow to maturity to spread the next generation via seed, and perennial weeds, which often produce fewer seeds, but recur year-after-year. Perennial weeds tend to grow larger and spread incredibly deep roots, which makes them hard to kill. Even if you mow it down to nearly ground level, or manually pluck the top, an established perennial weed can regrow quickly from its robust root base.
The Difference Between Weed Preventer And Weed Killer
There is a distinct difference between weed preventers and weed killers. The chemical composition of the active ingredients can vary, for maximum effectiveness.
As the name implies a “Weed Preventer” stops new weeds from growing. They generally come in some type of granule form and need to be applied over a large area by a broadcast spreader. Though there are a few weed preventers that come as a liquid concentrate that can be diluted and sprayed. With weed preventers, the effective duration and the amount of time the chemical presence remains in the lawn are often important factors.
With a weed killer, the chemistry is formulated to kill actively growing weeds. It usually comes as some type of concentrated liquid that you dilute and sprays directly on a weed or a patch of weeds. Some are formulated to kill weeds very quickly, then solubilize into the soil where they lose potency in 24 to 48 hours.
Unfortunately, a lot of weed killers are so potent that they can also kill grass. Careful application directly on the offending weed is key. If you have a variety of weeds that are interspersed in an area with grass, you might want to prioritize a weed killer that works quickly, and then breaks down quickly. That way if you accidentally overspray and kill some grass, you won’t have to wait weeks to replace it.
Can You Use Weed Killer And Weed Preventer Together?
The answer to this question can depend on the formulation of the weed killer and preventer you are thinking of using, as well as your plans for planting new grass in that area. If you want to clear an area of weeds to say develop a new flower bed, you could spray it with a fast-acting weed killer. Once it’s done the trick, you then wait for it to break down and become ineffective in the underlying soil. At that point, you can plant the area as you see fit and apply a weed preventer. This type of strategy helps new plants get established without having to compete with weeds for moisture and soil nutrients.
One strategy to consider is to spot treat perennial weeds in your lawn or landscaping in the fall. Then in the spring, you can apply some type of weed preventer to keep new weeds from establishing themselves in your turf. This is especially helpful if you have a lawn with a vigorous spreading grass such as Creeping Red Fescue.
Best Weed Killers For Lawns And Landscaping Features
Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus
Roundup Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate Plus
Roundup is one of the most well-known herbicide brands. It owes much of its reputation for effectiveness to glyphosate. This is a potent herbicide that kills weeds as well as grass. It comes as a liquid concentrate that you dilute according to the direction. You can then pour it into a typical garden sprayer to make spot applications.
Glyphosate works by inhibiting key enzymes that plants use to absorb nutrients. Even in its diluted form, this roundup weed killer can eliminate weeds by simply spraying on the leaves or other foliage. The glyphosate will then be absorbed by the plant often killing even established perennial weeds in as little as 24 to 48 hours.
Afterward, it will break down and you will be able to replant grass or other plants in that area within a day or two. Its fast rate of solubility means that very little of the glyphosate remains in the soil.
Speed Zone Lawn Weed Killer
PBI/Gordon 652400 Speed Zone Lawn Weed Killer, 20-Ounce - Brown/A
& Free shippingSpeed Zone uses carfentrazone-ethyl instead of glyphosate for more targeted weed killing, with minimal impact on the cool weather grasses and turfgrass. It works best for eliminating dandelions, clover, and creeping Charlie. It’s also proven to be effective against plantain, spurge, and ground ivy.
It typically kills weeds within one to two days. At that point, it starts to break down, to the point that you can reseed or replant in the treatment area within two weeks.
Ortho Weed-B-Gone
Ortho Weed B Gon Plus Crabgrass Control Ready-To-Use2 Wand (Bonus Size), 1.1...
Ortho Weed-B-Gone comes in concentrate as well as a ready-to-use diluted form. The handy thing about choosing the ready-to-use option is that you don’t have to worry about altering the characteristics of your garden sprayer or doing any sort of math to make sure you’ve properly mixed the concentrate with the correct amount of water.
Ortho Weed-B-Gone is formulated to kill over 250 common lawn weeds including clover, dandelions, plantains, creeping Charlie, wild violet, thistles, yellow oxalis, pennywort and wild garlic on cool and warm-season turfgrasses. The weeds generally die in 24 to 48 hours and 24 to 48 hours after that the soil will be viable for replanting.
Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer2
Spectracide is another weed killer that is also equally effective on grass. It’s designed more for killing unwanted vegetation along sidewalks, in driveway cracks, and around hardscape features. Though you can also use it on artificial mulch around established trees without harming the tree itself.
This is another fast-acting herbicide. You can often see visible results in as little as 3 to 5 hours. It then breaks down and you can replant again in the treatment area 48 to 72 hours later.
The Best Weed Preventers For Lawns And Landscaping
Weed preventers aren’t specifically formulated to kill established weeds. Most won’t even hard grass, which makes them a good option for spring application on a lawn that doesn’t have perennial weeds.
Preen 2464083 Garden Weed Preventer, 31.3-pound bag
Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate, 64 fl oz
Preen is a granulated weed preventing agent. Its chemical formulation will not kill active weeds. It is designed to inhibit the germination process in many common weeds that you find in lawns, gardens, and softscape planting beds.
You typically need to apply Preen with a broadcast spreader or hand spreader to ensure effective coverage. Trace amounts of Preen granules then persist in the soil for up to three months without needing reapplication.
Scotts Halts Crabgrass Preventer + Wizz Hand-Held Spreader
Scotts Halts Crabgrass Preventer + Wizz Hand-Held Spreader
Scotts is one of the leading companies in lawn care products, fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides. Their 49900 Crabgrass & Weed Preventer comes in a granular form. With a broadcast spreader for even coverage, it can treat up to 5,000 square feet.
It’s designed to inhibit germination. In areas of the country where winters are mild, Scotts Crabgrass & Weed Preventer can be applied in the fall to prevent winter seeding. It’s potent enough to remain effective for up to 6-months. This package includes a convenient hand spreader
