Maintaining a dense, healthy stand of grass is the best way to reduce broadleaf weeds and annual grasses in home lawns. To achieve a healthy lawn, plant the best-adapted turfgrass species and use accepted turf management practices. Even with proper management, however, the best-cared-for lawns can still be invaded by troublesome broadleaf weeds. These may require the careful and selective use of broadleaf weed control herbicides. A totally weed-free lawn is rarely attainable, even with herbicides. It is better to maintain a healthy lawn and tolerate a few weeds rather than to make many applications of herbicides in an attempt to eliminate all weeds. Indiscriminate use of herbicides can cause problems for trees and other landscape plants, is expensive in time and money, and may actually reduce the vigor of the lawn. Crabgrass, foxtail, barnyard grass and goosegrass can be important lawn weed problems at Colorado’s lower elevations (below 6,000 to 6,500 feet). These weeds belong to a group called summer annual grasses. It's important to understand their growth cycle for proper control. Postemergent herbicides can control broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, clover, thistle and bindweed. For more detailed information on lawn weeds, see the following fact sheets: Lawn Care; Grassy Weed Control in Lawns. ***

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