You don’t have to live in the woods to encounter a woody weed in your yard. These hardy plants come back year after year and are as tough as the woody stems that set them apart from other lawn weeds. There is a way to stop them, but it takes consistency especially if you don’t want them coming back.

What is a Woody Weed

Vines, thorny branches, thick stems — if there’s a weed in your yard that looks like it belongs in a wooded area, it’s more likely a woody weed. Even if you don’t live near a wooded area, the seeds from these weeds show up in your yard if transported by wind, rain, mulch, and birds. Some examples include honeysuckle, poison ivy, clematis vine, wisteria, and English ivy. Like most weeds, left alone these plants quickly overtake a lawn or garden.

Weed Control

The easiest way to help prevent any weeds from taking over is regular lawn maintenance. Keep the weeds from getting established by taking action as soon as you see one pop up. Here are a few suggestions:

• Use mulch, landscape cloth, or other physical barriers throughout your garden to prevent weed seeds from germinating.
• Dig up any invasive plant roots and discard it. Pulling it by hand can stimulate the plant to grow more and can also be dangerous if it’s poisonous or thorny. You have to get the whole root to ensure it won’t return. If the plants are too big to dig out, cut the stem close to the ground, and apply an herbicide directly on what remains and cover with dirt.
• Leaves and larger woody weeded areas can also use an application of herbicide. Just be careful not to treat any plants you want to keep.
• Time the application of herbicides when the plant is more susceptible — usually when it flowers. This varies depending on the plant.

Any time you use a chemical treatment, it’s best to follow the directions closely for a more safe and effective process.

Professional Plant Care

If you’re unsure of the type of weed you’re dealing with and need help ridding your lawn and garden of pesky plants and pests, contact Cardinal Lawns for more information.