How to Control Tough Creeping Lawn Weeds [The Right Way]

Creeping lawn weeds are invasive plants that spread horizontally across the ground.

Beyond troubling homeowners and landscapers alike, they compete with lawn grass for nutrients, water resources, sunlight, and physical space.

These weeds cannot simply be mowed. Because they often establish deep root systems and germinate rapidly, they require specialized control methods to be eradicated.

If left to proliferate, they can actually damage the long-term health of your lawn by weakening your grass and altering soil conditions in their favor.

Some common creeping lawn weeds include creeping Charlie, clover, and Bermuda grass. Understanding their growth habits and weaknesses is key to keeping your lawn neat. 

How Do Creeping Lawn Weeds Spread?

Creeping lawn weeds have adapted to spread and survive in different ways. They can:

Rapidly germinate and produce thousands of seeds that remain viable in soil for years.

A single mature perennial weed plant can release up to thousands of seeds that remain dormant in the soil for up to a decade.

Hence, many gardeners recommend eradicating weeds before they reach their reproductive phase.

Spread through rhizomes, which are underground stems that can extend several feet horizontally from the parent plant.

They store nutrients and can sprout new plants, even after the original weed appears to be dead. 

Spread through stolons, which are above-ground stems that root wherever they touch the soil.

These are known for colonizing bare spots and creating new infestations even after you’ve cleared an area.

There are two types of creeping lawn and garden weeds: 

Broadleaf weeds, which have wide, flat leaves, such as dandelions and creeping buttercup.

They also have showy flowers and extensive root systems that make them difficult to deal with once established.

Grassy weeds, which resemble grass in structure but remain invasive, such as Bermuda grass and crabgrass.

Because a grassy weed looks like desirable grasses, using selective herbicides becomes a challenge.

The best way to rid your lawn for them is to first understand what you’re dealing with and develop a targeted control strategy. 

What Are Some Common Creeping Lawn Weeds?

1. Creeping Charlie (Ground Ivy)

A low-growing, mat-forming lawn and garden weed with scalloped, round leaves and small purple flowers.

It proliferates in shady, moist areas but can adapt to sunny conditions once established. The dense carpets it forms will choke out other plants.

If you have a small ground ivy infestation, hand-pulling them will do the job.

However, if they go uncontrolled, you’ll need to apply a selective broadleaf herbicide containing triclopyr or dicamba during the fall season (nutrient storage phase).

Or try a DIY borax solution made with borax, hot water, and dish soap.

2. White Clover

Though some homeowners appreciate white clover’s nitrogen-fixing ability and plant it as their grass, others regard it as an invasive plant. 

It’s a small, spreading plant with distinctive three-lobed leaves and white, globe-shaped flowers that attract pollinators.

Commonly found in nitrogen-poor soils, it can thrive in less fertile areas thanks to its ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere via a symbiotic relationship with soil microorganisms.

Due to this trait, the best way to control white clover is to apply a high-nitrogen fertilizer to counteract its competitive advantage.

You can also frequently mow to prevent it from flowering and spreading its seeds.

If fertilizer isn’t an option, broadleaf herbicides containing mecoprop or dicamba can work if applied during the active growth season.

3. Crabgrass

Crabgrass is a summer annual weed with a coarse texture and flat, broad leaves that can thrive in compacted soil and resist drought.

Its creeping stems rapidly spread close to the ground in a crab-like pattern during hot weather, quickly overtaking thin lawns and making yours look uneven and patchy.

It’s only a pesky threat if allowed to germinate and spread its seeds. This process begins when soil temperatures reach around 55°F and remain so for several days.

The best way to control it is to prevent that; apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring, just before its peak growth season. 

If it’s already established, use a post-emergent herbicide containing quinclorac and maintain a healthy lawn to let your desirable grasses crowd it out.

4. Dandelions

Dandelions are perennial weeds with bright yellow flowers and distinctive seed heads that children love to blow. 

The plant produces many seeds and develops deep taproots that can extend several feet into the soil. A few overlooked dandelions can quickly lead to a yard-wide infestation.

You can hand-pull the plant, but you must remove the entire taproot to prevent regrowth.

The wiser solution is to apply a broadleaf herbicide containing 2,4-D or dicamba during its growth season, autumn, when it’s drawing nutrients into the roots.

5. Bermuda Grass

Bermuda grass is a common lawn weed in the U.S. due to its aggressive growth habits.

Though it’s prized as turfgrass in warmer regions, it spells bad news when it begins invading other grass types during warm seasons. 

Bermuda can survive in full sun and poor soil conditions thanks to its deep root system, rhizomes, and stolons.

You can use a selective post-emergent herbicide formulated for grassy weeds to combat it, but you must maintain healthy lawn care habits to completely eradicate it.

How to Prevent Creeping Lawn Weeds?

Here’s what you can do to keep creeping lawn weeds at bay:

1. Maintain a Healthy Lawn 

A thick, healthy lawn denies weeds the nutrients, space, and sunlight they need to establish themselves. 

You’re more likely to experience weed growth if you don’t tend to your desirable grasses and maintain a healthy, nutrient-rich soil. Consider the following tips:

• Keep your lawn well-fertilized according to the varying nutrient requirements of your current grass throughout the growing season. 
• Mow at the recommended height for your grass type, but never remove more than one-third of the grass blade length in a single mowing. Shading the soil makes it difficult for weeds to germinate and grow.
• Water according to your grass’ needs, and especially avoid water-logging your soil. Deep, frequent watering will encourage strong grass roots, while light, shallow watering promotes weak root systems and weed growth.
• Periodically check your soil’s current pH and nutrient levels to ensure it aligns with your lawn’s needs. Most lawn grasses prefer a pH level of 6.0 to 7.0.
• Overseed bare or thin spots to prevent weeds from establishing themselves there. 

2. Aerate Regularly

Creeping weeds thrive in compacted soils where grass struggles to grow. 

Regularly aerating your lawn will relieve that compaction as well as allow nutrients and water to penetrate deeply into the soil and enhance the growth of your desirable plants.

In turn, this will make it harder for creeping weeds to establish themselves.

We recommend core aeration, as it’s easy and effective in improving soil structure and reducing thatch buildup.

3. Apply a Layer of Mulch

Mulching involves covering your soil with organic or inorganic material, including wood chips, pebbles, leaves, landscaping fabric, and similar materials. 

A thick layer of mulching material (2–4 inches deep) will block sunlight from reaching the soil, thereby preventing weed seeds from germinating. It’ll also help maintain soil moisture and moderate its temperature.

Some organic mulches decompose with time, enriching your soil and making it more hospitable for your desirable plants.

Best Methods to Control Creeping Lawn Weeds

You’ll have to take action when prevention fails and weeds take hold. Use multiple approaches to maximize effectiveness.

1. Hand-Pulling and Digging

Small patches of creeping lawn weeds can be removed by hand or with the help of a weeding tool. This works best when the soil is moist but not waterlogged. Make sure you completely remove the root to prevent regrowth.

Plants with deep taproots, such as dandelions, have specialized tools like weed pullers. Once done, overseed any bare spots.

2. Herbicides

There are two types of herbicides: pre-emergent and post-emergent. 

• Pre-emergent herbicides prevent seeds from germinating and are effective for weeds like crabgrass; you have to apply one in early spring before weeds start growing via watering. 
• Post-emergent herbicides target existing weeds and are useful for controlling those that have already sprouted. They can be selective or non-selective.

Broadleaf weeds require selective herbicides that won’t harm your grass, whereas grassy weeds are often controlled once they sprout and need species-specific products.

Due to their chemical nature, it’s best to leave herbicide applications to experts. Excessive use can pose a health risk to you, as well as kill your lawn grass and degrade your soil’s quality.

3. Natural Solutions

You may be able to manage small weed growth using DIY options, such as vinegar and salt spray solutions, boiling water, or corn gluten meal as a natural pre-emergent. 

Some are better than others. For example, agricultural vinegar (20% acetic acid) is much stronger than household vinegar (5% acetic acid). But remember that such solutions are indiscriminate and harm desirable grasses, too.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Below are some mistakes you might unintentionally make while combating weed growth. Pay attention to them.

1. Mowing Too Short

Cutting your lawn too short stresses the grass and gives weeds a chance to invade. The ideal mowing height varies depending on your lawn grass, so familiarize yourself with your growth habits and preferences.

2. Using Non-Selective Herbicides

Non-selective herbicides are indiscriminate; they kill everything they touch, including your grass. To avoid damaging your lawn, use selective ones.

3. Inconsistent Lawn Care 

Proper lawn care habits will minimize weed growth. 

Ensure you’re planting properly, watering sufficiently, fertilizing, and aerating your lawn to maximize your soil’s health and reduce compaction.

4. Inconsistent Control Methods

Weeds are persistent, and your control methods should also be. Never skip treatments or neglect maintenance to prevent them from rebounding and growing more vigorously.

Take Control of Your Lawn Today!

Are tough creeping lawn weeds keeping your lawn unsightly? 

Our team at SunCo Lawns can provide everything, from weed control and prevention services to lawn care tips, to bring the weed-free lawn of your dreams into reality.

Contact us today, and let’s get your lawn looking better than ever!