4 Reasons Your Lawn Might Still Have Weeds (Even After Treatment)

Your lawn sets the tone for your home. From memories made in your backyard to the sense of beauty and warmth you feel when you see your manicured front lawn, a good-looking and well-maintained lawn boosts curb appeal and improves your daily experience.

Weeds overtaking lawns is a common problem in the Rochester, NY, area, and it can quickly transform your yard from pristine to painful. Even worse is when weeds keep coming back, seemingly no matter what steps you take to deter them.

If you’re frustrated by the weeds growing in your grass, we understand, and we’re here to help. Read on to reclaim your lawn and learn how to keep weeds from coming back.

Jump To:

Why Do Weeds Keep Coming Back in Your Lawn?
Common Reasons Your Lawn Still Has Weeds After Treatment
The Best Way to Get Rid of Weeds and Prevent Them From Coming Back
DIY Weed Control vs. Professional Lawn Care
Weed Control Frequently Asked Questions
Partner with Trimline to Keep Weeds From Coming Back

Why Do Weeds Keep Coming Back in Your Lawn?

Before you can confront the problem of weeds overtaking your lawn, you have to determine why they keep coming back in the first place. Sometimes, it can feel like they are almost defiant, returning again and again despite your best efforts and the lawn care treatments you use to get rid of them.

Thankfully, the stubborn resilience of weeds is not a mystery. By pinpointing what is causing weeds to grow faster than grass, you can develop an effective strategy for combating them and maintaining the lawn of your dreams. This is especially true when you work with an experienced professional who has the know-how to strike at the root of your weed problem.

Common Reasons Your Lawn Still Has Weeds After Treatment

If you’ve noticed weeds popping up in your lawn despite treatment, there are a handful of common culprits to blame. While it’s always best to enlist the help of an expert when identifying the reasons behind resurgent weeds, looking for these common causes is a good place to start.

01 | Pre-Emergent vs. Post-Emergent Weed Control

The first reason weeds keep coming back is that pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control are often used incorrectly. Usually, this is no fault of the homeowner, as most store-bought products only kill weeds that are already visible. If you buy weed control products from the store, you are almost certainly purchasing post-emergent treatments.

Unfortunately, these products do nothing to prevent new weeds from growing. Seeds are left unaffected, allowing them to germinate later. To stop these seeds from sprouting, you need pre-emergent treatment, typically included in any professional care program.

02 | Timing Weed Treatments Correctly

While selecting the correct weed control product type is the most important factor in how to keep weeds from coming back, the timing of the treatments is a close second. Pre-emergent products are only effective if they are applied before the soil hits the right temperature for the weed seeds to germinate. Miss the window and your pre-emergent treatment will be useless.

03 | Weed Control Product Selection

Finally, choosing the wrong product within each category (pre- and post-emergent) can derail your weed control efforts. Different herbicides target different weeds. Use the wrong weed control product, and the weeds overtaking your lawn will continue to flourish unaffected.

Many homeowners grab weed treatments off the shelf at their local store. While you may get lucky, there’s a strong possibility that the product you selected will not specifically target the weeds in your lawn - or it only targets specific weeds like crabgrass but does nothing to something like dandelions.

04 | Many Weeds Grow Faster Than Grass

If you notice weeds outpacing your grass, there could be underlying factors at play. At the core of the issue is a simple fact: your grass and the invading weeds are competing for the same resources and space. The winner of that competition grows faster and stronger.

Thinned turf is an open door for weeds. The weaker your lawn, the more likely weeds are to rapidly take over. If you can identify why your turf is struggling, you can correct the underlying problems and give your grass a fighting chance. Among the most common reasons for weakened turf are:

• Compacted soil, which is very common in Monroe County’s clay-heavy earth

• Drought stress caused by dry conditions and poor irrigation

• Unchecked disease

• Mowing too short, which weakens grass root systems, reduces photosynthesis, and grants weed seeds access to sunlight

• Overwatering

• Poor soil pH

The Best Way to Get Rid of Weeds and Prevent Them From Coming Back

With the understanding that every situation is unique, we have some universal tips that you can rank among the best ways to get rid of weeds in your lawn. If you put in practice all three of the following suggestions, you can feel confident in your strategy to keep weeds from coming back.

Use Multiple Weed Control Products

There is no magic weed control product that targets and eliminates every weed. Some products are effective against established weeds, others are pre-emergent, and still others are designed to kill specific types of weeds.

In other words, you will need to use multiple products to create a comprehensive weed control strategy. By applying pre-emergent, post-emergent, and weed-specific products, you can set your lawn up for success. Just make sure that the products you are using target the weeds that are present on your property.

Apply Regular Weed Treatments

In an ideal world, weed treatments would be one-and-done. Unfortunately, weeds are resilient pests, and the only way to maintain a lawn that is free of them is to apply treatments on a regular basis.

From dormant seeds in your soil to new weeds blown in from neighboring properties, there will always be weeds to fight. By committing to a regular schedule of weed control treatments, you can limit their presence and reduce the possibility of new weeds taking root, but you cannot eliminate them entirely.

Consistently Care for Your Lawn

Make no mistake: weed control treatments are important, but consistent lawn care is arguably even more impactful. Remember, weeds take hold where your turf is weak. A maintained landscape is a healthy landscape, and that is a weed’s worst nightmare.

Professional lawn care in Rochester, NY, Monroe County, and the surrounding communities can keep your lawn strong and resistant to weeds by producing healthy plants that consume the resources weeds require to take root.

DIY Weed Control vs. Professional Lawn Care

Many homeowners have experienced the frustration of battling weeds, only to watch them come right back. If you are tired of a weed-infested yard, it might be time to call a professional.

While lawn care and weed control professionals do not have some sort of magic elixir that permanently stops weeds from overtaking lawns, there are several legitimate reasons why working with a professional is the best way to get rid of weeds in your lawn.

First, professionals are trained to identify exactly what kind of weed is plaguing your yard and target it with the right products. That includes effectively attacking pesky varieties like crabgrass and nutsedge.

Professionals will also design a strategic weed control program for your Western New York property that accounts for factors like local growing conditions, seasonal changes, soil temperature, and more. These considerations provide the foundation for well-timed weed treatments.

There’s also the matter of the weed treatment products themselves. Lawn care professionals have access to more potent chemicals and formulations that work faster and more effectively than store-bought options.

Finally, there is the matter of consistency. It takes time for weed control measures to become maximally effective, and a professional can establish a consistent, intentional schedule that is proactive and systematic (prevention, suppression, and treatment) rather than reactive, taking one more task off your to-do list.

Weed Control FAQs

Does weed control work instantly?

While certain weed treatments may quickly kill or remove existing plants, long-lasting weed control takes time. In fact, it can take multiple treatments and several months (if not years) for a dramatic difference to take effect.

How often do I need to treat my lawn for weeds?

The answer to this question hinges on the unique demands of your lawn and seasonal factors.

Starting in April, your weed control treatments should take place every four to six weeks until cooler weather arrives in the fall.

How long does it take to see results from a lawn care program?

Some results are apparent within a few weeks, for example less-resilient weeds dying off after treatment. However, a fundamental change may take months or even years to fully take place, as some lawns are so far gone that they require significant rejuvenation efforts.

How does Trimline’s weed control program differ from store-bought products?

Trimline uses top-of-the-line pre-emergent and post-emergent products that target specific weeds, allowing us to treat your property and its unique challenges. Thanks to our experience in the Rochester area, we can formulate a treatment plan that suits the climate and your lawn, including a consistent schedule of weed control treatments and lawn care services.

Partner With Trimline to Keep Weeds From Coming Back

For stubborn weed infestations and lawns that are too weak to deter invading plants, the best solution is to work with a professional. We recommend partnering with a lawn care company that has local knowledge and specialized weed control programs.

At Trimline, we have been providing lawn care in Rochester, NY, Monroe County, and surrounding communities for over 25 years. It’s safe to say that we’ve learned a thing or two about eradicating weeds in that time, so if you’re up against weeds that simply won’t go away, fill out our free quote form today.