Weeds of the Northeast United States

Growing up, our entire backyard was planted in vegetables. For me and my siblings, that meant learning to identify and pull weeds at an early age. Mom never learned and was never allowed in the garden or around a lawn mower.

Now, it may be true that one man's weed is another man's salad. Many wild plants do have uses and can be eaten. We were taught that they do not belong in the garden. Thus the need for weed control.

The number one weed that everyone hunts in the Northeast is the dandelion. The distinctive yellow flowers, long and narrow leaves, and the seeds that form in a lacy white cluster just before the slightest breeze spreads them all over the yard describe this weed.

You can pull a dandelion. With a strong enough grip you may even pull some root. The trouble with the dandelion is that if a part of the root remains, the plant will grow back. The plant ensures its survival by growing a root that goes straight down and could be as much as ten inches long.

The solution to those yellow flowers in the lawn or the garden is chemistry, an herbicide of one sort or another. A natural herbicide that some claim is effective is vinegar. Use it in a spray bottle and soak each plant well. Be sure to select a strong or heavily acetic vinegar. Other options are a selective herbicide or a non-selective herbicide, types of weed killer.

Another weed of the Northeast is crabgrass. It grows close to the ground and is an unattractive member of the grass family, with long, thin green leaves. If left unchecked, it grows into clumps that are distinct from the other grasses around it. Unlike most annuals, crabgrass grows all season long and produces seeds all season long. Products designed to kill crabgrass will not kill all the other grass but they will kill some of the grass, creating bare spots in a lawn.

Goldenrod is one of the most easily identifiable common weeds when it is in bloom. Its long stems covered with tiny yellow flowers are a fixture in every vacant lot and open field in the late summer and early fall. They spread via root as well as seed. A selective herbicide may kill this weed but always read the label first.

The nightmare for a Northeast lawn is quackgrass. Another ugly grass, it spreads rapidly via rhizomes, long and strong horizontal stems. Pulling quackgrass is like following a trail. Each tug brings up another plant and a few more inches of rhizome. I have pulled quackgrass in series that extended for nearly three feet. The plant goes to seed as well as extends the rhizomes so it can spread over a wide area. The rhizome can root and create a new plant by itself if not removed. Products designed to kill crabgrass will usually kill quackgrass.

All of these weeds can be treated with vinegar but most will survive household strength solutions. A stronger vinegar or one that has been boiled down to increase the acetic acid concentration will work better.

Scotts and other companies sell lawn treatment products that combine fertilizer and herbicide products designed to kill certain lawn weeds. Follow the label directions and for best results apply these products at the times of the year recommended by the manufacturer.

A stronger option in a lawn is a selective herbicide such as Weed B Gone. This product advertises that it kills over 200 different weeds. It will kill the some of the vegetables in the garden so it is not for use there.

If all else fails, there is the nuclear option, a non-selective herbicide that kills every plant it touches. Roundup is one such product.

Weed killers are a poison. Each type and brand has specific instructions for application, the weeds that it will affect and what to do if you are exposed to the product.

The University of Illinois has a weed identification service on-line at this website. The Scotts Company has a great site where you can learn about lawn and garden problems and the product solutions that they offer.