Three Most Common Summer Weeds in Tennessee

You may not know this — or may not believe it to be true — but if you maintain your lawn year-round, weeds will not plague your turf and landscaping in the summer. This is because weeds are opportunists that find bare, thin or weak spots in your turf and try to take over.

To prevent summer weeds from choking out more desirable plants, you first have to identify them. Here are the three most common summer weeds that you’ll find in Tennessee.

1. Broadleaf

As a Tennessean, you’ve certainly seen Broadleaf weeds in your turf and landscaping. They are perennial weeds that can fester for several years. They reproduce in a variety of ways—by seed, bulbs, runners and underground stems.

For example, Broadleaf Plantain is a perennial weed that has a basal rosette of egg-shaped leaves and a fibrous root system. Outside of the northeast, it’s a widespread troublesome summer plant.

2. Nutsedge

Yellow and Purple Nutsedge are perennial, grassy weeds. In the summer, Nutsedge grows faster than your turf, forming large patches of tall, highly visible eyesores within your grass.

Once Nutsedge takes root in your lawn, it can be hard to eradicate. It reproduces by rhizomes, seed and underground tubers that can grow 8-14 inches deep. These tiny tubers, or nutlets, continue to grow even if you manually pull the weed.

Nutsedge loves water, and is most commonly found in wet, poorly drained sections of your lawn. Because of this, your first line of defense against Nutsedge is to aerate your turf properly to promote drainage and avoid overwatering.

3. Spurge

Spotted Spurge, also known as Prostrate Spurge, is an annual summer weed. It has a central taproot and stems, which form a mat-like plant. When broken, the stems secrete a “milky” sap. You can commonly find Spurge sprouting up between the seams of outdoor walkways or within cracks in concrete sidewalks.

Like most summer annual weeds, Spurge is most effectively controlled by herbicides that you apply in the spring before the weed seedlings have a chance to grow.

Preventing Summer Weeds in Tennessee

Pure Green can help you maintain your lawn year-round, and give you a fighting chance against summer weeds. In June, we apply bio-nutrients to your turf and equip your lawn to deal with summer heat as well as take care of any weeds that we see.

Throughout the summer, Pure Green re-applies bio-nutrients and fertilizer to your lawn. This promotes key nutrients to help your turf deal with and recover from summer stresses. We also engage in targeted weed control, focusing on those pesky grassy weeds like Nutsedge.

To learn more about Pure Green’s lawn care services, click here.