The common dandelion (Taraxacum officinalis) is very pretty, and it has a number of uses in both cookery and herbal medicine. But if you want an immaculate, weed-free lawn, dandelions can also cause a lot of frustration - this plant is very unfussy about where it grows, and the long tap root makes it difficult to get rid of.
If you're looking for dandelion removal tips, see our blog on How to Rid Your Lawn of Dandelions. In today's post, we're going to focus on when dandelions tend to appear - hopefully, this knowledge will help you to be prepared for the next wave of dandelion growth in your garden! More...
If you want to keep your lawn in immaculate condition all year round, you'll need to keep an eye out for weeds. As we've discussed previously on this blog, the definition of 'weeds' is somewhat subjective, but essentially, any plant that's growing where it isn't supposed to may be considered a weed.
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As we've discussed previously (see What Makes a Plant a Weed?), there's no hard and fast rule to say which plants are weeds and which aren't. The word 'weed' can refer to any plant that's growing in a place where it isn't wanted.
Of course, some plants make weeds of themselves more often than others - see our list of common UK garden weeds for some of the most widespread examples.
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Photo by wht_wolf9653 (Flickr)
Lawn weeds are a year-round nuisance, but they can be particularly pesky in the summertime. Long, warm days create ideal growing conditions for many varieties of weed, and periods of drought can limit your lawn's ability to compete with other plants.
We’ve compiled a list of some of the more common UK lawn weeds that tend to flower in the summertime. We’ve also included pictures along with descriptions to help you better identify the weeds invading your lawn.
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What is a weed? Put simply, it's a plant that's not wanted. There's no formal definition of what counts as a weed - it's not like the RHS website has a handy list of which plants are weeds and which plants aren't. Some plants that are considered weeds in one environment may be considered desirable elsewhere.
Common characteristics of weeds include:
- Aggressive growth and reproduction
- Growing in a place other than its natural habitat
- Ability to flourish despite inhospitable conditions
- Seeds that can lay dormant in the soil for a long time
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