The Lawn - Ask Extension
Hello. I have 5 different gardens around my home. The hard part is battling lily leaf beetles and Canada thistle. Then I look at my front lawn and cry...
Knowledgebase
The Lawn #933967
Asked June 02, 2026, 8:17 PM EDT
Hello. I have 5 different gardens around my home. The hard part is battling lily leaf beetles and Canada thistle. Then I look at my front lawn and cry. The lawn is full of every kind of weed and they get into my garden. I used to hand pull but it's a losing battle. I grow clover in the back yard - still have weeds but just mow them. I cant get clover to grow well in the front. Especially where the Bermuda grass is. And then there is the "hell strip" where only weeds grow. I want to be a good neighbor and keep my house is good condition. I don't use chemicals. I can't make any more garden space, I already have enough to take care of. I'm a first time home owner at 70 yrs old. What do people do?
Ramsey County Minnesota
Expert Response
Thank you for writing.
I tend to think of lawn weeds as a symptom of the state of the turf and its care rather than as the problem. If you fix the turf, you can create a turf that is more resistant to weeds. Herbicides are tough on grass.
So I have many questions:
How long have you had this lawn?
What height do you mow at? Higher mower heights lead to deeper grass roots and a thicker turf that is more resistant to weeds.
Do you bag your clipplings or let them lie?
How often do you fertilize and what do you use?
How often do you water?
Have you ever had a soil test (see my signature line)? I would like to see a picture of the results.
Have you ever overseeded and if so, with what kind of grass?
Please send me a good big picture photo and a couple close ups.
I tend to think of lawn weeds as a symptom of the state of the turf and its care rather than as the problem. If you fix the turf, you can create a turf that is more resistant to weeds. Herbicides are tough on grass.
So I have many questions:
How long have you had this lawn?
What height do you mow at? Higher mower heights lead to deeper grass roots and a thicker turf that is more resistant to weeds.
Do you bag your clipplings or let them lie?
How often do you fertilize and what do you use?
How often do you water?
Have you ever had a soil test (see my signature line)? I would like to see a picture of the results.
Have you ever overseeded and if so, with what kind of grass?
Please send me a good big picture photo and a couple close ups.
