Host an Event Volunteer Join Tickets

Support the plant database you love!

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
1 rating

Thursday - February 19, 2009

From: Flower Mound, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Invasive Plants
Title: Winter weeds in Flower Mound TX
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

My lawn is being overrun by winter weeds. How can I get rid of them? Should I wait until March when I put down weed and feed fertilizer?

ANSWER:

The key word here is "winter."  We're assuming that what you have are winter annuals that should be dying a natural death soon. However, and this is a big "however," they will take steps to perpetuate themselves before they go. All plants exist to reproduce, and the blooms and seeds near the end of their life cycle are the keys to that reproduction. You should get those weeds out before they have a chance to seed. Mowing them very low is one way, pulling them out is another. "Weed and feed" fertilizers are targeted toward one kind of weed, the broad-leaf or dicot. The problem there is that many of the plants you are referring to as weeds are also grasses, or monocots, just as your lawn grass is. You will just be feeding those grasses/weeds that you don't want. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center recommends neither for nor against herbicides, but we urge that if they are used, it be done so responsibly. Overuse can result in runoff into the water supply when it rains or with irrigation of the lawn. It's also important to remember that most of your ornamental plants, including trees, are dicots and can be adversely affected by coming into contact with the herbicide in your fertilizer.

So, we recommend that you take steps to prevent your weeds from reproducing. And, when Spring comes and the lawn greens up, along with the grassy weeds (which are probably natives and actually belong here), just mow it, it's green. 

 

More Invasive Plants Questions

How to combat weeds growing in mulch
September 12, 2008 - Trying to decide on either ground cover plants, or some type of gravel. We have a new house where the builder has planted small shrubs in the full sun flower bed next to house. The bed has mulch at th...
view the full question and answer

Comments on previous answer on non-native invasives from Raleigh NC
March 27, 2014 - https://www.wildflower.org/expert/show.php?id=7827 This answer is incorrect. Please have someone review it to remove the two invasive species you are encouraging people to plant by calling them nati...
view the full question and answer

Invasiveness of wild petunia in Austin
June 15, 2008 - Is the wild petunia in the data base as invasive/aggressive as the more common ruellia? In other words, will it pop up everywhere? Ruellia nudiflora (Engelm. & Gray) Urban Common wild petunia, Vi...
view the full question and answer

What to do about bastard cabbage in the Austin area?
May 08, 2015 - I am noticing bastard cabbage taking over roadsides and medians at an alarming rate where a mixture of native flowers used to bloom. Is it allowable to organize efforts to pull the invasive plants ou...
view the full question and answer

Percentage of plants native to U.S.
June 22, 2007 - About 50% of the plant species in Hawaii are naturalized, invasive, aliens (from other places). What are equivalent statistics for the lower 48 states (continental US) as a whole?
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.