Grow a Healthy Lawn by Using Weeds as Lawn Problem Indicators - WQOW TV: Eau Claire, WI NEWS18 News, Weather, and Sports

Weeds in the lawn aren't just a nuisance – they're a clue to the long-term solution for growing a beautiful and healthy lawn.

Clover for example was once included in grass seed mixes as a nurse crop. It captures nitrogen from the atmosphere to help feed the lawn. Now many consider it a weed. Proper fertilization is the first step to controlling this weed.

Knotweed is often found along walks and curbs. This weed tolerates compacted salty soils.  Improve the drainage and avoid using deicing salts or leach them from the soil in spring. 

Shade and compacted poorly drained soils are perfect growing conditions for moss – not grass. Incorporate organic matter into the soil or aerate the lawn to improve the drainage. Or better yet – mulch areas under trees or add a few steppers and call it a moss garden.