If you have been unlucky enough to find a patch of Buttonweed in your yard there are important steps that you need to take to get rid of it and to stop it from spreading across your entire yard.
Buttonweed is one of those weeds that will spread by seed and by rhizomes or roots but it will also spread by the clippings.
Weeds that spread by clippings are probably the worst to deal with in your yard because the action of cutting your grass can actually be the reason that it spreads faster.
The best thing to do when you have a weed like this is bag your grass when you cut it and for the most part bagging your grass is probably the best thing to do to have a healthy yard no matter what weeds you might see.
To get rid of a weed like this you can’t just pull it because roots will remain in the ground and it will grow again. Using a standard post emergent weed killer is your best method and for smaller spot areas you want to use a liquid that you can spray.
Spraying herbicide is something that requires care. It is important to not treat your lawn when temperatures are over 90F however if you are in a location where summer temperatures can regularly be that warm for weeks at a time the next best solution is to spray a diluted amount and then repeat the application within a few weeks. For instance you might cut the solution by 50% and then reapply in two weeks on just the spots that did not wilt and die.
To control weeds overall on your lawn the best method is to apply a pre-emergent weed preventer early in the spring. Normally you will apply it after the last frost is expected. I have seen some companies in northern states actually apply it and then a small dusting of snow happens but you probably want to wait longer than that. The idea is that you want to have the solid based granular weed treatment down before your grass starts growing and this will prevent new weed seed from growing too. Most weeds cast seeds and die over winter so every spring you will have a new chance to get them before they become a problem.
Final Note
When you find a weed in your yard it is a good idea to bring it to your local nursery supply center. Not every person working there is highly trained in the identification of different weeds but you have a good chance. It would be better than asking at a big box store where most employees won’t have specific training on the products they sell.
Another option is a local USDA Office and they should be able to help you but the availability of these centers is normally limited to rural communities.
Herbicides are safe for you and your family along with your pets when they are used correctly. Normally this means there is a window of time where you don’t want your pets using your yard. It might be a few hours or days but normally it is a very short period.
Always read and follow manufacturer directions and if you don’t understand anything they always have a toll free number you can call for help.