Question
CJ, I live near Dallas, TX and had my yard under control last year but this year there seems to be weeds everywhere.  I am sure they blew in from neighboring yards and I was hoping for your help. I have Bermuda grass and this past fall even planted winter rye.  OH GOD do I hope it was annual as it is a pain when mowing.  Still, there are weeds everywhere.  I have minimal crab grass so far but tons of clover, the weed with purple flowers, some vine looking thing and even a few dandelions.  What is a good strong weed killer for all this?  If I need to put multiple things down I can, just want a nice looking yard.  Can I still put pre-emergent and will that help all this or just crab grass?  When I overseed, do I need to do some aeration first?  Is there some items I can rent to do this?  Thanks a million for your help.

Answer
Hi AJ,

There are several products available for selective weed control. Ortho's "Weed-B-Gone" is just one example. If you go to your local garden center, they can show you the formulations and options so you can pick whatever you are most comfortable with.

The pre-emergent herbicides will only prevent new weeds (like crabgrass) from growing, but won't kill any existing weeds.

You'll generally need a sprayer or spreader of some sort, but I don't know that you'd be able to rent them, as you can usually purchase them for a reasonable price, and have it on hand for all future applications.

I would only recommend aerating when you do the winter seeding. If you go over the lawn several times, once a year should be sufficient. You definitely don't need to aerate before applying a weed control.

Good luck!

-C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com