Sustainable Lawn–Weeds, Good, In Between & Bad
Part and parcel of sustainable lawns include tolerance of some level of weeds. Some weeds provide secondary benefits (nitrogen, attracts beneficial insects & animals). Some weeds are opportunistic, they colonize stressed areas only so good soil & lawn care puts grass at advantage, others are competitive, they will compete directly with a well managed lawn.
Thoughts and comments on controls, and opinion on good vs. bad?
It appears that non-natives more troublesome than natives.
Bad:
Creeping Charlie, Glechoma hederacea. Difficult to control perennial weed European native. Competitive.
Buttercup, Ranunculus repens L. Competitive, deplete the land of potassium, may have negative impact on surrounding plants. European native.
Digitaria ischaemum and D. sanguinalis. Colonizes dry stressed areas. European native.
In Between Weeds
Dandelion, Taraxacum. Colonizes stressed areas. Not as competitive as types noted under “Bad Weed”.
Plantain, Plantago lanceolata; Plantago major), colonizes stressed areas, an occasional late season growth in well managed lawn.
Good Weeds
Wild Strawberry, Fragaria vesca. Colonizes wet/dry shade areas under trees. Attracts birds.
Wild violet, Viola rostrata. Colonizes thought out lawn, competitive in stressed areas only. Blooms in April. American native.