There are many different types of lawn weeds and each has different strategies for getting rid of it. Generally speaking, when you keep a healthy, thick, lush lawn, there are less opportunities for weeds to get established.
Once weeds are established, the most eco-friendly method is to dig them out by hand. Many great tools exist to help you in that endeavor. Fill the hole with fresh soil and over-seed to cover up the area.
If you have time, another option is to solarize the area. This involves covering the area with black plastic and allowing the sun to heat up and kill anything underneath. This can take several weeks or months but is quite effective.
The next option is to use eco-friendly sprays that will quickly kill invading weeds. For example, Scott's Eco-Sense and Path Clear. Most of these products are vinegar based and many recipes exist for making your own compounds.
The last option is to use chemical herbicides which are effective, but not eco-friendly. Examples include such well known products as Roundup and Killex.
In the past, other products like 'Weed and Feed' were available, but most of these are no longer available for sale in British Columbia.
The best advice we can give is get the weeds early, once they are larger, their root systems are tougher to remove and their seeds can spread rapidly. If you have any other questions about weed removal, call us at 604.882.1201 or visit us in person at Art's Nursery Ltd.