Our Spring Lawn Treatment kills broadleaf weeds including dandelions, clover, daisies, and plantain while feeding your grass. One treatment tackles multiple problems.
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Knowing what’s invading your lawn is the first step to controlling it. Different weeds require different approaches, and accurate identification helps you choose the right treatment. Here’s your guide to the most common lawn weeds in UK gardens.
Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The most recognisable lawn weed, with its bright yellow flowers and fluffy seedheads that children love to blow.
Dandelions have deeply lobed leaves forming a rosette, and a thick taproot that can extend 30cm into the soil. This taproot makes them difficult to remove by hand as any fragment left behind will regrow.
Yellow flowers appear from spring through autumn, quickly developing into the familiar “clock” seedheads. Each plant produces hundreds of wind-dispersed seeds annually.
Control requires either complete root removal with a daisy grubber or selective herbicide treatment. See our detailed guide to getting rid of dandelions.
White Clover (Trifolium repens)
Clover has distinctive three-lobed leaves, each leaflet marked with a pale chevron pattern. White, ball-shaped flowers appear from late spring through summer, attracting bees and other pollinators.
This creeping perennial spreads via runners (stolons) that root at nodes, allowing it to colonise large areas quickly. It’s particularly common in lawns lacking nitrogen, as clover fixes its own nitrogen from the air.
Some gardeners tolerate or even encourage clover for its drought resistance, bee-friendliness, and nitrogen-fixing ability. However, it creates an uneven appearance and can dominate weak grass.
Regular feeding often reduces clover naturally by helping grass outcompete it. Selective herbicides containing fluroxypyr are most effective for stubborn infestations.
Common Daisy (Bellis perennis)
The childhood favourite with white petals and yellow centres. Daisies form low rosettes of spoon-shaped leaves that hug the ground, escaping mower blades.
Flowers appear almost year-round, closing at night and in dull weather. The low growth habit means daisies survive regular mowing easily.
A few daisies add charm to a lawn and many gardeners leave them be. For removal, a daisy grubber extracts small numbers effectively. Widespread infestations respond to selective herbicides.
Daisies often indicate compacted soil. Aerating helps grass compete and reduces daisy populations naturally.
Plantain (Plantago species)
Two types commonly invade lawns: greater plantain with broad oval leaves, and ribwort plantain with narrow lance-shaped leaves. Both have distinctive parallel veins running from base to tip.
Plantains form flat rosettes that survive mowing and tolerate heavy foot traffic. They thrive in compacted soil where grass struggles, often appearing along paths and in high-traffic areas.
Tall flower spikes produce thousands of seeds, ensuring plantain spreads readily once established.
Hand removal with a daisy grubber works for small numbers. See our complete guide to removing plantain for larger infestations.
Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
Glossy yellow flowers and deeply divided three-lobed leaves identify this persistent weed. It spreads via creeping stems (stolons) that root at intervals, quickly colonising large areas.
Buttercup thrives in damp, heavy soil and often indicates drainage problems. It’s particularly common in shaded or waterlogged areas where grass grows weakly.
The creeping habit makes hand removal difficult as any rooted node left behind will regenerate. Selective herbicides are more effective for established infestations.
Improving drainage reduces buttercup pressure. See our guide to fixing waterlogged lawns if buttercup is widespread.
Speedwell (Veronica species)
Several speedwell species invade lawns, all producing small blue or purple flowers in spring and early summer. Germander speedwell and slender speedwell are most common.
These low-growing, creeping plants form dense mats that smother grass. Small, rounded or oval leaves grow in pairs along trailing stems that root where they touch soil.
Speedwell is notoriously difficult to control. Standard lawn herbicides have limited effectiveness, and hand removal is impractical due to the creeping growth.
Improving lawn health helps grass outcompete speedwell. Maintain correct mowing height, feed regularly, and address any underlying soil issues.
Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris)
Purple-blue flower spikes appear in summer on this low-growing perennial. Square stems and opposite pairs of oval leaves help identify it.
Self-heal spreads by creeping stems and seed, forming patches that crowd out grass. It tolerates close mowing and often appears in lawns cut too short.
Raising mowing height helps grass compete. Selective herbicides provide control for persistent infestations.
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
Feathery, finely divided leaves give yarrow a distinctive ferny appearance. Flat-topped clusters of white or pink flowers appear in summer.
This tough perennial tolerates drought, close mowing, and poor soil. It often appears where grass is stressed and spreads via underground runners (rhizomes) and seed.
Yarrow is actually beneficial in some ways: it stays green during drought when grass browns, and the flowers attract beneficial insects. Some gardeners tolerate it in utility areas.
For removal, selective herbicides work, though repeated treatments may be needed. Improving soil conditions helps grass compete.
Lesser Trefoil / Yellow Suckling Clover (Trifolium dubium)
Similar to white clover but with tiny yellow flowers and smaller leaves. Each leaf has three leaflets with the central one on a short stalk.
This annual or short-lived perennial appears in spring and summer, producing masses of seed before dying back. It returns from the seed bank each year.
Lesser trefoil indicates low nitrogen levels. Regular feeding helps grass dominate and reduces trefoil populations over time.
Moss
While not technically a weed, moss is the most common lawn invader in the UK. It appears as dense, spongy green or yellow-green patches.
Moss thrives where grass struggles: in shade, compacted soil, poorly drained areas, acidic soil, and underfed lawns. Its presence indicates underlying problems rather than being the problem itself.
Moss can be killed with ferrous sulphate or lawn sand, but it returns unless you address the conditions favouring it. See our comprehensive guide to removing moss.
Controlling Lawn Weeds
Most broadleaf lawn weeds respond to the same selective herbicides, making treatment straightforward once you’ve identified the problem.
Selective herbicides containing 2,4-D, MCPA, mecoprop, dicamba, or fluroxypyr kill broadleaf weeds while leaving grass unharmed. Many products combine several active ingredients for broad-spectrum control.
Apply when weeds are actively growing, typically April to September. Avoid treating during drought, frost, or when rain is expected within 6 hours.
Hand removal works for isolated weeds. A daisy grubber or similar tool extracts rosette weeds like dandelions and plantain effectively.
Prevention is always easier than cure. A thick, healthy lawn leaves little room for weeds to establish. Follow our feeding schedule to maintain competitive grass.
When Weeds Indicate Problems
Weeds often signal underlying issues that need addressing:
Clover and trefoil suggest low nitrogen, so increase feeding.
Plantain and compaction-tolerant weeds indicate you need to aerate.
Buttercup and moss suggest poor drainage or excess shade.
Speedwell and self-heal may indicate mowing too short.
Addressing these underlying problems makes long-term weed control much easier. For more weed control tips and lawn care advice, browse our complete lawn care resource centre.
Our Spring Lawn Treatment contains selective herbicide that kills dandelions, clover, daisies, plantain, and other broadleaf weeds while feeding your lawn. Tackle your weed problems and strengthen your grass in one application.
