The Best Herbicide to Kill Weeds

Q: What type of herbicide is best to kill the weeds that are sprouting up all over my lawn?

A: Post-emergent herbicides—the type you’ll need now that the weeds have already emerged—are categorized as selective or non-selective. Products such as Roundup are non-selective, meaning they try to kill most all plants, while a selective herbicide is designed to kill specific types of plants, like broadleaf weeds. Non-selective herbicides often kill all vegetation, destroying the nutrients in the soil and preventing any vegetation from surviving—including the grass that the chemical contacts. Certain selective herbicides may control broadleaf weeds in warm season turf grass, control of grassy weeds in Zoysia turf, etc. Products vary, so read the packaging carefully to a select the appropriate post-emergent herbicide for your specific application.