Best Weedkiller For Lawns: All-In-One Guide

Featured, Gardening

The Best Weed Killers for Your Lawn

Do you know how to select the best weed killer for your lawn? Then, please continue reading to learn how weed killers work, use them, and our recommendations for the best weed killers.

Hand pulling weeds in your lawn isn’t going to cut it if they’re out of control. Sure, you can pull out a few by the root, but doing so for your entire yard may be difficult and time-consuming. That’s where weed killers come in, which are frequently the most effective method of lawn weed control.

What to Look for in a Weed Killer

Plant Type

Not all weed killers are equally effective against all plant species. If you need to kill weeds in your lawn, look for a selective formula that won’t kill the grass along with the weeds, and if you use weed killer in your vegetable garden, make sure it’s safe to use around edible plants. If you want to get rid of all vegetation, a non-selective formula is the best option.

Longevity

Do you want your weed killer to be effective only once, or do you want something that will keep vegetation from growing back for several months? Sift through the information to ensure you know what kind of formula you’re getting, especially if you’re using a non-selective formula and plan to introduce new plants later.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall:

Weed Stop For Lawns

This all-purpose weed killer can be used throughout your home and becomes rainproof in 15 minutes.

Read Review

Best for Lawns:

Weed & Grass Killer Ready-to-Use

This herbicide will kill dandelions, crabgrass, and other weeds without harming your lawn if used as directed.

Read Review

Best for Large Areas:

Herbicide, 2.5-gallon

This concentrate can make up to 85 gallons of spray solution from a 1-gallon bottle, which is enough to cover up to 25,000 square feet!

Read Review

Best for Flower Beds:

Ready-to-Use Weed & Grass Killer

With this convenient ready-to-use formula, you can keep weeds out of your flower beds and vegetable gardens.

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Best Natural:

Natural and Organic

Green Gobbler is made of ethanol and vinegar, so there’s no need to worry about spraying toxic ingredients around your house.

Read Review

Best for Gravel:

Weed Preventer Total Vegetation

As the name implies, this herbicide kills all vegetation, making it ideal for gravel driveways and paths.

Read Review

Best Professional:

Systemic Herbicide

This professional herbicide is available in 2.5-gallon jugs and has a mix rate of 1 to 10.5 ounces per gallon of water.

Read Review

Best Weed Torch:

Weed Burner with Flint Striker

Because of its 500,000 BTU heat output, you can use this propane-powered torch to spot-treat pesky weeds.

Read Review

Nobody wants weeds to take over their yard, and if there are too many for you to pull by hand, it may be time to call in a weed killer. These herbicides are extremely useful for lawn maintenance because they can control crabgrass, dandelions, ragweed, and other common weeds that may grow around your home.

When purchasing a weed killer, there are a few factors to consider, including where you intend to use it and which weeds you intend to target. Certain herbicides will kill any plant, making them ideal for walkways or gravel driveways. In contrast, you can use other weed killers to target specific weeds in your lawn or flower beds while causing no harm to other greenery.

The best weed killers for your yard are listed below.

Volume: 64 ounces

Plant Type: Grass, Poison Ivy, Clover, Broadleaf, and Other Listed Weeds

You can’t go wrong with the Spectracide Weed, and Grass Killer Concentrate if you want to control weeds on a sidewalk, flower bed, or around trees. This chemical herbicide comes in 32- and 64-ounce containers, as well as 1-gallon jugs, and because it’s a concentrate, the jar goes a long way, allowing you to treat more of your lawn.

The Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer is effective against both weeds and grasses and can be used on driveways and walkways and around fences, trees, flower beds, and shrubs.

You’ll see visible results as soon as three hours after application, and the formula becomes “rainproof” in 15 minutes, so you won’t have to worry about it washing away.

For best results, use a tank sprayer to apply the diluted formula to the leaves of any weeds you want to kill during warm, sunny weather.

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Volume: 1 gallon

Plant Type: Dandelions, Clover, Broadleaf, Crabgrass, and Other Listed Weeds

Weeds in your lawn are difficult to eradicate because many herbicides can harm grass. Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer, which kills more than 250 weeds without harming your lawn, is one of your best options for getting rid of pesky weeds like dandelions and clover (when used as directed). The herbicide is available in 32-ounce and 1-gallon containers, with 1 gallon of the concentrated formula covering up to 64,000 square feet.

Ortho Weed B is an orthopedic weed. Gon Weed Killer will kill dandelions, clover, and other broadleaf weeds at the root in a matter of hours. It can be used on both Northern and Southern lawns, and the formula dries in one hour. To avoid harming your grass, simply use the product as directed.

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Volume: 1 gallon

Plant Type: All Grasses and Weeds

When you have a large area to treat for weeds, a ready-to-use solution will not suffice. Instead, you’ll want a concentrated solution, and Compare-N-Save Concentrate Grass and Weed Killer is one of the best options.
This concentrate can make up to 85 gallons of spray solution from a 1-gallon bottle, which is enough to cover up to 25,000 square feet!

This herbicide kills weeds, grasses, vines, and brush and can be used on walkways and driveways and along with buildings and fences.

The herbicide contains 41% glyphosate and is rainproof two hours after application; however, the company recommends applying the herbicide on a warm, sunny day with no rain forecast for the next 24 hours.

You’ll see visible results in two to four days because it kills the weeds down to the roots, but be careful not to spray desired plants because the powerful formula will kill just about any vegetation.

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Volume: 1.33 gallons

Plant Type: Annual Bluegrass, Bermuda Grass, Bindweed, and Other Listed Weeds

Maintain the appearance of your flower beds with the Roundup Ready-To-Use Weed & Grass Killer III, which comes in a convenient Pump ‘N Go container—no diluting required!

This herbicide kills tough weeds and grasses at the root, and its extendable wand makes it easy to target pesky weeds without harming your flowers.

This formula is available in 1.33-gallon containers and can be used in and around vegetable gardens, flower beds, tree rings, mulched beds, as well as cracks in driveways, walkways, and patios. It’s rainproof after just 10 minutes, and you’ll see visible results in three hours if you spray it on weeds.

The convenient no-mix formula is ideal for when you want to grab it and go, and Roundup sells herbicide refills that pour into the original container.

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Volume: 1 gallon

Plant Type: Crabgrass, Dandelions, Moss, and Other Listed Weeds

Many weed killers contain harsh chemicals, but if you want a natural option for lawn care, the Green Gobbler Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer are glyphosate-free and free of toxic ingredients. Its main ingredients are ethanol, distilled from corn grain and vinegar, but don’t worry—it will still kill crabgrass, dandelions, clover weeds, white clover, moss, and other weeds.

This all-natural weed killer is available in 1-gallon jars and can be used on driveways, sidewalks, concrete, mulch, flower beds, and other surfaces. (Avoid spraying the solution on healthy grass because it is toxic to all plants.)

You can use the weed killer directly from the bottle, and the natural acid begins drying out weeds on contact. You’ll see visible results in less than 24 hours, and the company offers a 30-day money-back guarantee if you’re dissatisfied with the results.

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Volume: 1 gallon

Plant Type: All Weeds, Grasses, Vines, Brush, and Trees

Are you sick of weeds sprouting up all over your gravel driveway? You can quickly eliminate them with the RM43 Total Vegetation Control, a potent weed killer containing 43 percent glyphosate. This concentrated formula comes in a 1-gallon container that makes up to 21 gallons of spray and treats more than 17,000 square feet.
It is ideal for areas where no vegetation is desired, such as gravel paths, driveways, parking areas, fence rows, and around buildings.

RM43 Total Vegetation Control is a combination of two herbicides and a surfactant that, in addition to killing any existing vegetation, will also prevent new weeds from growing for up to a year. After drying, the formula is rainfast in two hours and safe for people and pets.

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Volume: 2.5 gallons

Plant Type: Annual Weeds, Perennial Weeds, Woody Brush, and Trees

If you have a large area to treat or have tough weeds that haven’t responded to other herbicides, a professional-grade product like Roundup Pro Concentrate may be worth considering. This weed killer is used in industrial vegetation management and agricultural farming and contains 50.2 percent glyphosate for quick and effective results.

This professional herbicide is available in 2.5-gallon jugs and has a mix rate of 1 to 10.5 ounces per gallon of water, depending on the type of weed being treated. You should only apply it with clean stainless steel or plastic sprayers, and you should wear protective clothing while doing so.

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Plant Type: All Weeds

What We Like

Great spot treatment
Comes in various sizes
Can be used for more than weeds

What We Don’t Like

Not great for covering a large area

Families with children or pets may not want to use herbicides in their yard because many of the chemicals can be harmful if touched, and the Flame King Weed Burner is an alternative weed killer. This propane-powered torch is ideal for spot-treating invasive weeds, as its 500,000 BTU heat output will quickly kill any unwanted plants.

This unit attaches to standard liquid propane cylinders ranging in size from 5 to 100 pounds. It has a 10-foot hose that allows you to work in a larger area without moving the fuel tank, and it has an easy-grip handle that makes it easy to use. You can use the torch to melt snow and start fires, in addition to killing weeds, making it a useful tool to have around the house.

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Final Verdict

The best weed killer is Spectracide Weed and Grass Killer Concentrate (view on Amazon), which can be used in various areas, including flower beds, sidewalks, and even around shrubs, and produces visible results in just a few hours. For a more preventative product, the RM43 43-Percent Glyphosate Plus Weed Preventer gets down to the roots and prevents weeds from sprouting for up to a year.

Identifying Weeds

Before selecting the best weed killer, you must first identify the type of weed you are dealing with. Different weeds necessitate different treatments, and what works for one may cause little or no harm to another.

Weeds are classified into three types: broadleaf, grassy, and grass-like.

Broadleaf weeds

Because these weeds have broad, flat leaves, they are unlikely to be mistaken for grass. They thrive in soil deficient in key nutrients, and they come in three types: annual, biennial, and perennial, so different broadleaf weed varieties necessitate different chemicals based on their life cycle.

Dandelions, ground ivy, clover, chickweed, dollarweed, thistle, and oxalis are examples of broadleaf weeks.

Grassy weeds

Grassy weeds grow one at a time and have leaves that resemble grass blades. Crabgrass, quackgrass, goosegrass, and foxtail are examples of grassy weeks.

Grass-like weeds

This weed looks like grass, but its leaves are tube-like and triangular rather than flat. Garlic, nutsedge, and wild onion are examples of grass-like weeks.

How Weed Killers Work

Weed killers work by using chemicals to either kill or prevent the growth of weeds. Herbicides come in various forms that you can use to treat weeds at various stages of their life cycle or even before they sprout. Here are the main factors to consider when selecting your weed killer.

Pre- or post-emergent

Pre-emergent weed killers kill weed seedlings before they germinate. If weeds have already sprouted, this type will not help. Post-emergent weed killers are intended to eliminate weeds while they are actively growing. Post-emergent weed killers are applied directly to the leaves of the plants.

Selective or Non-Selective

This is an important consideration. Selective weed killers kill weeds without harming nearby beneficial plants, whereas non-selective herbicides harm all nearby plants, even if they are beneficial.

Systemic or Topical

Weed killers that attack the entire plant, including the roots, are known as systemic weed killers. Topical herbicides, on the other hand, only kill the weeds that are applied to them.

Persistent or Non-Persistent

Persistent weed killers remain active after application to prevent future weed growth. Non-persistent weed killers do not provide continuous weed control.

How to Apply Weed Killer

Even if you choose the right weed killer, applying it incorrectly can render your efforts ineffective, and incorrect application can lead to complications.

Many weed killers must be diluted with water before being applied with a spray bottle. The product label will specify how much water and weed killer you’ll need to mix. Some weed killers, on the other hand, come in granular form. Weed killers that are solid must be applied with a spreader.

When it comes to weed killer, timing is everything. You should not apply weedkillers immediately after mowing your lawn because they may harm the tender grass. The same is true for fertilizer. Wait several days before applying weed killer in either case.

When to apply weed killer is also affected by the weather. Applying weed killer when it is too hot can stress your grass, and applying it too soon before rain can cause it to wash away before it is absorbed.