Identify the invaders in order to decide which product and method of application to use.

Using the wrong approach will do more harm than good. Spot-kill weeds using a trigger spray as you find them.

No matter how healthy your lawn is, a few isolated weeds will pop up, but that doesn’t mean you have to apply weed killer to the entire area.

Apply herbicide directly to weeds that spread through root systems.

Wearing gloves, dip your hand in herbicide and spread it on the leaves.

Herbicide is absorbed into weeds through the leaves.

When the weather is cool, the weed isn’t actively growing so the herbicide won’t be absorbed.

If the weather is too hot, the herbicide will stress the grass, but don’t apply weed killer when rain is forecast.

A downpour is likely to rinse off the herbicide before it can act. Spray annual weeds such as crab grass before they can self-seed near the end of the growing season.

This will stop new plants from germinating the following spring. Beware of bindii weed, it has brown seeds with sharp spines.

Most active in early autumn, it has green flowers when mature.

Control is easy if bindii is spotted before it has gone to seed.

Remove the weed by hand or spray with a herbicide.