Act Fast Before Frost Hits – A Horticulturist Warns to Get Rid of Weeds Now to Save Your Spring Garden

It's mid-November and there's one thing lingering at the back of all gardener's minds: frost. Now is the time to get those final pre-frost tasks done to ensure your yard is prepared for the winter months. With time being so precious, you may be wondering if you actually need to get rid of weeds before frost, or will the coldest temps kill them off for you.

When it comes to the fall gardening checklist, you may be surprised to hear getting rid of weeds is actually something to prioritize. A common misconception is that hard frost will kill of weeds for good. In actual fact, many perennial weeds and annual weed seeds will overwinter and return as the temperatures warm up again in spring.

That's why senior horticulturist at ScottsMiracle-Gro, Amy Enfield, urges you to get weeding done before the first hard frost comes. Delaying this task until spring could cause weeds to come back bigger than before.

Do you need to get rid of weeds before frost?

'The simple answer is yes,' says Amy. 'In fact, fall weeding is one of a gardener's best-kept secrets. What you do in the fall can dictate how much work you will have to do in the spring,' she explains.

This is true for annual and perennial weeds alike.

'A hard frost will kill off tender, summer annual weeds like crabgrass or spurge, which is helpful. However, it does not kill all weeds. It has no effect on weed seeds already laying dormant in the soil, or the roots of perennial weeds,' Amy explains.

In fact, for seeds laying dormant, frost can cause seed stratification. This is an essential period of cold exposure, kickstarting growth come spring.

'Relying on frost to 'clean up' your garden is a recipe for a weed-filled spring,' Amy warns.

Amy Enfield

Amy has 30 years of experience in the lawn and garden industry and has been with ScottsMiracle-Gro for 12 years. She has a BS and MS in Horticulture from Michigan State University and a PhD in Plant and Environmental Sciences from Clemson University.

Which weeds do you need to get rid of before frost?

'The most important weeds to remove in the fall are the perennial ones,' says Amy. 'Think dandelions, thistle, bindweed, and couch grass.

'While frost might make their leaves and stems look dead or wilted, their root systems are very much alive. In fall, these plants are in storage mode, drawing energy from their leaves and sending it down to their roots to store for winter,' she explains.

That's why removing them before frost is a good idea. Using a weeder tool will pull them by the root, ensuring they don't come back – like this weed pulling tool from Amazon. It will become impossible to do this once the ground freezes, making the mild temperatures of early-mid fall a great opportunity to get rid of them.

'The other weed group to worry about is winter annuals,' says Amy. 'These are weeds like chickweed, bittercress, and purple deadnettle. Unlike summer weeds, their seeds are triggered to sprout by the cooling soil and shorter days of fall.

'They germinate in fall, grow into small, low-growing plants, and then sit dormant all winter. The moment the snow melts in early spring, they flower and set thousands of new seeds before you've even had a chance to plant your cool-weather flowers and veggies,' she explains.

Fall weeding tips

With so much to get done in fall, it can feel overwhelming to try to get rid of all the weeds in your yard. Amy has a three step approach to help you out:

'First, prioritize removing any weeds – even dead ones – that have a seed head,' she says. This will prevent self-seeding from happening.

'Second, for perennial weeds, you can hand-pull them when the ground is damp from a fall rain (this makes it much easier to get the entire root),' Amy says.

There are lots of weeding tools that can help you achieve this. Including this hand weeding fork from Amazon that allows you to use more force for tough weeds.

'Finally, once an area is clear, cover it with a two to three-inch layer of mulch,' Amy advises. 'This will help prevent any weed seeds, especially winter annual weeds, from getting the light they need to sprout,' she explains.

It's a form of smothering weeds, which can also be done using cardboard and coco coir mulching mats (from Amazon).

There are also plenty of fall mulching materials readily available in the yard at this time of year, including fallen leaves.

FAQs

Can you use weed killer before frost?

Yes, you can use weed killer before frost, but it is not the most eco-friendly choice for getting rid of weeds. This is because weed killers often contain harmful chemicals that can impact the biodiversity and wildlife in your yard. Instead, try manually removing weeds to prevent them coming back. You may also find that using herbicides in the wet weather of fall is less effective anyway because it can wash away.

When you're preparing to get rid of weeds before frost, our guide to how to kill weeds in the fall can help you tackle larger jobs with ease.