Common Weeds in Parking Lot

Battling weeds is a never ending nightmare for so many parking lot owners. What starts off as a few little weeds in the cracks or edges of concrete can quickly become a small jungle. Common weeds that appear in parking lots are Canada thistle, crabgrass, field bindweed, and spurge.

Such unwanted vegetation can certainly become an eyesore, but they can lead to additional costly issues. As weeds grow and expand underneath concrete or asphalt parking lots they can widen existing cracks. This can also allow water to seep through, which can erode the material. 

Beyond these costly issues, for most parking lot owners, the real issue is the consistent appearance of weeds. In this DIY guide, you will dwelve into some of the best ways to remove weeds from your parking lot effectively with professional tips and products. 

If you are not seeing a weed listed here then contact our customer service team by phone, email, or in-person for professional recommendations. 

Identification

For a visual reference take a look at the image above from left to right is the Canada Thistle, crabgrass, field bindweed, and spurge.

Canada Thistle is a broadleaf weed that grows in small clusters or patches then eventually into tall umbrella shaped clusters. Leaves are alternate, lance shaped, and have spiny edges. Flowers are purplish/pink in color and are compact. 

Crabgrass is a grassy weed that grows in clumps with stems that sprawl out vertically sideways like that of a crab. Their leaves are wide and flat with pointed tips.

Field bindweed is a broadleaf weed that grows in tangled mats that have smooth and slightly haired stems. The flowers are trumpet shaped that appear pink or white in color. 

Spurge is a broadleaf weed that appears in a circular shape or clump with a hairy red-to-green colored stem. Roundish Leaves grow along the length of a stem and grow in pairs, one opposite the other. 

Inspection

Weeds often appear in the cracks, crevices, or edges of parking lots. 

Treatment

Step 1: Uproot Weeds by Hand

The first thing to do against parking lot weeds is to pull them by hand with their roots and rhizomes as well. 

Taking this action prevents the weeds from resprouting from the smallest portion of leftover plant material. 

Use a weeding knife, garden spade, screwdriver, gardening trowel, or other weeding tool. The goal is to get under the weed and pull them out by their roots. 

Step 2: Apply Non-Selective Herbicide

Non-selective herbicides is an effective way to ensure weeds are completely killed off in parking lots. 

Martin’s Eraser A/P Herbicide is a non-selective herbicide that kills a broad-spectrum of weeds, brush, and other foliage in industrial and non-crop sites like parking areas. 

Determine how much Martin’s Eraser A/P Herbicide to use by measuring the square footage of the treatment area. To do this, measure the length and width of the treatment area in feet then multiply them together (length X width = square footage). 

For smaller treatment areas or spot applications, we recommend using a handheld pump sprayer. To treat areas as large as an acre, you will need to use a spray rig. 

To control annual and perennial weeds with Martin's Eraser A/P between 0.5% and 2% of product. This means with one gallon of finished solution, you will mix in between 0.64 and 2.56 fl. oz. of Eraser A/P.

Spray the top and bottom of leaves until wet, but not the point of runoff. If there are desired vegetation around your parking lot where weeds are appearing then we recommend using a cardboard box during applications. 

This product is non-selective herbicide so it will kill all vegetation contacted with spray. By placing a cardboard box around the weed and desired vegetation you avoid accidentally killing it. 

Step 3: Seal Openings

After the appropriate amount of time has passed after your selected non-selective herbicide application and the weed is completely dead, reseal openings in the parking lot. 

When cracks, crevices, holes, and thin materials of parking lot are replaced and sealed you can prevent weeds from reappearing. 

This will also help any seeds from being spread by wind or animal droppings into the gaps. 

Key Takeaways

What Weeds Appear in Parking Lot

• Common weeds to appear in parking lots are Canada thistle, crabgrass, field bindweed, or spurge. 

How to Kill Weeds in Parking Lot

• To kill weeds in parking lots, we recommend physically removing the weeds then applying a non-selective herbicide such as Martin’s Eraser A/P Herbicide.

How to Prevent Weeds in Parking Lot

• To prevent weeds from appearing in parking lots, reseal openings, cracks, crevices, and other voids on the surface or edge.