If your yard still has these plants by spring, you’re asking for a takeover

Some plants don’t just “hang around”—they move in, invite friends, and act like they pay the mortgage. They might look small or harmless in winter, but if you let them slide into spring, they’ll take every bare spot they can reach.

You don’t have to be a master gardener to get ahead of them. If you can spot and deal with these now or early in the season, you save yourself a lot of mowing, hacking, and complaining later.

1. Creeping Charlie (ground ivy)

Creeping Charlie hugs the ground in thick mats and snakes through lawns and beds. Once it gets going, it’s hard to mow out because it grows under the blades.

If you see little rounded leaves in tight clusters where grass should be, don’t ignore it. Hand-pull small patches before they root deeper, and don’t let it flower and seed. For bigger spreads, you may have to hit it with a targeted treatment or even smother sections with cardboard and mulch.

2. Nutsedge

Nutsedge looks like grass’s mean cousin—taller, stiffer, and a different green. It shoots up faster than the rest of the yard and laughs at regular mowing. Under the soil, it spreads with little nut-like tubers.

If it’s showing up by spring and you ignore it, you’ll be staring at whole patches by summer. Don’t just yank the top; you’ll need to dig down and remove as much of the root and tubers as you can, or use a product made specifically for nutsedge.

3. Johnson grass

Johnson grass is a tall, coarse grass that pops up in pastures, along fences, and in ditches. It spreads by seed and thick rhizomes and can take over bare ground and thin spots in no time.

Young plants are easiest to get out. Dig them before those rhizomes get thick and deep. If you let a stand get established, plan on repeated mowing, digging, or carefully timed control to keep it from dominating your whole fenceline.

4. Bermuda grass where you don’t want it

Bermuda has its place in a hot, sunny lawn. The problem is when it starts creeping into beds, garden edges, and anywhere it’s not invited. It climbs over borders, roots at every node, and weaves through other plants.

If you see it sneaking into mulch or your vegetable area by spring, don’t shrug it off. Cut a clean edge, dig runners, and use barriers like edging or deep trench lines. Once it’s tangled in shrubs or perennials, getting it out is a long project.

5. Wild blackberry and dewberry thickets

A few wild canes might not bother you in winter, but by spring they leaf out and start sending more shoots. Before you know it, you’ve got a thorn patch no one can walk through.

Cut canes low, then dig out crowns when the ground is soft. Don’t just mow the tops; that usually makes them mad and they come back thicker. Keep an eye out for new shoots and hit them early instead of waiting until they’re waist-high.

6. Poison ivy near paths and play areas

Poison ivy may blend into the background in winter, but the vine and hairy roots on trees are still there, waiting. If it’s near paths, play spaces, or high-traffic areas and you leave it alone, you’re signing up for a summer of rashes.

Suit up with proper protection and carefully remove it, roots and all, or hire a pro if it’s a big patch. Don’t burn it. Bag the debris. The goal is to get it away from the spots you and your kids actually use.

7. Volunteer tree seedlings in all the wrong places

Little tree seedlings along the fence, in flower beds, and near the house look harmless at six inches tall. Give them a season or two, and you’re dealing with real trunks and root systems.

Pull seedlings by hand when the soil is damp. If you wait until they’re thicker than your thumb, you’re into saw and stump territory. Pay special attention to anything sprouting by foundations, septic lines, or fences—those roots cause real damage later.

8. Kudzu and other fast vines on the edges

In some areas, kudzu and similar “blink and they’ve grown” vines creep in from ditches, neighbors, or wild property lines. They smother trees and fences and can swallow equipment if you’re not careful.

If you spot vines climbing in from the edges by spring, start cutting them at the base and pulling them off anything important. Don’t give them a full season to knit themselves into a blanket. Stay on them a few times a year and they’re a lot less scary.