Weed Killer Guide may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page.
As spring arrives, you start to get ready for yard work again, brushing off any dust that accumulated on your tools over the winter and stocking up on supplies – mulch, plant food, gravel, potting soil, and anything else that you might need to get your lawn or garden looking great for the summer. Something else has already begun to plant your garden, though, and when you walk out for your first afternoon to work, you find the whole place ridden with weeds.
Weeds as a whole are unwanted plants that grow alongside the benign ones and siphon off the water, sunlight, and nutrients that the other plants need. Of these weeds, one of the most prevalent varieties is the broadleaf weed, a category of weeds with grassy or leafy properties that can be found sprouting in nearly any unattended patch of soil.
Like all weeds, broadleaf varieties possess the considerable reproductive capacity. On top of ordinary pollination, broadleaf weeds can also be found spreading seeds through root networks, airborne spreads such as the dandelion, and attaching their seeds to animals or people nearby like thistles.
The broadleaf is a pest to many gardeners not only by taking up valuable areas where more desirable plants are to be placed but also by sporting certain attributes that can actually harm humans as well. Poison ivy, oak, and sumac, for instance, are all broadleaf weeds; many others will sport thorns or tentacles, or serve to attract unwanted insect life to your yard.
For all these reasons, anyone interested in working in their garden is likely looking for some help in the age-old practice of weeding. Physically removing weeds is, doubtless, a reliable way of seeing them gone, but not the best; it is time-consuming in the extreme, taxing on the body, and leaves your topsoil torn into chunks that need to be smoothed over again before you can continue with your landscaping.
These problems can, by and large, be solved instantly by switching to a chemical herbicide to rid yourself of weeds. A few quick sprays with an applicator wand are often all that is needed to wither a broadleaf weed. You can clear an entire flower bed in a fraction of the time you would have spent working by hand, and come back in as little as a few hours to take away the dead leaves.
The market for gardening supplies of any kind is likely to leave buyers bewildered by the sheer number of options they have to meet any given need. Herbicides are no exception. A landscaper looking to pick up an effective broadleaf killer will need to select between endless products all vying to be the fastest, safest, and most effective herbicide on the shelf.
If there’s anything important in chemical weeding, though, it’s making sure you only have to do it once – redoing a chemical treatment ranges from bad for the soil and plants to actually dangerous to you and your household. We’ve narrowed things down to the ten best herbicides to make sure you get your weeding done right the first time.
Comparison Table
| Product | Features | Latest Price |
|---|---|---|
1. Compare-N-Save Concentrate  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
2. Roundup Concentrate Plus  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
3. Southern Ag Amine  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
4. Preen 2464083  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
5. Gordon Speed Zone 652400  |
|
CHECK PRICE | 6. Ortho GroundClear  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
7. Scotts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
8. Bayer BioAdvanced  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
9. Spectracide Weed Stop  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
10. Doctor Kirchner Natural Grass Killer  |
|
CHECK PRICE |
Our Best Best Broadleaf Weed Killer Reviews and Comparisons
1. Compare-N-Save Concentrate
Product Highlights
This brand has been the longtime holder of the Amazon’s Choice award in its field for being the most popular broadleaf weed killer on the market.
Features
- 1 gallon per purchase
- Active ingredients: glyphosate
- Concentrate product
- Dilutes to cover over 25,000 square feet
What We Like About Compare-N-Save Concentrate
Compare-N-Save has a well-earned reputation for killing off unwanted vegetation quickly and completely that has earned it a solid place in the landscaping community.
What We Don’t Like About Compare-N-Save Concentrate
The same potency that makes it so effective on weeds makes this product destroy any other vegetation as well, and can even be harmful to humans if exposed too directly.
PROS
- Highly recommended
- Reliable performance
- Rainproof in just two hours
- Visible results in less than four days
- Does not erode or discolor wood or concrete
CONS
- Not safe for use on your lawn
- Can be harmful to humans
2. Roundup Concentrate Plus
Product Highlights
You’ve never really started discussing weed killers until you’ve mentioned Roundup, one of the longest-running and most trusted brands in the industry.
Features
- Concentrate product
- Rainproof in 30 minutes or less
- Results inside 12 hours
- Active ingredient: glyphosate
What We Like About Roundup Concentrate Plus
Roundup has a long history of quality weed control products that kill the root no matter where they are applied.
What We Don’t Like About Roundup Concentrate Plus
This product is not usable on edibles and has bad coverage when compared to other dilutable concentrates.
PROS
- Fast acting
- Quick to waterproof
- Satisfaction guarantee
- Reliably kills off weeds
- New formula lowers toxicity
CONS
- Will kill off edibles
- Relatively poor coverage
3. Southern Ag Amine
Product Highlights
Using Southern Ag promises a selective weed killer that can be mixed in relatively economical proportions to cover whole acres of turf.
Features
- 32 oz per bottle
- Active ingredient: 2, 4, D-Diclorophe
- Results inside one week
- Highly selective
What We Like About Southern Ag Amine
This can be said to be a truly selective weed killer, leaving your lawn untouched while clearing out unwanted broadleaves.
What We Don’t Like About Southern Ag Amine
Unlike many nonselective herbicides, this formula can take nearly a week to produce any visible results.
PROS
- Economical dilution ratio covers large areas with only a small amount of weed killer
- Suitable for rough terrain, not only farmland
- Does not use dangerous glyphosate
- Highly selective action
- Quick rainproofing
CONS
- Slow acting
- Does not work well on woody plants
4. Preen 2464083
Product Highlights
This is a crystalline weed preventer that works to stop weed growth before it starts, saving you the time and trouble later in the season.
Features
- Granular product
- Covers 5,000 square feet
- Roughly 31 pounds per purchase
- Compatible with Preen bottles and applicators
What We Like About Preen 2464083
Preen is safe to use around hundreds of benign flowers, shrubs, bushes, and trees, even those intended for food, and keeps weeds off before they even start to sprout.
What We Don’t Like About Preen 2464083
Preen works best as a weed preventer instead of an herbicide, making it complicated to properly apply – there is only a narrow window of time when it will be at its most effective.
PROS
- Dry product is easier to store, handle, and clean up
- Useable in Preen applicator bottles or drop spreaders
- Water activation lets you control if and when you want to use it
- Keeps weeds off all season long
- Safe for use on lawns, flowerbeds, or vegetable gardens
CONS
- Better before weeds appear than at getting rid of them
- Hard to apply for maximum effect
5. Gordon Speed Zone 652400
Product Highlights
This product covers an incredible amount of turf and works in a hurry, leaving your lawn ready to reseed in under fourteen days.
Features
- Active ingredient: 2, 4, dichlorophenoxyacetic acid
- 20 ounces per purchase
- Covers up to 18,000 square feet
- Suitable for cool or warm weather
What We Like About Gordon Speed Zone 652400
Speed Zone dilutes very well, making enough spray to cover close to 20,000 square feet – a great choice for property managers, golf courses, or farmers.
What We Don’t Like About Gordon Speed Zone 652400
The chemical combinations in this product have led to it being restricted or banned in a number of places, including several of the United States and parts of the European Union.
PROS
- Good coverage
- Fast acting
- Useable in all weather
- Toxicity fades quickly to allow reseeding
- Optimized for use on common turf grass
CONS
- Can begin to burn benign plants in direct sunlight
- Restricted or banned in some areas.
6. Ortho GroundClear
Product Highlights
This product will clear out even the most resilient of weed infestations for up to a year from the first treatment.
Features
- 32 oz per purchase
- Active ingredient: glyphosate
- Comes as a concentrate
- Serves both as a weed killer and a preventative
What We Like About Ortho GroundClear
This is among the longest-lasting broadleaf killers on the market, removing weeds for up to a full year from the initial treatment.
What We Don’t Like About Ortho GroundClear
This product has relatively low coverage if mixed as instructed, struggling to cover even 100 square feet.
PROS
- Long lasting protection
- Works well on most kinds of weed
- Can be used as is or diluted
- Safe for use near wood and concrete
- Visible results in just a few hours
CONS
- Poor coverage
- Relatively expensive
7. Scotts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer
Product Highlights
Scotts’ weed killer is just one entry into a long line of leading lawn care products, with crystals of precisely the right grade to be used in Scotts spreaders for maximum coverage.
Features
- Granular product
- 21 pounds per purchase
- Covers 10,000 square feet
- Useable in all weathers
What We Like About Scotts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer
Because Scotts also manufactures lawn care equipment such as broadcast spreaders, this weed killer is made to filter perfectly through a spreader or manuring machine for exact and ideal coverage.
What We Don’t Like About Scotts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer
This product can lose effectiveness with exposure, making it hard to get full weed control without a double dose.
PROS
- Trusted manufacturer
- All weathers
- Easy to handle
- Optimized for spreaders
- Works on undesirable crabgrass and moss as well as broadleaf
CONS
- Requires a double dose for full effectiveness
- Damages clothes and can irritate skin
8. Bayer BioAdvanced
Product Highlights
Bayer’s broadleaf killer boasts an impressively long list of weeds controlled alongside several other attractive properties.
Features
- 40 oz per purchase
- Rainproof inside an hour
- Controls over 200 species of weed
- Treats up to 6,250 square feet when diluted properly.
What We Like About Bayer BioAdvanced
BioAdvanced tries hard to be an all-in-one product, with selective action to kill a long list of weeds without harming any benign plants.
What We Don’t Like About Bayer BioAdvanced
This product has no preventative qualities, allowing weeds to return fairly quickly once treatment has ended.
PROS
- Rainproof inside an hour
- Controls 200+ species of weed
- Can be used as-is or diluted for larger coverage
- Selective action leaves your lawn intact
- Effective on unwanted crabgrass and berries as well as broadleaf
CONS
- Does not keep weeds off
- Selective action is not reliable
9. Spectracide Weed Stop
Product Highlights
Spectracide has perfected the selective action herbicide, with deep-reaching weed removal that leaves your lawn clean and green.
Features
- 32 oz per purchase
- Treats up to 16,000 square feet
- Rainproof inside 6 hours after application
- Visible results inside two hours
What We Like About Spectracide Weed Stop
Spectracide’s selective action is one of the best on the market, reliably sweeping away weeds and leaving behind smooth grass.
What We Don’t Like About Spectracide Weed Stop
This formula is noticeably slower to act than others, taking up to a month to take full effect.
PROS
- Quick rainproofing
- Safe on lawns
- Large number of broadleaves controlled
- Good coverage
- Can be used on fresh seeds, sod, or saplings
CONS
- Slow acting
- Will need a schedule of treatments
10. Doctor Kirchner Natural Grass Killer
Product Highlights
Our final selection brings a much-needed measure of safety to the world of chemical herbicides, resolving forever the question of a weed killer that will be safe to use near the family.
Features
- Active ingredients: sodium chloride
- Two and a half gallons per purchase
- Safe for use near children or pets
- Results inside 24 hours
What We Like About Doctor Kirchner Natural Grass Killer
This product is made with all-natural ingredients, including ocean water and biodegradable soap, to keep it safe for your family and for the planet.
What We Don’t Like About Doctor Kirchner Natural Grass Killer
The ingredients used to give this product little to no rain resistance, making it useful only during sunny weather
PROS
- Environmentally friendly
- Safe for use near children
- Comes ready to spray
- Will not damage concrete or wood
- Results within a day
CONS
- Has not been fully tested by regulating bodies, including the United States’ EPA
- Little to no rainproofing qualities
Helpful Hints
Among the first things to know when applying weed killers of any kind is that these products represent potent chemical combinations that can be harmful to the gardener as well as the plants, especially over prolonged periods of time. Minimize exposure wearing full clothing, including closed shoes and long sleeves and pants, and use an air filter if applying weed killer with an atomizer.
Many weed killers are subject to regulations of some kind, including restrictions or bans on their use or limiting the places where it is acceptable to apply the weed killer. Make sure to familiarize yourself with relevant regulations before making your purchase.
Some weed killers are also restricted or banned for import or export. Although these changes from place to place and product to product, checking on your local or federal restrictions can save considerable time and trouble. Online shoppers especially need to check whether the seller can legally ship to their location.
Many of these products are not safe for use on lawns, and even the ones that are are not foolproof. When spraying near benign plants such as flower beds or gardens, use a large sheet of cardboard or plastic with one edge firmly to the ground to shield the desired plants. If the weeds are already sprouting in the flowerbed apply by pouring small doses of weed killer instead of using a spray gun or applicator wand.
Once the weeds are dead, you can take steps to keep them from coming back by removing as many dried-up plants as possible and reseeding with a species that naturally repels the weeds in question. Find out what plants in your region are suitable for use in bioremediation and plant them once treatment has finished.
Before doing so, check the weed killer you used to find out the recommended waiting periods between application and further activity. Most lawns will not benefit from treatment if mowed, mulched, or seeded within a certain time frame before or after application. Read the packaging or discuss with the supplier to be certain your lawn care schedule will maximize a healthy lawn.