Is this plant a friend or foe to my lawn?

 I noticed a certain plant growing on my lawn this year that I haven't
seen before. I took a couple of pictures. Can someone tell me if I
have something to worry about. Right now they are growing in a spot
where I find it tough to grow grass and they aren't really noticeable
unless you look up close. I'm worried they might take over the entire
lawn though. Here are the pics:

http://img206.imageshack.us/img206/5151/weedsdq4.jpg

http://img78.imageshack.us/img78/9940/weeds2ws6.jpg

 Joe said:

Looks like speedwell.  You need to mow the lawn tall (to shade
it out) and increase its thickness through proper fertilizing and
watering.  Speedwell (depending on species) is a winter
annual or short-lived perennial, so a spring application of
a pre-emergent is not going to control it.

Some people don't mind having wildflowers in the lawn,
and speedwell has pretty (if tiny) flowers.  So whether it's
friend or foe is an aesthetic choice.

From NSCU:

" Establishing a dense, vigorous turf is the best way to reduce the
encroachment of winter annual weeds. First, select adapted turfgrass
cultivars for your area and then properly fertilize, mow and water to
encourage dense growth. Watering scheduled to meet turfgrass needs
helps to minimize chickweed competition.

"All of the winter annual weeds described, with the exception of corn
speedwell, may be controlled with selective broadleaf postemergence
herbicides if the desired turfgrass has tolerance. When controlling
several different weeds, it may be desirable to select a combination
product which is a mixture of two or three broadleaf herbicides. For
corn speedwell, repeated application of a three-way combination
product at one-half the label rate applied 10 days apart provides good
control. ...

...

"The best time to apply herbicide to winter annual broadleaf weeds is
from February through April--depending on the turf, location within
the state, temperature and growing conditions. In warm-season
turfgrasses, winter annual broadleaf weeds should be sprayed while
the turf is still dormant and before spring green-up occurs. Spray
before resumption of spring growth in cool-season turfgrasses. By
spraying at these times, the turf has a greater chance of growing into
those areas previously infested with weeds."

http://ipm.ncsu.edu/urban/cropsci/c08weeds/wintannu.html
--
Pat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast)
  
After enlightenment, the laundry.

 
thanks, I have a hard time getting grass to grow in that area due to
the exposed roots of a nearby tree. I really don't mind the plants and
the flowers are pretty I just don't want them to take over my yard.
I've fertilized and reseeded the yard already this year - paying
particular attention to that area - and we've been getting lots of
rain, so I'm not sure what else to do.

 on 5/29/2008 8:05 PM Joe said the following:

It's a friend in that  it provides a green color if the grass is weak in
that area. It's a foe in that grass won't grow stronger sharing the
nutrients in the ground.
Otho's Weed-Be-Gone, or similar, will kill it without hurting the grass,
I don't know what it's called, but if it ain't grass, it's gone.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

 
I like it in my yard. It grows well and gives green where nothing else
will grow besides switch grass.YUK.
I actually dug up a couple of plugs to plant in a shady area beneath
some oak trees because I would rather have it there than all moss and
mushrooms and switch grass.   I don't use weed killers on my soil.
These stay small and keep it green for longer through the year.
When I want it contained in a particular area I use edging that goes
about 3-5 inches into the soil because it spreads so well by roots.
But if you are seeding and feeding your grasses it is not likely to
take over.  I like the variety it brings to the yard.