The Wily Weed

bloomintolandscaping.com

So this week's Master Gardener topic was weeds and where as plant pathology left me feeling frustrated and defeated (see previous post), this week I left the lecture feeling informed and optimistic. I'm ready to 'lock and load', and eradicate the weeds in my yard.


Here are a few of my notes:

1. Monkey grass is a lily!! This means you can spray Grass-B-Gone on it because Grass-B-Gone only kills grasses!!!

2. Nut grasses isn't a grass!  It is a sedge.  That's why spraying it with Round Up isn't doing the trick. Use a product called Sedgehammer. (I know! Isn't it a great name!)  Nut sedge is the number one weed problem in the world. Seriously!

3. The active ingredient in Round Up is glyphosate.  Wal Mart's brand, "Eliminator", contains a higher percentage of the active ingredient that Round UP.  Also, "the ready to use" mix has a longer shelf life than the concentrate that you mix at home.

4. Got nasty vines growing up your trees?  Follow these steps:
                                                                              a. Cut vine at the base.
                                                                              b. Pull vine away from the tree at the
                                                                                  bottom
                                                                              c. Apply Fertilome Cut Vine and Stump  
                                                                                  Killer to both cut ends of the vine. 
                                                                                  **Do not get this on the tree!
                                                                                  This also works on unwanted trees
                                                                                   coming uo in your yard.
                                                                                  Cut them down, then apply
                                                                                   product to the stump.)

5. Dollar weed problem?  Mix 6 oz. Atrazine (10%), 2 oz. Weed-B-Gone, and 1 gallon water.  Spray your dollar weed once between November and April.

6. For summer weed control in your lawn, spread Scotts "Halt" on March 1st and then again in May.

7. Starting a new bed? Follow these steps:    a. Apply Round Up to the area.
                                                                        b. Add layer of new soil.
                                                                        c. Apply Preen.
                                                                        d. Layer on your mulch.
 In an existing bed, add Preen on top of old mulch before adding layer of new mulch.
Preen Garden is made for vegetable gardens.

8. St. Augustine grass must be cut at a height of three inches and fertilized three times a year: April, June, and August.
    Centipede grass responds to varied cutting heights through the mowing year, at times only 1 1/2 inches.  It needs to be fertilized only twice: April and July.

9. Brown Spot problems in your grass? It is a fungus in the soil and is best treated with "Heritage", (active ingredient - azoxy strobin).

Well, there you have it......Happy hunting!!
                                                                      Shelli