Timing is everything

This is the season to apply pre-emergent week killer to control crab grass, goatheads, sand burrs, and other summer weeds in your lawn. The sooner they are applied, the more effective they will be.

Pre-emergents should be applied as a spray or granule before the redbud trees are bloomed out. They become active after they are watered in and will kill weed seeds as they germinate for four to eight weeks after they are watered in. You can apply as an herbicide only or in combination with a fertilizer as a weed and feed type product.

We get lots of emails about how to deal with sand-burrs and goatheads, and the best way to control them other than hand pulling each one is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Surflan to kill them as they try to germinate or sprout. Timing is everything on pre-emergents, so apply at once for best results.

If you plan to sow tall fescue grass seed in your shady areas, make sure not to use a preemergent weed killer in those areas. You can sow fescue seed now. You should wait to sow Bermuda grass in sunny areas until late April or after when the soil has warmed more.

Make time to enjoy your yard as the trees and shrubs bud out, as the bulbs and flowers bloom and get ready to add more plants to feed your stomach and your soul.

Rodd Moesel serves as President of Oklahoma Farm Bureau and was inducted into the Oklahoma Agriculture Hall of Fame. Email garden and landscape questions to rmoesel@americanplant.com.