Time to think ahead for weed prevention and control
Fighting weeds is a yearround job, but weed prevention is best practiced in the fall and early spring to take advantage of the growing season of turf grasses. A healthy, thick lawn is your number one defense against weeds. In fact, a badly weed-infested lawn is usually a sign of nutrient imbalance or other soil problems.
For a nice, green lawn that is free of weeds, focus first on getting your grass healthy. If your lawn or garden isn’t developing as you want it to, the problem may be as elemental as the soil itself. A soil test may be the answer.
To collect your sample, dig down about 3 or 4 inches in several different areas of your yard. Take a scoop or two from each location (each with the same consistency) and mix them together and bring in a full pint to the Extension office. This will allow you to get a profile of the whole property.
If you’re amending your soil or sowing new grass seed, buy high-quality seed and consider mixing your own soil amendments using only the best ingredients.
Weed control
Small patches of weeds can be handled by pulling or digging. All-over lawn weed control is usually not necessary, either, as a heavy infestation would be better handled by making the grass healthy. However, for those in-between situations, you may want to consider the use of a chemical herbicide.
To choose the correct herbicide, it’s helpful to understand some basic terms that appear on the labels of commercially packaged weed control products.
Pre-emergent herbicides work by preventing seed germination, so they don’t do much good after the weeds are growing. They’re best used as a preventive spot treatment in known weedy patches, during the winter or summer dormant season.
Post-emergent herbicides work by killing growing plants, usually by interrupting chemical processes such as photosynthesis, protein production, or root growth. They are best applied when the plant is actively growing and in the fall when plants are storing up nutrients in their roots. This allows the herbicide to be quickly sucked down into the roots where it is most effective. Post-emergent herbicides can work on contact (killing only the vegetation they touch) or systemic (absorbing into and killing the entire plant).
Selective herbicides target only certain types of plants by identifying specific enzymes or other plant chemicals. Frequently you’ll see selective herbicides designed to target monocots (such as grasses or other strappy-leaved plants) or dicots (all other plants, often referred to as “broadleaf” plants).
Nonselective herbicides kill any plant they contact and should be used for spot treatment only.
Total vegetation herbicides kill all plants and sterilize the ground for a certain period of time — they should be used very carefully.
So how do these terms work together when shopping for herbicide? Here are some common examples:
Glyphosphate (found in products such as Roundup) is a post-emergent, nonselective, systemic herbicide. That means it kills any actively growing plants that it contacts. It’s good for spot treatment but should be used carefully on windy days, especially around roses.
“Weed and Feed” products (such as Sta-Green Winterizer Weed & Feed) usually contain 2, 4-D or other post-emergent, selective herbicides. They’re designed to selectively kill broadleaf weeds without harming grass. However, weed and feed products can kill St. Augustine grass, so check the label to see if it’s safe for this type of lawn before using.
Trifluralin (contained in products such as Preen Garden Weed Preventer), on the other hand, is a pre-emergent, nonselective herbicide that will kill grass seeds as well as weed seeds and is only for use in established gardens.
Corn gluten (found in products such as Concern Weed Prevention Plus) is a natural substance produced by corn that prevents surrounding weeds from growing. It is packaged as an organic pre-emergent herbicide that selectively targets broadleaf weeds.
Grass killers (such as Ortho Grass-B-Gon) are post-emergent, selective weed killers that target grasses. They are used in flower beds to kill weed grasses.
Combination herbicides (such as Ortho Ground Clear) contain more than one post-emergent, nonselective herbicides (such as glyphosphateand imazapyr). Imazapyr is very slow to break down, so this product is designed to kill every plant it contacts and to keep the ground sterile for up to one year.
As with any chemical product, follow package instructions carefully, and only use if absolutely necessary. Herbicides can affect surrounding plants and can pollute groundwater when used improperly or in large quantities. By carefully selecting the correct product, you can get rid of those pesky weeds in no time.
For more information, call the
Garland County Extension Office at 501-623-6841 or email Jimmy Driggers, county Extension agent, Garland County staff chair, at jdriggers@uada.edu.
PAT training
Garland County is conducting two PAT training sessions on Jan. 26, at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. Reservations are required and each session is limited to 12 people. Call the Garland County Extension Office at 501-623-6841 to reserve a spot. The cost is $20; checks are preferred.
4-H information
There are several 4-H Clubs for Garland County youths who are 5 to 19 years old. For more information on all the fun 4-H activities that are available, call Carol Ann McAfee at the Extension Office, 501-623-6841, or email her at cmafee@uada.edu.
Master Gardener information
Master Gardener meetings are held on the third Thursday of each month at the Elks Lodge. Meetings are open to the public and guests are welcome. Call the Extension Office at 501-623-6841 for more information.
EHC information
Interested in joining an existing Extension Homemakers Club? EHC is the largest volunteer organization in the state. For more information on EHC, call Alison Crane, family and consumer sciences agent, at 501-6236841 or email her at acrane@ uada.edu.