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 Herbicide ABCs
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When it comes to using herbicides be sure you know the ABCs...
A...always read the product label before purchasing.
B...be sure you understand how the herbicide should be applied.
C...choose the herbicide that is appropriate for your needs.U
D...dispose of the container and any left over herbicide properly.
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Understanding the lingo! |
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Reading herbicide labels is very important...but have you ever wondered what some of the terms mean? Here's a quick guide:
Nonselective herbicides like Roundup kill all kinds of plants.
Selective herbicides like Ortho Weed-B-Gon Max Weed Killer for Lawns Concentrate kill some plants but not others, when applied as directed. In lawns, selective herbicides kill plants called dicots. Dicots are broadleaf weeds with branching veins in variously shaped leaves and include many common lawn weeds. Monocots, which have parallel veins in typically narrow leaves, include most grassy weeds.
Post-emergent herbicides such as Roundup and Weed-B-Gon kill growing weeds and may be either selective or non-selective.
Pre-emergent herbicides prevent some weed seeds from even germinating. They are typically used in lawns in early spring to prevent summer annual grassy weeds such as crabgrass. Many times these herbicides are combined with a fertilizer.
Pre-Emerge
In the Spring for:
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sandbur
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summer annuals
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goosegrass
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barnyard grass
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watergrass
- nutsedge (seeds)
In the Fall for:
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dandelion
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henbit
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cheat grass
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bindweed (seeds) |
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| Weed Control Quick Tips
 In summer, mow your grass as high as practical for the grass species in your lawn. Keep bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue and ryegrass at 2 1/2 to 3 inches during the summer
Irrigate properly to help reduce annual weed infestation. Light, frequent irrigation encourages weed seed germination, even if a pre-emergent herbicide has been applied. |
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Summer Annual
Grassy Weeds
Crabgrass, foxtail, barnyardgrass, sandbur
and goosegrass can be lawn weed problems at lower elevations, below 6,500 feet. These weeds belong to a group called summer annual grasses. Understanding their growth cycle can help you keep them under control.
Growth Habits
Germination depends on soil temperature, not air temperature, and generally begins when surface soil temperatures reach 55 to 60 degrees F. The seeds of summer annual grasses fall to the ground the previous autumn and germinate the following year, midspring through midsummer. Soil temperatures optimal for the germination of crabgrass will closely coincide with the blooming of forsythia shrubs in the local area. Once germinated, these grasses grow quickly during the summer months.
Their growth is favored by warm temperatures and a good supply of water. Each annual grass plant produces thousands of seeds from midsummer through the early fall, when the first frost kills them. | |
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"A weed is a plant that has mastered every survival skill except for learning how to grow in rows."
Doug Larson |
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Aarrgghh...Weeds!
This newsletter is all about weeds...those pesky plants that seem to appear overnight and threaten to take over!
When it comes to controlling weeds your best defense is a good offense. Most weeds are "opportunists" that invade weakened lawns so the fight against weeds starts with good management.
There are several approaches to managing weeds in the home lawn. They include both non-herbicidal (cultural) methods such proper mowing, watering and fertilizing, and herbicidal (chemical) methods. Keeping your turfgrass areas dense, healthy, and well maintained will correct most if not all weed problems. If it is necessary to use a herbicide always read the labels carefully. Make sure you use the appropriate berbicide.
Here's the scoop on our most asked about weeds...those that really stand out in the patch! Learn more about weed control by visiting our website... take me there>>> |
1. Dandelions 
Dandelion, from the French word Dent-de-lioun..."tooth of the lion"... has sharply indented leaves and bright yellow blooms.
Controlling Dandelions...
- Dandelions are broadleaf weeds (dicots).
- Promoting lawn health is the best method of dandelion control.
- Use a post-emergent herbicide such as 2.4D and/or dicamba.
- Use a pre-emergent in the fall.
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2. Bindweed 
Bindweed leaves are arrowhead shaped and about 1/2 to 2 inches long. Bindweed has an extensive, deep network of roots and rhizomes enabling it to compete with other plants for water.
Herbicides have been relatively effective for suppression of bindweed, but have not been very effective for eradication. If herbicides are used, supplement them with appropriate preventive and cultural controls.
Controlling Bindweed...
- Bindweed is a broadleaf weed (dicot).
- Frequent mowing reduces its vigor.
- Use a post-emergent herbicide such as 2.4D and/or dicamba.
Eliminate flowers before they set seed. One plant may produce 500 seeds that can remain viable for 50 years in the right conditions.
- Consider using gall mites.
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3. Poa Annua 
Poa annua, or annual bluegrass, is one of the most common lawn weeds in the United States. Identified by its "boat-shaped" leaf tips, poa is lighter green, more shallow-rooted, and less drought tolerant than Kentucky bluegrass. It usually lives for only one year and is found in cool, frequently watered, shaded areas as well as in compacted soils.
Controlling Poa Annua...
- Poa Annua is a grassy weed (monocot).
- Avoid over-watering especially in shady areas.
- Set your mower blades higher. Lawns more than 2½ inches tall have very little poa annua.
- Use a post-emergent such as MSMA or DSMA. Works best when applied to young plants.
- Apply a pre-emergent in the fall.
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4. Henbit 
Henbit is a winter annual found in lawns in early spring. The lower leaves have a stalk while the upper leaves clasp the square stem. All the leaves are coarsely toothed and opposite each other. Flowers appear in May and are about one-half inch long, trumpet-shaped, pinkish white to purple, and form just above upper leaves.
Controlling Henbit...
- Henbit is a broadleaf weed (dicot).
- It has a taproot and is easily pulled from moist soil.
- Use a post-emergent herbicide such as 2.4D and/or dicamba at or prior to flowering.
- Use a pre-emergent in the fall.
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 5. Nutsedge
Yellow Nutsedge is a common weed found in many home lawns and other turfgrass areas. It is distinctive and relatively easy to identify. The stems are erect, triangular-shaped and yellow-green in color. The leaves are also yellow-green, wide bladed with a thick mid-vein and a very waxy covering. The shallow, fibrous root system often produces many nut-like tubers, which are underground food storage organs. Each of these tubers can germinate and produce new plants. Each new plant can also produce rhizomes which can give rise to additional new plants. Herbicides can be used for control but will not eliminate the plant.
Controlling Nutsedge...
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Nutsedge is a grassy weed (monocot).
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Limit tuber production by removing small nutsedge plants.
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Remove small plants by pulling them up by hand or using a hoe. Be sure to remove the whole plant including the tubers.
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Nutsedge populations can be reduced by shading, drying, and mulching.
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Use a post-emergent herbicide such as Image.
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Apply a pre-emergent in the spring. |
6. Summer Annual Grassy Weeds
Crabgrass, foxtail, barnyardgrass, goosegrass and sandbur (pictured right) are summer annual grassy weeds. These weeds germinate from midspring through midsummer and will continue to grow until the first hard frost or freeze. Mowing often causes summer annual grassy weeds to "stool", sending out new stems and shoots from the base of the plant. A pre-emergent applied in the spring is the most effective way to control this type of weed. For more information about this type of weed please refer to the Summer Annual Grassy Weeds column in the lefthand margin.
Controlling Summer Annual Grassy Weeds...
- Summer annual grassy weeds (monocots).
- A healthy lawn is the best control.
- Use a post-emergent such as MSMA or DSMA. Works best when applied to young plants.
- Applying a pre-emergent in the spring is the most effective method of control.
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7. Cheatgrass
Cheatgrass, also known as downy brome, is a winter annual bearing many drooping, yellowish-green spikelets in a loose cluster. It forms small tufts 8-24 inches tall, from a fibrous root system. Stems are erect and slender and leaf blades are flat. Cheatgrass reproduces by seed that germinates in the fall, over winters as a seedling, then flowers in the spring. Seeds have the potential to remain viable for 2 to 5 years.
Controlling Cheatgrass...
- Cheatgrass is a grassy weed (monocot).
- Mowing, grazing, tillage, and competition from other plants have all been shown to reduce populations.
- Use a post-emergent such as MSMA or DSMA. Works best when applied to young plants.
- Apply a pre-emergent in the fall.
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Everything you ever wanted to know about turfgrass... but didn't know who to ask!
I have a few weeds scattered throughout my lawn. How can I kill them without hurting the grass?
Choose an appropriate herbicide by carefully reading labels and then apply that herbicide directly onto the weed. Spraying the weed with a non-selective herbicide, such as RoundUp, can result in drift which will damage the grass. Here's a simple application idea...attach a small foam brush to a yardstick (tape, rubberbands, wire all work well). Spray the herbicide on the brush using a small amount to avoid accidental drips. The yardstick lets you dab the herbicide directly onto the weed. Easy on your back, easy on the grass, tough on the weeds!
Have a turfgrass question? Click here to email us...if we use your question in our newsletter we'll send you a gift! | |
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For more information about turfgrass be sure to visit our website HBarHTurf.com!
H Bar H Turf Farms
806.622.0861
877.424.8873 | |
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