Does seeing those weeds in your yard and flowerbeds stress you out? Do you dread spending every Saturday morning eliminating them? Hoping that they never return? Well, I can't promise that, but I can say that the tips in this article will make your life easier. First, let's discuss some quick terminology:
Pre-Emergent Herbicide- An herbicide which you put down BEFORE you get weeds. Granular form is the most common, although you will find an occasional liquid at the consumer level. I use Dimension 270-G. It's great. In general, the most effective time to use is prior to March. After March, seeds are germinating so it's more effective to wait until they shoot through the soil, which can be anywhere from April to June. But keep in mind this process occurs at varying levels throughout the year. When you establish this process as a routine you can almost say goodbye to pulling weeds in your flowerbeds on Saturdays!
Post-Emergent Herbicide- This is what you use AFTER the weed has broken through the soil. Most common is Round-Up by Monsanto. Various brands at the consumer level. The active ingredient in Round-Up is glyphosate. In general, this active ingredient is a systemic, which means that it is taken up by the plant. So what does this mean to you? A few things, mainly that you have to sufficiently spray the weed so that the entire plant is coated. Glyphosate only works for as long as it is on the plant, don't think you can spray the dirt and stop the weeds. Post-Emergent herbicides do not work that way.
Above all, read every product label in it's entirety. The label is the law and you must abide by it. Most consumer products are ready to use, not concentrate so you don't have to worry about incorrect mixing. But overapplication is a big problem. See my quick tips below.
- Don't overapply. Get out of the mindset that "if the label says to spray 1 quart per 1,000 square feet then I'm gonna spray 2 quarts because it will work better". You're only contributing to groundwater pollution, and possibly damaging your landscaping.
- Don't apply within 3 days of forecasted rain. You'll only waste your money. Why? See below. And runoff contributes to groundwater pollution.
- DO apply when it's nice and hot. You want the weeds to soak up the treatment quickly and effectively. Don't water those areas either.
- DO apply when there is no breeze. Trust me, you do not want drift of an herbicide. If you spray weeds between plants you'll be able to tell, there will be some yellowing along those plant edges.
- Don't apply near grass areas, unless you want to kill the grass. When you spray a lone weed near a grass area, there is a chance of overspray. Better to uproot it than take a chance.
- Results vary but can be seen anywhere from within 24 hours to 10 days after treatment. Climate and preciseness of application determine the success of your treatment.
- Use a sprayer. I like the 2 gallon sprayer for Round-Up. About $20 at Home Depot. Has a nice nozzle on it which allows for fan spray and conical spray patterns. Don't bother with those one gallon jugs and the hand actuated nozzles. Less precision, not to mention tiring!
- Rinse your sprayer. It will preserve the life of your sprayer and nozzle. Don't spray out the rinsate over your nice lawn! Spray rinsate over an area you just treated instead. (Did I just make up a word? "Rinsate" is the residual chemical mixied with rinse water in your sprayer.) Sounds good to me.
- Call a professional if you are unsure. Experience counts. Don't take a chance on your landscaping, it's a huge investment.
- A professional has access to professional products. This means that I can determine what is the appropriate rate of treatment. This is handy for some species which do not respond to "over the counter" post emergent herbicides.
I offer weed control services and consultation. I'm licensed by the Department of Pesticide Regulation with a category in Landscape Maintenance, among other things. Ask your gardener if he's licensed to apply pesticides or herbicides, it's the law.
If you apply any of the concepts I have detailed in this article, you are soley responsible for your actions. Pest Rx does not assume any liability.
