“I had a very busy spring and summer, and weeds like dandelions in the lawn got away from me. Can I still spray them and get results? I have lots of travel planned for next spring and want to get a handle on all the weeds.”
— Roger Howe, Palos Heights
The first step to take is to be sure that you are maintaining your lawn in a way that promotes healthy grass, which will in turn help reduce the weeds. Proper lawn maintenance can make a big difference in reducing weed problems.
Many gardeners mow their lawns too short, which creates opportunities for weeds to get established. I mow my lawn at a height of 3 inches during the growing season, which promotes a healthy root system, which in turns helps the lawn withstand the hot and dry summer weather and choke out weeds. I do not water my lawn and let it go dormant during the summer — a proper mowing height is even more important when supplemental water is not being applied.
For small weed infestations, you can manually remove them using a weeder. It is best to remove as much of the root system as possible while minimizing disruption to the lawn. This method is not very practical for controlling large weed populations or weeds like clover that are intertwined with the lawn and very difficult to pull out.
You may or may not consider clover to be a weed in your lawn. I think a healthy approach to lawn weeds is to spot-spray weeds as needed to minimize the herbicide used and to have some tolerance for a few weeds in the lawn. When clover is in flower, it is good for pollinators, while it also supplies nitrogen that the bluegrass can use.
Perennial broadleaf weeds, such as dandelion, plantain, clover, violet and creeping Charlie that you may be seeing in your lawn now, can be effectively controlled in the fall from Sept. 1 to Nov. 15. October applications are typically optimal for the best results.
Differences in weather from year to year and the city where your lawn is located can change the spray window for optimum results, so use the dates above as a guideline and adjust as needed due to weather conditions. Herbicides work well on perennial broadleaf weeds in fall, as the plants are more likely to translocate the herbicides to the roots as days get shorter and cooler. Good control of these perennial weeds relies on killing the root systems and not just burning back the foliage above ground.
For your lawn, it will be best to use a liquid herbicide versus a granular herbicide, because the liquid will coat the plants more uniformly, and you will be using less herbicide since you are only applying it where needed. If the weed leaves are dry, the granules will not stick to the leaves and not provide any control.
The weed and feed products are convenient to use, but not as effective and have more negative impact on the environment, in my opinion. It is also difficult to keep the granules from going into your ornamental beds. Be sure to read the label and carefully follow instructions in order to get good control of the weeds and avoid damaging desirable plants.
Avoid spraying on a windy day, as the herbicide drift will damage any broad-leaf plant that it comes in contact with, including your ornamentals. Many herbicides will be rain-fast in six hours, but it is good practice to allow 24 hours of dry conditions after spraying to give enough time for proper absorption of the chemical.
The most effective control will be accomplished with combination herbicides that contain the product dicamba. The herbicides will be listed on the label with most of them also containing 2 4-D and MCPP. Other herbicides that will work well in combination with others include triclopyr and sulfentrazone.
For more plant advice, contact the Plant Information Service at the Chicago Botanic Garden at plantinfo@chicagobotanic.org. Tim Johnson is senior director of horticulture at the Chicago Botanic Garden.
"control" - Google News
October 23, 2021 at 05:00PM
https://ift.tt/2ZqJ4eG
October is ideal for fall weed control in your lawn - Chicago Tribune
"control" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3bY2j0m
https://ift.tt/2KQD83I
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "October is ideal for fall weed control in your lawn - Chicago Tribune"
Post a Comment