Weed Control

Pumpkin lattes are beginning to appear at the local coffee shop, which means fall is on the way! It’s difficult to imagine now, but in just 6 weeks we’ll be talking about early frosts. Time flies!

It’s amazing to gardeners that our lawns and landscapes can just be greening up in spring and yet there are weeds already growing like gangbusters and blooming! How do they get started so quickly? Aside from dandelions, three of the most common culprits found in the spring landscape are creeping Charlie, henbit and field speedwell.

Caring for a lawn and landscape is a lot of work! Mowing, fertilization, seeding and weed control in a lawn, along with planting, pruning and pest management in trees and landscape areas requires more time than many homeowners have available or the equipment to accomplish. Plus, the identification of weeds and pests often needs a professional's knowledge.

A weed is any plant growing where it isn’t wanted and, although they are less common than other weeds, trees and shrubs can also become weeds. Usually, these plants get started through seed dispersal by wind or wildlife and they can pop up in the most inconvenient places – fence lines, right next to a home’s foundation, planters or even in the middle of the lawn.

And it doesn’t matter what tree species it is, if it’s growing in the wrong place and can’t be moved, then control is necessary.

Late summer and fall are an exciting time in the garden. Harvest is in full swing, perennials can be divided, lawns can be overseeded, and so much more! It’s a shame to miss this window of opportunity to “upgrade” your landscape. There’s work to be done – that’s for sure – but focusing on the most important tasks first and tackling them in the right order will save work in the long run.

Last week, we looked at the best time and methods for controlling yellow nutsedge and summer annual weeds. Next up, let’s discuss broadleaf perennial and winter annual weeds. Examples of broadleaf weeds include dandelions, violets, ground ivy and poison ivy; from a very simplified perspective, broadleaf weeds are any weed which is not a grass or sedge.

About this time every summer weeds begin to drive us crazy; they love the heat of mid-summer! Here are some tips to help maintain your sanity and create the best long-term strategy to minimize weeds in your landscape.

Even though weeds are most problematic now, this is one of the worst times of year to get good control. Weeds don’t translocate herbicides into their roots well at this time of year, which limits effectiveness. In mid-summer when a systemic herbicide is used, it often kills only the weed's leaves, but not the crown or roots. So they quickly recover and grow back.

One of the most difficult weed situations to deal with on an acreage or large property is weedy vines growing in hedges or trees. Wild cucumber, burcucumber, and honeyvine milkweed are the most common culprits. These plants shade the foliage of the host plant, and interfere with their ability to photosynthesis. This is especially damaging to evergreen trees, which don’t tolerate shading well. Note: Field and hedge bindweed, and dodder can also be problematic, but will not be discussed here.

“Leaves of three, let it be!” Remember this rule of thumb to protect yourself from an itchy poison ivy rash this summer! Plants look innocent enough at this point in the season, but handling them is a mistake. All parts of a poison ivy plant – leaves, stems, roots, fruits – contain an oil called urushiol which causes an allergic reaction and rash. The rash can appear within hours of exposure or up to several days later. Sensitivity to urushiol builds up over time, making a once “immune” person susceptible.

After waiting all winter for a new growing season to start, when spring finally does arrive it seems to hit us hard and fast. Then before we know it, spring is gone and we’re in the middle of summer.

There are many tasks to accomplish in the spring landscape. To help you develop a plan and not get behind or miss your “window of opportunity”, here’s a quick rundown of common landscape projects listed in order of attack.

Weeds are usually the most visible lawn and landscape pest, and can be a major problem for homeowners. Weeds are opportunistic, taking advantage of thin areas in your lawn or openings in your landscape beds to grow and thrive. They compete with desirable plants for space, light, water, and nutrients, and detract from the appearance and function of your lawn or landscape.

Weed control is one of the biggest challenges most gardeners face in their landscapes, and getting off to a good start with weed control in spring can set the tone for the whole summer. Hopefully most gardeners have already made a preemergence herbicide application to their lawns and gardens to kill weed seeds as they begin to germinate. This spring's warm conditions have made it necessary to make this application about 3-4 weeks earlier than would be done in a "normal" year. Plan to make a second preemergence application in early June.