weed, insect control on lawn near garden and shrubs?
I have small lawn, about 3500 s.f. There are large trees that are the edge of woods in the back. I have a small raised vegetable garden in the middle of the lawn. I also have a few small blueberry and raspberry bushes amongst the lawn.
I am using the scotts program. I am looking for some alternatives. Basically, after using step 2 weed control I noticed the bluberries look like they were damaged by it. I didnt spread it right at the base of them, but maybe gave them an 18″ buffer. This wasnt enough. I am thinking that I may want to just spread turf builder by scotts for the lawn, and aplly seperate products for weed and insects. I will be applying grubex in the next few days. In mid july I plan on applying an insect control product. And would like to apply another weed application. What tips do people have on a weed application that won’t harm the bushes and garden?
For weed control, the best solution is to dig them up by the root. You can also pour boiling water on them. Do not use salt as this may harm your existing plants. Vinegar may work, but again, it may do harm.
Bayer Lawn Weed Control
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What actions should I take for a neighbor that has been spraying weed killer in my garden?
Over the past couple of months I have grown aware that my neighbor has been spraying weed killer in my garden, including on some of my fruit bushes. I’m very worried, because I have small children and am in fear of them coming into contact with the substance . What should I do about it?
My neighbor is a she, and only a fence divides my garden and hers. Considering she has no plants whatsoever in her garden, the spraying has been on purpose.
We are not exactly on speaking terms.
I think that you should talk to the police. Take your children down to the station with you.
Do you spray your lawn with pesticides and/or herbicides?
Why? What pests do you intend to kill?
Or are you killing the weeds and encouraging grass to grow?
Do you fertrilise your lawn?
Do you hate dandelions? What about daisies and wax-caps?
No, I have a young child and a dog who play on the grass. I don’t want my child’s hands, arms or face exposed to poisons while he tumbles on the lawn. I also don’t want my dog chewing grass that has pesticides or herbicides.
Weeds actually have a great purpose. Plants grow where the conditions are best for those plants to grow and they all contribute to the soil in their own special way.
Dandelions, for example, grow in soil where there is little calcium. They then contribute calcium to the soil, and eventually stop growing at the site, making the soil rich for another type of plant. We should not fight mother nature so much.
Some people pick dandelions and use them for tea or salads. They have many health benefits. We of course can’t eat from a lawn laden with poison.
Pests can be controlled naturally. You can introduce predators by building bird houses, bat houses, or introducing other friendly bugs that control the unwanted pests.
Valor Herbicide and Broad Spectrum Control of Tough Weeds
Lawn Weeds – Facts, Fiction and Control,soil deficiency,
Weed Control
We can tell the health of the soil below a lawn by the weeds that are successful in the competition for space. They are a problem because they are not as effective as grass in achieving the desired results of a lawn. Safety, erosion control, water purification, water infiltration, atmospheric carbon reduction and other environmental benefits that are the result of lawn grasses are reduced by most weeds.
The best defense against weeds is a healthy lawn, because grass can easily out-compete weeds when conditions are maintained in the grasses favor. Nutrient deficiencies, nutrient excesses, soil compaction, acidic soils, excessive shade, wet soils, bioactivity and many other problems can be detected by what plants are successful in infiltrating a lawn.
Below is a list of some of the common names of indicator weeds that can help determine what issues are making your lawn less than perfect. Correct the problem that creates a competitive advantage for the weed and you will have an easier time getting the lawn results you are looking for.
Alkaline soil: field peppergrass, goosefoot, gromwell, true chamomile, bladder campionSoil pH maintenance has been harmed by the misnomer that turfgrass grows best in a pH of 7.0. The different grass types require different pH soils for best growth, health, weed control and disease resistance.
Soil composition plays an important role in lawn quality. Deficiencies can slow or halt turf development. Proper pH can slow weed production and propagation.
Acidity – In acidic soil: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium availability is reduced. in alkaline: iron, zinc, manganese and copper are not available. To decrease acidic soil pH, add sulfur. To increase alkaline soil pH , add lime.
Boron – Slow growth, pale green tips, bronze tint. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Calcium – Reddish-brown leaves, may curl and die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Copper - Yellow and stunted leaves, tips die. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Iron – Pale leaves, turning yellow. Reduce phosphorus fertilization
Magnesium – Yellow stripes on leaves, turning red. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements. Adjust soil pH.
Manganese – Yellow spots on leaves, withered at tips. Manganese sulfate
Molybdenum – Yellow and withered leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Nitrogen – Light green or yellow-green leaves, may start dying at tips. Apply an organic fertilizer suited to your turf grass. Centipede, for example can be harmed by too much nitrogen.
Phosphorus – Thin sod, thin curled leaves, dusky blue-green with purple tint in cool weather. Raise pH (reduce acidity)
Potassium – Yellow tips on leaves, may turn brown and die at tips. Apply an organic soil amendment containing Kelp. Adjust pH.
Sulfur – Yellow leaves. Usually an indication of low pH. Add sulfur.
Zinc – Small and yellow leaves. Apply an organic soil amendment containing trace elements.
Microbial activity
Soil microbes are essential to the health of a lawn. They convert nutrients to useable energy plant roots can absorb easily while detoxifying the soil.
Use only organic fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides. Synthetic/chemical products kill soil microbes. Apply a bio-enhanced dethatcher
I pay a proffesional comany big bucks to care for my lawn, yet thay never seem to get rid of the weeds and I’m tired of calling them every month for a respray. Is there something available over the counter that I can use to kill broadleaf weeds?
What you need is a selective herbicide(many on the market) that kill broad leaf weeds and do not affect grass species
I use a product(Agri Chemical) Versitil
If they are calling every month to re spray they are ripping you off
I normally spray mid/late spring and then fertilise and do it again early autumn and spot spray as necessary during the season
I spray the whole lawn area to ensure I get all the weeds especially those that are not easily visable and about a week later fertilise lawn with a formulated lawn fertiliser
A full spray twice a year is enough
If you want , an airfare and a few beers and I will show you how to do it yourself and save a sh*itload of money. Its not really that difficult, just need an experienced person to show you and you are away laughing(sorry a bit of Kiwi Humour)
The Best Weed Killer Methods – Make your Garden Beautiful and Weed Free
Weeding is part of gardening and there is just no way to avoid it. Even if you employdefensive plans, you will still get them. There are already weed seeds, roots and crowns that are in the garden. Wind, birds and your own pet can carry in weeds from the outside. On the other hand, there are a variety of techniques that you can do to minimize your weeding chore. Your activity can be as effortless as 5-10 minutes a day and you will be able to prevent them from germinating and growing. Here are Best Weed Killer methods.
Putting mulch in your garden is one effective system to diminish your weeding tasks. The weeds are easier to pull out for the reason that the soil remains soft and wet below the mulch. It prevents weeds from developing and spreading.
The first time you do it, produce sure to pluck out the whole weed.. Most weeds can expand from a small part of root or stem left in the garden. Some taprooted weeds like dandelions multiply if the whole root is not removed.
Stop the weeds from establishing seeds.. Make sure you take out the flower heads before the seed ripens and drops.. Several perennials like coneflowers, alliums and ornamental grasses can self-sow enthusiastically.
Be wary of the things that can potentially take weed problem in your garden. Examples are uncomposted manure which can transmit weed seeds and seed-rich hay. Make sure that they are weed-free if you plan on using them.
Avoid composting mature weed seed heads.. Even if a hot compost can get rid of weed seeds, it will not ensure that it will be hot enough. The better alternative for you is to toss them out rather than germinating them along with your compost.
Just like flowers, there are also different kinds of weeds. They are called annual, biennial and perennial weeds. Each group poses its own kind so if you know what group they fall into, you can better manage them. Annual weeds survive only for a season. Examples are wild mustard, purslane, crabrgrass and pigweed.. However, they produce a number of of seeds which can ensure the victory of them germinating. Biennial weeds like mullein form a rosette of leaves during their first season. The following year, they flower, set seed and die. Perennial weeds live for years and have deep and persistent roots. Examples are dandelion, bindweed, dock, wild garlic, ground ivy and plaintain.
The solution to effective weeding is persistence and perseverance. It is more helpful to start weeding as soon as you see the problem and then persist to observe for new seeds. Control is much more tough if the weeds take over the garden. An all year round weeding program that might consist of just simple 5-10 minutes activity everyday can save you time and labor in the long run. This will ensure that you will have a exquisite and nice looking garden.
About the Author
For more tips and information, visit Weed Killer for Lawns to find out more on how to control weeds in your lawn or check out Best Weed Killer to see which method best suit your garden.
Weeds can be an organic gardener’s curse. Actually, for all gardeners, weeds are the bane of their existence in some cases. This author absolutely detests weeding her garden, but it must be done to promote healthy growth of plants and insure a good crop.
Even if you’re not an organic gardener, weed control is a problem. There really is no easy answer to this problem. It just takes time and effort to control the unwanted overgrowth in your garden. This is where mulching and composting come into play. First of all, twice a week, run the edge of a sharp hoe just under the surface of the soil to behead tiny weeds before they grow large enough to compete with your seedlings.
Once the seedlings are larger, the soil is warm and drenching rains have ended, put down a layer of mulch to hold in moisture and smother weeds. Mulch is material that can be laid down around the plants to control weeds.
Choose ingredients that allow the soil to breathe, let water in and keep light out. These can include dried–not fresh–grass clippings, chopped straw, lawn-mower-chopped leaves mixed with dried grass clippings or well-rotted sawdust (avoid fresh sawdust, as it leaches nitrogen from the soil), and pine needles are all good choices. Apply the mulch several inches thick.
Be warned that if you use grass clippings or weeds, you run the risk of bringing insects or diseases into the garden if these are not composted. Either of these types of mulching can become incubators for insects, so it’s best to compost them before using as mulch. A thick layer of mulch keeps light from reaching weeds. Without adequate light, the plants don’t produce enough chlorophyll to enable further growth. Most of these plants sicken and die before you even notice them. The few plants that do manage to stick their leaves into the light will be shallowly rooted and very easy to pull.
Organic mulches-straw, grass clippings, leaves, shredded bark-nourish the soil as they decompose. They are fairly effective weed barriers. You can also apply a layer of compost to control weeds. Be warned that if you use kitchen waste to make your compost, you could have some “volunteer” plants that crop up. One of my neighbors was pleasantly surprised to find cherry tomatoes growing where she had composted. She included discarded tomato seeds in her compost pile and these seeds germinated on their own making a really nice little surprise crop for her! If you live in a wet climate, you may wish to avoid mulching and keep cultivating, because mulch can lead to waterlogged soil and fungal diseases. In a climate subject to dry spells, mulch can dramatically reduce plant stress by helping the soil retain moisture. If you irrigate, feel under the mulch to be sure the water is getting through.
Mulch is great, but there are two ways to misuse it. One is to mulch heat-loving plants too early in the season, before the soil warms up. Mulch smothers weeds, but it’s also a good insulator. Cantaloupes, tomatoes, potatoes, watermelons, peppers and egg plants will produce better if mulched. Another mistake is to put down too little mulch. It looks good for a few weeks, but then weeds poke through, and they must be hand pulled, for there’s just enough mulch covering the ground to make hoeing impossible. Insufficient mulch gives your plants much less drought protection. How much is enough? Well, maybe this will give you an idea: Sawdust; 2 to 3-inches / Shredded leaves; 8 to 10-inches / Straw; 5 to 7-inches / Newspaper; 4 to 7-inches / and Grass Clippings; 5-inches when you first spread them.
Another way to control weeds is through various ground covers. This is often called “soil solarization”. Soil solarization involves placing thick plastic sheeting on top of the weeds and allowing the natural sun to “bake” the weeds until they die. This can take some time, so you must be patient!
Many people prefer to use newspaper for their ground cover. Because the paper will naturally decompose, it is environmentally friendly as well. Simply place 4-5 layers of newspaper in between your plants and cover with a light layer of dirt so they don’t blow away! By covering up the weeds, you will be better able to control them! Also consider Kraft paper – like grocery bags – or cardboard. By using Kraft paper and cardboard, even less light can reach the weeds and makes the cover even more impenetrable.
You can suppress the growth of weed seeds early in the season by spreading corn gluten meal over the area where they’re growing. Corn gluten meal, a by-product of corn processing that’s often used to feed livestock, inhibits the germination of seeds- bear in mind, once the weeds have gone beyond the sprout stage, corn gluten will not affect them. Be wary, however. Corn gluten doesn’t discriminate between seeds you want to sprout and those you don’t want, so avoid using corn gluten meal where and when you’ve sown seeds. It works best with established plants.
Unfortunately, you will have to employ some old-fashioned methods to weed control in your garden. It can’t be avoided. Hoeing is a huge part of a successful garden. Annual weeds die when you sever the stems from the roots just below the soil surface. With a sharp hoe, you cut the weeds easily. You may want to eschew the traditional square headed hoe for this job and try an oscillating one. To hoe your garden without cultivating a backache, hold the hoe as you would a broom-that is, with your thumbs pointing up. Skim the sharp sides of the hoe blade through the top inch of the soil.
You will also have to do some hand-pulling of those weeds. It doesn’t have to be back-breaking work, though. It just takes persistence. Here’s the trick to comfortable, quick weed-pulling Put your hands in front of you, thumbs up and palms facing your body, one hand in front of the other. Now roll your hands, like kids do when singing “This old man goes rolling home.”
Pinch your forefinger and thumb together as you reach the outermost edge of the imaginary circle your hands are tracing and move your arms to the side as you roll your hands. With practice, you will be surprised by how quickly you clean up a row in the garden with this movement. Finally, organic weed control can be done easily by placing common household vinegar in a spray bottle and apply to those weeds. Vinegar is the organic equivalent of the commercial Round-Up, so be careful when applying around thriving plants. Beside those incessant weeds, you’ll also need to worry about pest control.
