Have some of that same crap in a couple patches in my lawn. guess i know what i'm doing with that..
Yard Care for Dummies
- Thread starter wxman1
- Start date
You can "paint" roundup on using a paintbrush to avoid damage to surrounding grass. Roundup also makes a gel form that looks like a deodorant stick. That's a good option. If the weed is rhizomatous, roundup is the better option rather than digging it out. Just be prepared for a long war and not just one battle to get rid of whatever you have.
Best tip of the thread: Don't buy your grass seed from a big box store. It has weed seeds of the sort that are really hard to get rid of along with grass seed. Buy seed rated for sod farms. It will have zero weed seeds and the "other crop" listed on the bag will be zero or nearly zero. It's the "other crop" label that is really important because these are actually the grassy weeds that are most difficult to get rid of. If you don't have a good place to buy seed nearby, there are many reputable dealers online that sell sod quality seed. Paying extra for sod quality seed is worth it.
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I was actually thinking about trying the roundup gel. I might just have to do that.
I've been debating between the gel round-up or one of these weeders that pull things up by the roots.
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Garden/page.aspx?p=54671&cat=2,2300,44822&ap=1
http://www.leevalley.com/us/Garden/page.aspx?p=54671&cat=2,2300,44822&ap=1
I have a drainage issue in my backyard where the lot lines meet; nights like tonight leaves standing water; my sprinkler system has to be managed in those zones. It’s a PIA, but I plan to be here a long time, so while I am not a patient guy, I am stubborn. Is there an effective manner to apply compost over new sod?
Look up "top dressing a lawn" on youtube. Cut your grass relatively low, spread out compost, and work it in with a rake. Mulch your leaves and all your grass clippings. Rinse and repeat for the next 5 years. Add a french drain...
Do you guys put the mulch right onto the dirt or do you put that cloth stuff down to keep the weeds down?
Have not read the whole thread but does anyone know of a weed killer that is safe for lawns and pets? I've been googling and can only find preemergents and weed/grass killers.
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Most of the options out there have a shortish reentry period after application. Some decent ones that you can reenter after it dries. Earl May has some good options and can normally give you good recommendations.
The cloth is more work on the front end but it works. I’ve normally just spot sprayed with roundup.
It depends on what level you deem safe. The standard big box weed control options are approved for residential home use. I keep my dog off of the yard until after the spray has dried. I don't blanket my yard with weed 'n feed type products or blanket spray weed control. I'm not saying the chemicals don't have any toxicity, surely they do. Pretty much anything we put into our bodies including foods and medicines have a toxicity component. 2,4-D is a common weed control and I personally think it's more toxic than glyphosate (Roundup), but I still use both. Wear protective boots and gloves when applying lawn chemicals and stay off until dry.
This stuff was a real problem in mine and a couple neighbors yards 6 or 7 years ago. Back then I worked in the home office of a large CO-OP in Ames and talked to the Agronomy guys - even brought them a chunk to look at. They said it was a wide-bladed fescue and set me up with a product called Certainty. It was $100 for a 2.5 ounce back then - Co-op cost. They told me that is what golf courses used to keep that crap out of the fairways. My neighbor has a yard guy and we have him mix it and apply to all the yards in a backpack sprayer for a $100 bill on the side. Took a couple of years but it is all but eliminated from our yards. Now he just mixes a small amount up and spot treats any he finds in the early fall.
It does stress the hell out of the bluegrass. Stops growing for a couple weeks but after that, the wide--bladed crap is dead and the bluegrass gets rolling again.
Landscaper said to not use weed barrier fabric under mulch, because you want the mulch to eventually break down and add organic matter to the soil. Can be a pain in the butt though to keep mulched areas weed & grass free, especially in thin spots over time with wind and decomposing cover.
Mulching definitely has ongoing cost & maintenance factors to consider.
With a dog and young kids whatever is there ends up in the grass so we would much rather it be mulch than the current rocks.
Certainty is not approved for use in cool season turf and will absolutely damage or kill bluegrass and fescue.
If you are doing a raised bed 6" or deeper than you don't need to do anything. If you are just doing a garden straight in the ground then use Roundup. You can water a day after spraying and then try and sprout some more weeds, and then spray again two weeks later.
If you till the ground keep in mind this brings new weed seeds to the surface. There are pros and cons to going no till .
