Controlling
weeds should begin long before chemical herbicide applications are
considered.
Cultural measures ought to be employed from the beginning. These include
a. proper irrigation - weeds often invade lawns that are either overwatered or underwatered. Perhaps the worst possible irrigation schedule, yet common, is daily watering for 5–10 minutes. Light, frequent irrigation creates a shallow-rooted lawn which is more susceptible to weed invasion, as well as being less tolerant to drought. In dry areas, where irrigation is employed, water should penetrate to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. The best practice is to allow the soil to partially dry out between irrigation. The top 1 to 2 inches should be fairly dry before watering again. For more information on irrigating lawns, in Hawaii see UH CTAHR publication, “Watering Lawns”, at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/info.aspx; or your local University Extension office or website.
Cultural measures ought to be employed from the beginning. These include
a. proper irrigation - weeds often invade lawns that are either overwatered or underwatered. Perhaps the worst possible irrigation schedule, yet common, is daily watering for 5–10 minutes. Light, frequent irrigation creates a shallow-rooted lawn which is more susceptible to weed invasion, as well as being less tolerant to drought. In dry areas, where irrigation is employed, water should penetrate to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. The best practice is to allow the soil to partially dry out between irrigation. The top 1 to 2 inches should be fairly dry before watering again. For more information on irrigating lawns, in Hawaii see UH CTAHR publication, “Watering Lawns”, at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/site/info.aspx; or your local University Extension office or website.
b.
Proper fertilization – apply suitable amounts of fertilizer on a regular basis;
nitrogen is the key nutrient for turf.
c. Proper mowing heights – each turfgrass species has an appropriate mowing height. Mowing some grasses too short can weaken the lawn and predispose it to weed invasion. A typical guide is to remove no more than one-third of the leaf blade at each mowing. If too much is removed, it will take more time for the grass to recover, giving weeds a chance to invade.
d. Thatch is a layer of organic matter - stems, stolons, roots - that develops between the turfgrass blades and the soil surface. Regular thatch removal will help keep turfgrass healthy and competitive with weeds. See the UH CTAHR publication “Removing Thatch from your Lawn” for more information on this procedure.
e. Any activities that lead to soil compaction will contribute significantly to turfgrass stress. This in turn, will make it easier for weeds to invade. These activities may include heavy foot traffic as well as vehicles traveling over the area.
It is impossible to get 100% weed control in your
lawn. Weeds will occur, but the problems can be minimized with a well-managed,
vigorously growing lawn. By combining cultural methods with herbicide
applications when needed, weeds will be minimized.
When controlling weeds in your lawn it's good to know the name of that weed to see if it is listed on the particular herbicide you have chosen to use. But what's more important, before identifying the species, is to know the type of weed: broadleaf or grassy weed. Distinguishing between the two will determine the appropriate herbicide to use. Controlling a grassy weed in a lawn (grass) is difficult since most chemicals cannot distinguish between good and bad grass species.
Fortunately, certain herbicides can distinguish between grassy plants and broadleaves. It is the chemical composition of the herbicide and the morphology of the plant that will cause certain herbicides to affect broadleaf plants but not affect grasses. Therefore, controlling broadleaf weeds in a grassy environment is relatively easy. Purchase an herbicide with the active ingredient 2,4-D, MCPP (mecoprop), or dicamba (Banvel). These products are often sold in combination, giving better management and a wider spectrum of the broadleaf weeds controlled.
Photo by Forest and Kim Starr - Nene, the Hawaiian goose, feeding on weeds and grass in a lawn setting.
Weeder geese are used with great success to control and eradicate troublesome grass and certain weeds in a variety of crops such as corn, flowers, strawberries and grapes. Note: Geese prefer grass species and will eat other weeds and crops only after the grasses are gone and they become hungry.
When controlling weeds in your lawn it's good to know the name of that weed to see if it is listed on the particular herbicide you have chosen to use. But what's more important, before identifying the species, is to know the type of weed: broadleaf or grassy weed. Distinguishing between the two will determine the appropriate herbicide to use. Controlling a grassy weed in a lawn (grass) is difficult since most chemicals cannot distinguish between good and bad grass species.
Fortunately, certain herbicides can distinguish between grassy plants and broadleaves. It is the chemical composition of the herbicide and the morphology of the plant that will cause certain herbicides to affect broadleaf plants but not affect grasses. Therefore, controlling broadleaf weeds in a grassy environment is relatively easy. Purchase an herbicide with the active ingredient 2,4-D, MCPP (mecoprop), or dicamba (Banvel). These products are often sold in combination, giving better management and a wider spectrum of the broadleaf weeds controlled.
For
light weed infestations, spot treating is more appropriate than treating the
entire lawn. Apply just enough of the solution to wet the leaf, do not apply to
the point that the herbicide is dripping off the leaf. To insure maximum
absorption, stop mowing 2 or 3 days before
treatment and allow 3 or 4 days before mowing again. This allows sufficient time for the weeds to absorb the
herbicide and transport it to their roots.
Caution:
these materials are volatile, especially 2,4-D. The drift can damage other valued
broadleaf plants; tomatoes and hibiscus are particularly sensitive.
Photo by Forest and Kim Starr - Nene, the Hawaiian goose, feeding on weeds and grass in a lawn setting.
Weeder geese are used with great success to control and eradicate troublesome grass and certain weeds in a variety of crops such as corn, flowers, strawberries and grapes. Note: Geese prefer grass species and will eat other weeds and crops only after the grasses are gone and they become hungry.
