Lynn Brandenberger and Frank J. Daniello

• 2019 Weed Control Guide
• Weed Control In Lawns
• Weed Management Pdf Angrau
• Aquatic Weed Control Pdf
• Weed Control Ppt

2019 Weed Control Guide

Portuguese translation of this page provided by Artur Weber of homeyou.com

Non-Chemical Weed Control is the first book to present an overview of plant crop protection against non-food plants using non-chemical means. Plants growing wild—particularly unwanted plants found in cultivated ground to the exclusion of the desired crop—have been treated with herbicides and chemical treatments in the past. This guide provides weed identification and control information that turfgrass professionals can use to develop effective weed control programs for golf courses, athletic fields, sod farms, lawns, and other turfgrass systems. The recommendations apply to the majority of the United States, with input from experts in Illinois, Indiana.

Economic losses due to weeds are encountered nearly everywhere weeds occur. To better appreciate the losses due to weeds, consider the following results of weed infestation:

Lower Yields, Less Efficient Use of Land

• Yields frequently are reduced by weeds competing with vegetables and other crops for water, nutrients, and light.
• Crop choice may be limited by the presence of high populations of weeds. Most vegetable crops will not compete effectively against heavy weed growth.
• Harvesting costs are commonly increased. Mechanical harvesting may be impossible.
• Root and crop damage may result from cultivation designed to control weeds. Soil structure may be destroyed by repeated cultivation, especially if the soil is wet.

Added Costs from Losses Due to Insects and Diseases

• Weeds may harbor insect and disease organisms that attack vegetables and other crops. For example: Carrot weevil and carrot rust fly may be harbored by the wild carrot, to later pose a problem for cultivated carrots. Aphids and cabbage root maggots may live in wild mustards to later attack cabbage, cauliflower, radish and turnips. Thrips thrive in ragweed and mustards, and may later attack vegetable crops. The virus diseases, squash leaf curl on watermelon and spotted wilt of tomatoes are carried by insect vectors that live on weeds in fields and along field borders.

Poor Quality Products

• All types of vegetables and other crop products may be reduced in quality, rendering them less marketable. Weeds can cause vegetables to be spindly, poorly developed and colored “leafy crops;” root crops can become poorly formed; fruits (tomatoes, peppers, beans) undersized, low quality, and poorly shaped; and, foreign matter originating from weeds occurring in crop products are a few examples.

More Problems in Water Management

• Weeds are becoming increasingly important in irrigation and drainage systems. Weeds also pose a problem by reducing the efficiency of water delivery and drainage systems.
• Less Human Efficiency
• Weed control involves a large portion of the effort required of a vegetable farmer to produce a crop. Weeds interfere with harvest operations making them less efficient. This effort and expense directly influences the cost of crop production and thus, the cost of food at the retail level.

Managing Weeds

Weeds are managed in three different ways; avoidance, control, and eradication.

Avoidance

Prevention means stopping a given species from contaminating an area. Prevention is often the most practical means of controlling weeds. This is best accomplished by making sure that new weed seeds are not carried onto the farm in contaminated crop seeds, transplants, irrigation water, and feed or from soil on machinery. Preventing existing weeds on the farm from flowering and going to seed and preventing the spread of perennial weeds which reproduce vegetatively are excellent approaches to avoiding weed problems.

Control

Control is the process of limiting weed infestations. The number of weeds is limited, so that there is a minimum of weed competition. Thus, the amount of control usually is balanced between the costs involved in control and the amount of possible negative effect on the crop. Control is the method usually used by producers toward annual weeds competing with vegetable crops.

Eradication

Eradication is complete elimination of all living weed plants, plant parts and seeds from an area. The two problems involved with eradication are eliminating the living plants, and, exterminating the weed seeds in the soil. Usually, it is far easier to eradicate the living plants than the seeds in the soil. However, for true eradication of weeds, both must be exterminated. This is very difficult and not economical.

Classification of Weeds

The methods needed for effective control or eradication of weeds are largely determined by the weed’s length of life, the time of year that it grows and its method(s) of reproduction. The three principal groups of weeds are annuals, biennials, and perennials.

Annuals

An annual plant completes its life cycle from seed in less than one year. Normally, they are considered relatively easy to control. This is true for any crop of weeds. However, due to their large number, abundance of seed and fast growth, annuals are very persistent. They often cost more to control than perennial weeds.

Most common weeds found in vegetable fields are annuals. There are two types: (1) summer annuals and (2) winter annuals.

Summer Annuals

Summer annuals germinate in the spring, make most of their growth during the summer, usually flower and produce seed and die in the fall. Their seeds lie dormant in the soil until the next spring. Summer annuals include such weeds as cocklebur, morningglory, pigweed, lambsquarters, common ragweed, crabgrass, foxtail and goosegrass. These weeds are most troublesome in summer crops like corn, peppers, tomatoes, okra, vine crops and most other spring and early summer planted vegetable crops.

Winter Annuals

Winter annuals germinate in late summer, fall and winter and usually flower and mature their seed in the spring or early summer before dying. Their seeds often lie dormant in the soil during the summer months. High soil temperatures (>125 F) tend to inhibit the germination of winter annual weeds. This group of annual weeds includes downy brome, cheatgrass, shepherdspurse, sowthistle, London rocket, wild mustard and henbit. These are troublesome mostly in winter and early spring growing crops such as carrots, onions, cole crops, lettuce, etc.

Biennials

A biennial plant lives for more than 1 year but not over 2 years. Only a few troublesome weeds fall in this group, and wild carrot, bull thistle, common mullein and burdock are examples.

There is usually some confusion between the biennials and winter annual group since the winter annual group normally lives during 2 calendar years and during at least 2 seasons.

Perennials

Perennials live for more than 2 years and may live almost indefinitely. Most reproduce by seed, and many are able to spread vegetatively. They are classified according to their method of reproduction as simple or creeping.

Simple Perennials

Simple perennials spread only by seed. They have no normal means of spreading vegetatively. However, if injured or cut, the cut pieces may produce new plants. For example, a dandelion or dock root cut in half may produce two plants. The roots usually are fleshy and may grow very large. Other examples include buckhorn plantain, broadleaf plantain and pokeweed.

Creeping Perennials

Creeping perennials reproduce by creeping roots (creeping above ground stems, stolen, or creeping below ground stems, rhizomes) in addition to seeds. Some examples include red sorrel, perennial sow thistle, field bindweed, wild strawberry, mouseear chickweed, ground ivy, bermudagrass, Johnsongrass, quackgrass, and Canada thistle. Also, some weeds maintain themselves and propagate by means of tubers which are modified rhizomes adapted for food storage. Jerusalem artichoke and nutsedge (nutgrass) are examples of weeds propagated by tubers.

Once a field is infested, creeping perennials are probably the most difficult group to control. Cultivators and plows often drag pieces about the field. To gain control, you often need continuous and repeated cultivation, repeated mowing for 1 to 2 years, soil sterilant chemicals or persistent and repeated use of other effective herbicides.

Weed Identification

One of the most important aspects of successfully managing or controlling weeds in crop fields is being able to properly identify the weeds. To aid in identification, drawings of common weeds that occur in Texas vegetable fields are presented at the end of this chapter.

Methods of Weed Control

Mechanical

Burial: This is effective on most small annual weeds. If all growing points are buried, most annual weeds are killed. Burial is only partly effective on weeds with underground stems and roots that are capable of sprouting; examples are field bindweed, Canada thistle, quackgrass, bermudagrass, johnsongrass, and nutsedge. For control, such perennials must be repeatedly cut off or buried until the underground parts are killed by carbohydrate depletion. After cultivation to control these perennials, it is important to clean your machinery to avoid infesting other fields.

Disturbance of the rooting system: Shallow cultivation with equipment such as sweeps, knives, harrows, finger weeders and rotary hoes are used for this purpose. The objective of this type of tillage is to loosen or cut the root system frequently, so the plant dies from desiccation (drying out) before it can reestablish its roots. Small weeds are most easily controlled by this method, and it is most effective in hot, dry weather with dry soils. In moist soils, or if it rains soon after tillage, the weeds may root and quickly reestablish themselves. In effect you transplant the weed, with little or no injury to it.

Most serious perennial weeds are easily destroyed by tillage when they are seedlings. These weeds, however, are difficult to kill after they develop rhizomes, stolons, tubers or reproductive roots.

Crop Competition

Crop competition is one of the cheapest and most useful methods a vegetable producer can use to control weeds. Often, it means using the best crop production methods, methods so favorable to the crop that weeds are crowded out. Competition makes full use of one of the oldest laws of nature, survival of the fittest. Some of the more competitive crops are closely planted bush green bean, cucumber, winter squash and sweet potato. Sweet corn, pole bean, watermelon and transplanted tomato, pepper and cabbage are intermediate. Slow or short growing crops such ascarrot, onion, okra, and direct seeded tomato, pepper, and cabbage are considered noncompetitive.

Carried one step further, a certain “balance of nature” is implied. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Every living organism in nature carries on the most ruthless kind of competition. “Nature’s balance” changes day by day. It is truly a survival of the fittest.

Weeds are naturally strong competitors. If not, they would fail nature’s test of “survival of the fittest.” Those weeds that can best compete always tend to dominate. For example, some weeds germinate and grow very quickly and may dominate a field seeded with a slower growing vegetable.

Weeds compete with crop plants for light, soil moisture and nutrients, carbon dioxide, and physical space. One wild mustard plant may consume twice as much nitrogen and phosphorus, four times as much potassium and four times as much water as a well developed onion plant. The average common ragweed consumes almost three times as much water as does a sweet corn plant. Weeds, as a group, have much the same requirements for growth as vegetables. For every pound of weed growth, the soil produces about one pound less of crops. The competition for nutrients can be easily seen from chemical analysis of weeds growing and competing with corn.

Early weed competition usually reduces crop yields far more than late season weedy growth. Therefore, early weed control is extremely important. Although late weedy growth may not seriously reduce yields, it makes harvest difficult, reduces crop quality, reinfests the land with seeds and may harbor numerous insects and diseases.

In planning a control program it is important to know the weed’s life cycle. Possibly the cycle can be interrupted to gain easy and effective control. In crop production, this may be a well timed chemical spray or a shift in planting date which enables the vegetable crop gets the upper hand or competitive advantage.

Mulching with plastic film or organic matter such as straw, hay, or any other similar material is largely a matter of competition for light. Most weed seedlings cannot penetrate the thick covering and are killed for lack of light. When using hay, realize that new weeds may be introduced.

Crop Rotation

Certain weeds are more common in some crops than in others. This is often due to time of year that the crop is grown. For example, pigweed, lambsquarters, common ragweed and crabgrass often are found in tomatoes, peppers, vine crops, sweet corn and in other summer cultivated crops. Wild mustard, volunteer small grains, wild garlic, cornflower and thistles are weeds that occur frequently in the fall and winter vegetables.

Rotation of vegetable crops can be an efficient way to reduce weed populations. A good rotation for weed control usually includes strong competitive crops grown in each part of the rotation.

Biological Predators and Diseases

In biological weed control, a “natural enemy” of the plant is used which is harmless to desired plants. Insects or disease organisms usually are the natural enemies. Parasitic plants, selective grazing by livestock and rodents, and highly competitive replacement plants are other forms of biological control. Examples of biological weed control exist in the literature. However, at the present time, there are no prime examples of biological control of weeds in vegetables fields, but research in this area is in progress.

Chemical Control

The use of chemicals for weed control in vegetables and other crops has developed rapidly since 1944. Chemicals used to control weeds are called herbicides.

Using Herbicides for Weed Control

There are three types of herbicides, depending upon their effects on plants: contact, growth regulators and soil sterilants.

• Contact herbicide cause rapid drying of planting tissue. Herbicides such as paraquat (Gramoxone) are nonselective contact herbicides.
• Growth regulating herbicides control physiological processes of plants such as cell division or expansion. Some also inhibit the plant ability to convert light into food energy. Examples are 2,4-D (sold under various trade names.)
• Soil sterilants are nonselective or selective herbicides used at high rates and are applied for the elimination of all plant growth. There are two categories of soil sterilants, persistent and nonpersistent. The persistent sterilants are normally used on noncropland areas such as railroads, highway barriers, etc. and around buildings. Nonpersistent sterilants such as Vapam and methyl bromide dissipate readily from the soil and are used in vegetable production prior to the growing season.

Time of Chemical Treatment

The time of chemical application may determine an herbicide’s usefulness in various crops. The time of application may be given with respect to the crop or with respect to the weed.

Preplant is any treatment made before the crop is planted. For example, trifluralin (Treflan) needs to be incorporated into the soil to kill weed seeds before planting the vegetable crop. Failure to incorporate a preplant incorporated herbicide can result in its loss as a gas, or can cause a herbicide to be broken down by the sun.

Preemergence is any treatment made prior to emergence of a specified crop or weed. The treatment can be applied preemergence to both the crop and weeds or to the weeds. Therefore, a statement as to preemergence to the crop, preemergence to the weeds, or preemergence to both the crop and the weeds will clearly establish the timing of the treatment.

Postemergence is any treatment made after emergence of a specified crop or weed. For example, metribuzin (Sencor) gives effective postemergence control for a number of broadleafed weeds and grasses, and can be used after tomatoes and potatoes are established.

Often the chemical may be applied postemergence to the crop, but preemergence to the weeds. For example, sweet corn may be cultivated when it is 24 to 30 inches tall, leaving the field free of weeds. Herbicides such as Dual or Lasso sprayed on the soil surface between the rows at this time may inhibit weed seed germination. This is often referred to as a layby treatment. The treatment is postemergence to the corn and preemergence to the weeds.

A listing of recommended herbicides cleared for use on vegetables is can be found in the Texas AgriLife Extension Service Bulletin B-5022 ‘Weed Control in Vegetables, Fruit and Nut Crops.’ This publication is available through Agricultural Communications, Texas A&M University.

Area of Application

Chemicals may be applied as a broadcast spray, as a band, as a directed spray, and as a spot treatment. Broadcast treatment, or blanket application, is a uniform application to an entire area. Band application usually means treating a narrow strip directly over or in the crop row. The space between the rows usually is not chemically treated, but is cultivated for weed control.

Band application reduces per acre chemical cost. The treated band is often 1/3 of the total area, with comparable savings in chemical cost. In addition, where the chemical has a long period of residual activity (remains active in the soil for an extended period of time), the smaller total quantity of the chemical reduces the residual danger to the succeeding crop. Directed sprays are applied to a particular part of the plant, usually to the lower part of the plant stem or trunk. Such sprays usually are directed at or just above the ground line.

Drop nozzles to spray between row crops give a directed spray treatment. The height of the nozzles is influenced largely by the size of the crop, the size of the weeds to be controlled and the spray angle of the nozzle. Spot treatment is the treatment of a restricted area, usually to control an infestation of a weed species requiring special treatment. Soil sterilant treatments often are used on small areas of serious perennial weeds to prevent their spread.

Applying Weed Control Chemicals

Refer to Chapter IX, Pesticide Safety and Application for equipment needs and calibration techniques.

In order to maintain spray efficiency and safe herbicide application, special attention should be given to cleaning equipment after each use. It is recommended that one sprayer be dedicated for herbicide application only. However, if only one sprayer is used for all pesticide application, it is imperative that the following steps be employed in the cleaning process.

• Rinse all parts of sprayer with water before and after any spray or cleaning operation is undertaken.
• If in doubt about the effectiveness of water alone to clean tank, pump, boom, hoses, and nozzles of the herbicide, use a cleaner.
• If hot water is used, let the solution stand in the tank for 18 hours. If cold water is used, leave it for 36 hours. Pump solution through the sprayer.
• Rinse tank and parts several times with clear water.
• If copper has been used in the sprayer before a weed control operation is to be performed, put 1 gal of vinegar in 100 gal of water and let the solution stay in the sprayer for 2 hours. Drain the solution and rinse thoroughly. Copper will interfere with the effectiveness of some herbicides.

Spray Adjuvants

An adjuvant is a substance added to a tank mix that increases the effectiveness of an herbicide, but generally doesn’t contain any herbicidal action itself. There are over 200 adjuvants on the market today, but most fall into a few general classes of action. Most herbicide labels will indicate if an adjuvant is needed.

The waxy surface of leaves causes water to bead up. The same way as water beads up on a freshly waxed car. Penetrants, surfactants, spreaders and wetting agents are soap-like adjuvants that break up water beads (and herbicide solutions), resulting in more thorough spray coverage. This is important in postemergence weed control with foliar applied herbicides. Sticking agents are designed to hold herbicide materials to the leaf surface. These often are combined with a spreader and are called spreader/stickers. When purchasing an adjuvant and when determining how much to add in a tank mix, it is important to consider the percent active ingredients.

Herbicide Bioassays

When crops are rotated, the herbicide used in the previous crop should be considered. While an herbicide may be safe to apply in one crop, it is possible that some herbicide residue may remain to damage another crop. The potential for a herbicide residue to cause damage to a succeeding crop is affected by the persistence of the chemical and environmental conditions that prevailed during the previous cropping season. There are analytical laboratories that can determine the concentration of herbicides in soil, but this doesn’t indicate the potential for crop injury.

Bioassays (observations of plant responses to the presence of a chemical) can be performed to determine the potential for crop injury. First, collect soil from an area that has not been treated with an herbicide for two years such as along a fence row, a ditch bank, next to your house, or barn, etc. In addition, collect soil from the area you suspect of having an herbicide residue. Collect a quart of soil from at least five spots, from both the herbicide-free and residue-suspect areas. Place the two soil samples in separate plastic bags and mix the soil up within each bag. Fill three Styrofoam cups with herbicide-free soil and three with residue-suspect soil. Label all the cups and plant five seeds of the crop you intend on growing in each cup. Water and grow the plants as normal. Once a week for a month, note any differences you see such as stunting, leaf curling, white or brown leaf margins, etc. If these injury symptoms are present in most of the samples from the suspect field and are absent in the herbicide-free samples, this is a good indication that an herbicide residue or some condition exists in the field that would be detrimental to that crop. The safest way to prevent crop damage from herbicide residues is to follow the labeled recommendations concerning rotational crops.

Six Easy Methods of Reducing Costs and Improving Weed Control

• Always read and follow the directions on the label.
• Calibrate your spray rig and keep it in good working order.
• Apply herbicides as a band rather than broadcast.
• Apply postemergence sprays when weeds are small.
• Make a map of the major weed species in the field and use it the following season to develop your spray program.
• Plant competitive crops in weedy areas and noncompetitive crops in cleaner areas of the field.

See also: Quick Guide for Herbicides Used in Texas-Grown Vegetable Crops by Russell W. Wallace, Extension Vegetable Specialist Texas AgriLife Research & Extension Center, Lubbock, TX

Lawn weed control is the price we pay for owning a yard. It’s an inevitable chore that sucks up our time in the spring and summer, but it doesn’t have to be this way. There are many ways we can reduce the amount of weeds in our yards, and in fact, if we take the necessary weed prevention measures, lawn weed control could be a thing of the past.

We hope you find our advice on preventing and controlling weeds helpful.

Lawn Weed Control Homeowners Guide

Weeds are an all too common frustration when it comes to keeping up a healthy lawn. It seems that the battle between homeowners and lawn weed control is a never-ending one. With some helpful tips, however, you can take measures into your own hands and gain back the control over your yard to put those pesky weeds to rest.

What is a Weed?

In typical controlled settings such as landscaped lawns and flower beds, weeds are usually pretty clear to point out. They’re a frequent nuisance for gardeners and landowners that take pride in their lawns. Weeds are those unwanted plants that creep up anywhere and usually without much help. Some can even become invasive and take over your flowerbed if not properly maintained.

While most weeds are viewed as unsightly and unwanted, some homeowners will actually plant weeds intentionally. These types are generally ones that produce flowers and require very little upkeep as they do fairly well on their own.

Why Do Weeds Infiltrate Your Lawn?

Weeds can produce many seedlings, which typically results in their widespread capability. A number of reasons can contribute to the production and spread of wild weeds in your lawn or garden such as:

• Not fertilizing your lawn properly
• Using improper mowing practices
• Inadequacy in lawn irrigation
• Using the wrong removal methods for the specific type of weeds present in your lawn

These plants tend to be a much hardier type of plant that are capable of withstanding various factors to survive. Shady areas, areas with a lot of foot traffic and other disturbances generally affects more sensitive types of plants hindering their growth, which can allow weeds to infiltrate these areas of your lawn or garden as they compete for survival. In fact, it usually takes some form of action to intentionally remove or keep weeds from growing, whereas flowers and other delicate species require more nourishment to thrive.

Even when weeds die out of season, they can still produce seeds that will germinate if there are no preventative methods in place. Weeds adapt much more quickly to their environments.

Why Should You Remove Weeds from Your Lawn?

Weeds may seem harmless other than simply being unappealing, but they can cause trouble to your lawn and the health of your plants. Weeds, while able to adapt much quicker to environments than other plants, still must compete for water, air and space. This can potentially hinder the growth of plants in your yard that you have planted intentionally. If you have weeds in your garden, it can also reduce the yield of your crop. If you take care to tend to specific plants in your lawn or garden, but fail to treat and prevent weeds, your efforts may be all for naught.

Another issue that weeds can pose is they can act as a host for various plant diseases. If you have a garden or flowerbed, this can be very detrimental to the health of the surrounding plants. It’s important to understand the types of weeds you’re dealing with so you can rid your lawn of them in an effective manner before they cause problems to other plants.

Some weeds can actually be toxic to your family or pets, especially if you live in certain regions where poisonous plants are common. Devil’s weed, or Jimson weed, is one that produces white or purple flowers with leaves that are irregularly shaped or toothed and appears harmless. It can have deadly consequences on animals and pets if consumed. Another very common, yet potentially dangerous, weed type is poison oak that can cause severe allergic reactions upon contact. Take careful notice and familiarize yourself with various poisonous plants that are native to your area and use careful approach in removing them to protect yourself, family, and pets.

Getting Rid of Weeds

Weeds in your lawn can be very bothersome and truth be told, they are nearly impossible to eradicate altogether. Most weeds contain seeds that remain dormant so even when the die at the end of the season, they can continue to return in the spring. So how do you get a handle on your lawn weed control?

The key to successful lawn weed control starts with a healthy lawn. Lawns that are properly maintained and well taken care of throughout the year are far less likely to come under attack of a weed invasion. The use of weed killers and herbicides is not particularly ideal in managing weeds and should only be applied at a minimal frequency. Follow these guidelines to keep your lawn under control before using a weed killer:

Weed out your lawn by hand throughout the year – Don’t just wait until spring time to tackle on the weeds. Make an initiative to remove them from your lawn to get a better handle on lawn weed control and prevent new sprouts from popping up. Specific types of weeds that are easy to remove by hand include spurge, sedges, creeping wood sorrel, Bermuda grass, and dandelions. (Avoid those that can be dangerous to handle when in contact with skin such as poison ivy, poison sumac, or stinging nettles).

Get Rid of Young Weeds: Getting rid of the young weeds in your yard before they begin producing seeds will help tremendously in warding off future growth. Remember when pulling out weeds by hand to pull them out by the roots carefully so they don’t break, which can allow for new sprouts to form.

Water and Feed Your Lawn Regularly– Some homeowners may wish to forego watering their lawn during rainy seasons or have their irrigation system on a frequent schedule that results in over-watering. If you’re really interested in caring for your lawn then you need to keep it well maintained. Aim to irrigate your lawn at least two to three times in a week in order to ward off the growth of weeds. Additionally, you should feed your lawn at regular intervals to ensure healthy growth to fill in bare spots that are susceptible to weed growth.

Do Not Remove Grass Clippings – after you have mowed your lawn, you should not be so quick to rake up or remove the grass clippings as this can actually serve as a natural fertilizer for your lawn. If you have a clippings bag attached to your mower, remove it so that the clippings can be dispersed as you mow.

/c-object-serialization.html. But I still have to do the work to convert NSDictionary into Objective-C objects.To make things more complex, my Object A can have reference to an NSArray/NSDictionary of Object Bs.My question is very similar to this question with addition of the collection requirement. A lot of framework will serialize and deserialize NSDictionary/NSArray into JSON. It sounds like you're looking for a serialization library that can let you convert objects of your own custom classes into JSON, and then reconstitute them back. Serialization of property-list types (NSArray, NSNumber, etc.) already exists in 3rd party libraries, and is even built into OS X 10.7 and iOS 5.So, I think the answer is basically 'no'.

Use a Nitrogen-Based Fertilizer – a nitrogen-based fertilizer is actually beneficial to any type of grass and will help control the spread of weeds.

Using Lawn Weed Control Herbicides

In well-kept lawns, the use of weed killers or herbicides is usually not needed. However, even if you take proper care of your lawn, it’s still quite possible for weeds to develop. If your lawn is under a weed invasion and you need to get straight to the source choose one that is suitable for your needs while still safe for your lawn.

For weed-killers on broadleaf weeds opt for a spot-killer method to target isolated weeds using a spray bottle such as a pressure sprayer. Other types of weeds, such as quack grass, are more difficult to get rid of as they are not usually affected by typical broadleef weed killers. For these weeds, as well as other common grassy weeds, the best method is to individually coat them using a non-selective herbicide.

Inexpensive yard sprayer that every homeowner should have.

Organic herbicides can be safe and effective at ridding weeds without killing your lawn. These work by burning off or destroying the cuticle of the weeds. This is the waxy portion of a weed that protects it from losing excessive water. To apply herbicides, dip a work glove in the solution and apply by coating the blades from the base of the plant up.

An important tip before using any type of weed killer or herbicide is choose the right time to apply it to your lawn. Plan to apply it on a day when the weather is forecasted to be sunny for at least two consecutive days. If it rains right after you’ve applied the herbicide it may render it ineffective and require reapplying.

To learn more about weed killers read our article specifically on the different types of Weed Killers for Lawns. Or, if you want to use chemical-free weed killers then you’ll love our article on Pet Safe Weed Killers.

Understanding Grass Types

Before you attempt these different ways and methods to eliminate weeds it is valuable to know what type of grass you have in your yard. Various grass types will require different methods and approach. For instance, some herbicides can negatively affect your grass if it is too weak, which will kill the weeds but will also kill the grass too. Be sure to know what type of grass you have before applying weed killer to avoid unsightly dead spots. You should also check the labels on the weed killer you opt for to know which types of grass it is best used for.

Use a Proper Mowing Technique

Believe it or not, mowing your grass and how you mow could affect the outcome of the reoccurrence of weeds based on the grass type of your lawn. For example, mowing the grass too short (which is a common practice many landowners take to minimize the frequency of mowing) can leave your grass weak and vulnerable to weed invasion. Ryegrass is one of those types of bunch grasses that are more susceptible to producing various weed types in the yard if cut too short. A good approach is to mow the lawn with the mower set at a high setting so as to gain better control.

It is recommended that homeowners keep their lawns mowed at least every 4 to 5 days. Frequent mowing will help keep the lawn even and minimizes the appearance of weeds. A good rule of thumb is to maintain a height of 2.5 to 3 inches of your lawn, especially during summer time as this tends to be the season it grows the most. Be sure the blades of your mower are adequately sharpened to avoid damage to the grass, which can also weaken it. To avoid spreading weed seeds, begin mowing in the least weedy area of the lawn first and mow the areas with the heaviest production of weeds last.

Use a Pre-Emergence Weed Preventer

Annual weeds come back year after year and are a common nuisance during the growing season- typically spring. The best way to combat annual grassy weeds like crab grass is to spread a preventer to your lawn before they germinate. These pre-emergent preventers are specifically formulated to safely treat your lawn for preventing weedy grasses. The ideal timing is to apply in early spring, preferably in between the first mowing and third mowing of the season.

Most annual grassy weeds such as crab grass tend to infest specific areas of the lawn, such as those that get warm the fastest. Near driveways and walkways are common place for these types of weeds to grow due to the nature of the asphalt that warms the soil in heat. Focus on areas where weeds are most prevalent to apply the preventer without having to spread over your entire lawn, especially if you have a large yard.

Use a Natural Approach

If you aren’t too sure of the grass type you have, you can always rely on a natural option to get rid of those pesky weeds. Using non-chemical weed killers offers safe and effective solutions that won’t damage your lawn.

Weed Control In Lawns

Corn Gluten Meal – this is a nitrogen-rich by-product of processed corn that is commonly used in weed-control. Applying a layer to your lawn serves as a fertilizer that will help enrich and nourish the grass through the soil to give it a leg-up in competing with weed growth. It also acts similarly to mulch in inhibiting weed growth.

Weed Management Pdf Angrau

Baking Soda – This common household staple found in most pantries can be used as a preventative treatment to rid your lawn of weeds. It is most suitable for use on weeds in isolated areas that are not too close to desired plants or flowers. Dampen the weeded area and apply a teaspoon of baking soda over the entire weed and its foliage.

Vinegar – This is another common item that you often find in the kitchen that can easily be transformed into a natural weed killer. It is ideal for use in early spring at the very beginning of growing season. Applying this DIY (do-it yourself) solution will help to kill budding weeds and prevent them from multiplying, especially dandelions. Prepare a solution of white distilled vinegar or apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle using a 1-part vinegar to 5-parts water ratio.

Another great alternative for preventing weeds from popping up in places like a flowerbed or garden is to apply a protective barrier that prevents weeds from coming through such as a tarp, shower curtain, or viscuin. Additionally, use an added layer of protection around your plants such as mulch or gravel to inhibit weed-growth.

Using a Weed Burner (Weed Torch)

A weed burner, or sometimes referred to as a weed torch, is a specific product that is also used as a non-chemical method for killing weeds. These can be used in hard-to-reach places, garden crops and to reduce a landowner’s need to mow the grass. The purpose of a weed burner to kill weeds is by a means of intense heat. As the name implies, it is torch that connects to a propane tank and works by bursting the plant when the flame passes over it.

Aquatic Weed Control Pdf

A natural way to kill weeds. No harmful chemical required.

This is another great chemical-free alternative to traditional weed killers as it doesn’t spread a residue often left behind from chemicals that could be toxic to pets and children. The downside is it isn’t recommended for use in dry, forested areas or areas that are more prone to fires.

Weed Control Ppt

Remember, the best way to handle lawn weed control is to prevent it before it starts. Follow these guidelines to keep your lawn adequately maintained before weeds get out of hand. Your lawn will thank you.