weeds

[TheMindWillNotLetGo]

I have them.  I got some of that Bayer stuff, as it said "rainproof in one hour" and applied it Saturday, before the rain came. 

I can't tell if it's doing anything.

I would pave over my yard if I could.

[TheArtist]

  Often takes about 3 or 4 days to show any effect, and sometimes you want to hit a certain type of weed when its in its rapid growing season, the product seems to work best at that time.  Started using roundup last year and it works well on most crabgrass but had some heavy duty spots and also had some stubborn sprouts all over one part of the yard from an old Chinese Apple.  Regular round up wasn't working so had to do the nuclear option heavy strength, so ended up with a yard that looked like a lspotted leopard for a while lol.  But I got the buggars.   Now its little patches of oninons around the back yard that I have to work on this year.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I have them.  I got some of that Bayer stuff, as it said "rainproof in one hour" and applied it Saturday, before the rain came.  

I can't tell if it's doing anything.

I would pave over my yard if I could.

Just sit back and enjoy the early color in your lawn.  The purple and yellows are truly a relief from the bland brown tones of winter.  I'll bring you some dandelion seed if you want...

Otherwise, forget the futility of all those chemicals and set the mower to the lowest setting for the next month or so, and cut it short (1.5") for the next month or so BEFORE the little blossoms have the chance to go to seed - when the blooms start to show purple, cut it.  You are reducing if not eliminating the seed source for next year by doing this.  Then you got the issue of neighbors and their flowers.  

Then, when the bermuda starts to come in, set it up to AT LEAST 3" tall.  I set mine even higher, and it is strong, healthy, and survives even last year with minimal watering (almost none).  Yeah, there was browning last year, but it came back quickly when we got a little water.

The bermuda WILL soon choke out the weeds.  

Check the OSU extension web site for lawn information.  Or anything else agricultural.  They really know their stuff.


Roundup is the nuclear option that kills everything, including the stuff you want to keep.  Even worse than most for yard use.  3 months of dead space. 

Onions - cut them the same way.  Or pull them and use them to cook with.  Very good for kitchen use, just not large bulbs.

[RecycleMichael]

Then, when the bermuda starts to come in, set it up to AT LEAST 3" tall.  I set mine even higher, and it is strong, healthy, and survives even last year with minimal watering (almost none).  Yeah, there was browning last year, but it came back quickly when we got a little water.

The bermuda WILL soon choke out the weeds.  

Excellent advice.

[Breadburner]

Should have hit it in the fall....

[Gaspar]

I overseed in October and do pre-emergent once in February, and again at the end of March.  I have very few if any weeds.  Last year I opted to plant around 20lbs of daffodils throughout the lawn.  Now I have a patches of daffodils to mow around.  It's a pain, but very pretty.  I hope they last until after Easter.



You don't need to spend a bunch of money on a lawn service.  Just use a good pre-emergent in the spring, and mark a recurring date on your calendar to apply it.  Since it's "after-the-fact" for your lawn, and if the weeds outnumber the grass, I would wait until after all of this wet weather to apply any broad-leaf sprays.  They work, but they do so by interrupting the way broad-leaf plants take up water.  We're going to have a wet spring, and any broad-leaf herbicide you apply is going to take a long time to work and likely require multiple applications.  It may also leech into the soil with the rain and affect any shrubs or bedding plants you have.  When the forecast shows a week or two of dry warm weather, spray it.

I mow extremely high (usually just the mower setting).  This also helps to keep weeds out in the spring and summer.  If you do not have a sprinkler system, buy a timer for your hose sprinkler and make sure your lawn gets a good drink every couple of days at least.  Most of our Oklahoma weeds are used to dry compact soil.  They do not compete well with fescue or bermuda in moist well drained soil.

I love spring.  This is a dangerous time for me, because I'll spend my lunch hour at the garden center buying plants that I probably don't need.  Yesterday it was half a dozen more Tomato plants and a brown turkey fig tree.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Gaspar,
Have you been to Grogg's Green Barn?  New place, nice little shop on 61st, east of Mingo.  They have good seeds and last year had a selection of very good looking, strong, healthy plants/trees.  Limited selection compared to Southwood, but closer for me.  Nice people, too.  I enjoy just walking around looking at their place, even if somewhat small.

And they have red wigglers if you are into vermiculture!

But beware!!  They advocate organic gardening!

[sauerkraut]

I have them.  I got some of that Bayer stuff, as it said "rainproof in one hour" and applied it Saturday, before the rain came.  

I can't tell if it's doing anything.

I would pave over my yard if I could.

I'd like to pave over my yard if I could too, I already had to cut my lawn. The weeds seem heavy this year, one weed looks a bit like a Texas Bluebonnet flower I dunno if it is or not- but it was in my side yard. I bought a white bottle of lawn & weed killer I forgot who makes it but Wal-Mart had it for $8.00 last year and you mix it with watter, one little bottle can make up to 10 gallons of weed & grass killer, it takes a few days to see an effect and it's rainproof after two hours, it kills everything but only for the season and then everything comes roaring  back. The joys of home ownership. Work, work, and more work.

[Conan71]

Ever try napalm?

[Townsend]

Ever try napalm?

Gives me quite a charge first thing.

[Gaspar]

Gives me quite a charge first thing.

Ahhh, the smell.

[TheMindWillNotLetGo]

Thanks for all good advice...very good advice in some cases.  I guess I'll mow that sh*t sometime this week. I used to like taking care the yard, but last summer really took all the fun out of it.

Now, I let it grow high as well, but let me ask you all about fungus control as it has not been mentioned here yet.

I did the fungus and then the weeds two years back and all was pretty good.  I forgot to do the fungus last year, and no amount of height on the bermuda was going to choke out anything.  

Do you guys do the fungus control as well?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Thanks for all good advice...very good advice in some cases.  I guess I'll mow that sh*t sometime this week. I used to like taking care the yard, but last summer really took all the fun out of it.

Now, I let it grow high as well, but let me ask you all about fungus control as it has not been mentioned here yet.

I did the fungus and then the weeds two years back and all was pretty good.  I forgot to do the fungus last year, and no amount of height on the bermuda was going to choke out anything.  

Do you guys do the fungus control as well?

No, never.  Which fungus are you talking about?  Toadstools?  The yellow slime stuff that grows in the shade?  Grey powdering stuff on the grass leaves/stems?  Brown (dead grass) spots sprinkled throughout the yard?

Overall, too much of too many chemicals is gonna create horrible imbalances that will mess with the grass much worse than just letting it rest for a year or two, then approach it gradually.  Too much fertilizer is a huge part of that.  And don't get me started about "thatch" or "aeration"... geez, what a cluster that bill of goods is that has been sold to the American people.

Very reasonable and effective weed control can be achieved by just being aware of the reproduction cycles of the weeds you are trying to control.  Simply put, a weed needs seeds to continue.  Mow the flowers off before they go to seed, and you interrupt the cycle so there is no next generation.  

Then all you have to worry about is seed blowing in from somewhere - and you literally cannot do anything about that.

Quick explanation; I would say mow the grass long all the time, except that for me, it seems to work best to cut it short this time of year to let sun in to ground level to help warm up the soil a little bit.  It will make weed seeds grow more quickly now, too, but then I can mow them down when the flowers appear, and voila, no more weeds.  Bermuda grows in, chokes the rest out for the rest of the year.

Buffalo grass looks like it might be an alternative to bermuda, if you have plenty of money.  Have been thinking about trying some.

[heironymouspasparagus]

I overseed in October and do pre-emergent once in February, and again at the end of March.  I have very few if any weeds.  Last year I opted to plant around 20lbs of daffodils throughout the lawn.  Now I have a patches of daffodils to mow around.  It's a pain, but very pretty.  I hope they last until after Easter.

Wait a minute!  You intentionally planted daffys around the yard?  And apply herbicides to presumably prevent, among other things, dandelions? 

You get exactly the same yellow for no cost whatsoever with the dandelions.  And purple with the henbit.  And pretty little white flowers with the chickweed.  A rainbow of color in early spring to break through the monotonous brown winter blanket.

Add some fescue or rye or wheat and you get the overwinter green.

Magnificent!!

[Conan71]

Dandelion is essentially the same flavor note as arugula.  Quite good unless it's been hit with Round-Up.  I'm not really sure someone didn't figure out that "arugula" sounded a whole lot more food-snob than "dandelion".