Brown Spots in Your Bermuda? It’s Dollar Spot.

Dollar spot is a fungus that affects both bermuda grass and zoysia grass.  If you’re finding small brown spots about the size of a silver dollar (a few inches across), it’s likely dollar spot.  Another tell tale sign of dollar spot is a lesion on the grass blade, particularly on the edge of the blade of grass.  Occasionally these lesions will go all the way across the blade which will cause the entire tip of the blade to die and turn brown.  In extreme cases these spots can bunch together masking itself as brown patch.  You’re also much more likely to notice dollar spot when you’ve closely mowed your bermuda or zoysia lawn.

If your lawn has fallen victim to dollar spot there are a couple of different reasons to consider.

Your nice and hardy bermuda grass is much more likely to develop dollar spot during a drought.  These dry soil conditions are the perfect breeding ground for this fungus.  Even a sufficient source of moisture like a morning dew, fog, or weekly watering will keep dollar spot at bay.

In the spring and fall, when temperature conditions are 60ºF-80ºF, is when disease development is most likely.  Normally the nights are cool and the days are warm when the conditions are just right for this fungus to run rampant.

If you’ve correctly diagnosed the problem the first thing to try is watering the grass.  Be sure to water the grass early in the morning so it will dry quickly.  This will give the bermuda or zoysia ample water to grow and reduce the severity of the disease.   If after 2 weeks your lawn isn’t recovering it’s time to move on to a fungicide.  The chemical for the job is Daconil 2787.  Be sure to read all safety labels and follow them closely.

To keep your lawn from getting dollar spot in the first place be sure to fertilize your lawn and irrigate deeply at least once per week.  Since dollar spot thrives in the absence of nitrogen it’s ideal to get a hardy dose of fertilizer on your lawn.  This should already be in your yearly lawn maintenance schedule.

Controlling and Killing Dandelions

Wondering how to get rid of dandelions? Want to kill those rouge dandelions infesting your pristine lawn today? Let the lawn care guide help you in your quest for the best looking lawn.

Dandelions are some of the toughest weeds to control because of two main factors.

1. Kids love to pick them up and blow 100’s of seeds into your grass.

The wind will pick these seeds up and carry them across your neighborhood infesting everyone with their share of dandelions. It won’t take long for these seeds to propagate and the cycle to start over.

2. A 10″ taproot.

That’s right. The majority of those seeds will find their way to fertile soil and sprout a 10″ taproot. If you try pulling this taproot it will likely fracture leaving just enough in the ground to regenerate another pesky dandelion.

So now that you know a little about the dandelion lets talk about the best ways to control and kill them.

Control Dandelions by Pulling Them

As I mentioned you’ve got to pull a 10″ taproot in order to get rid of the dandelion forever. If it ends up fracturing you can expect to see it again in a few weeks. There are several special tools available for getting at the tap root to essentially loosen up the soil to ensure the taproot comes out cleanly. If you’re looking for a step by step on pulling your dandelions check this out:

• Attempt to pull your dandelions after a good hardy rain or heavy watering. This will facilitate loosening up the soil around the taproot and make it much easier to get the entire taproot out.
• Using a knife, screwdriver, or fancy dandelion pulling tool make a small incision next to the base of the dandelion.
• Wiggle your chosen tool around to loosen the soil.
• Ruffle up all the leaves around the dandelion and use them as a handle. Apply even pressure, wiggling the dandelion. If its not moving use your tool to loosen up the soil a bit more. Eventually, the dandelion and its taproot will come out cleanly.

Killing Dandelions with Herbicides

If you’re lawn is riddled with dandelions and pulling them isn’t an option you’re interested in you better consider a herbicide before they really get out of control. Killing dandelions is only going to get more difficult, if you don’t get control of them.

Fortunately dandelions are a broad leaf weed and there are some really easy herbicide solutions like Weed-B-Gone. Weed-B-Gone will not only take out dandelions but any broad leaf weeds you may have. Depending on the number of weeds you have you can spot treat or use a hose attachment to cover large areas.

If you’re looking for a natural alternative to herbicides, you might consider vinegar. The acetic acid in vinegar is what kills the dandelions or other broad leaf weeds. The problem is you may need to boil the vinegar down to make it potent enough to actually kill the weeds. It may also pay to shop around as different vinegars have different levels of acetic acid, so read the label.

The last herbicidal solution is roundup. Roundup and vinegar will kill anything it touches so be careful not to get it on surrounding grass or garden plants. The Weed-B-Gone is selective only targeting broad leaf weeds and is the most popular choice when killing dandelions in your lawn.

Dandelion Prevention - The Ultimate Dandelion Control

The healthier your lawn, the less weeds you’ll have. If you’re already in a situation where you have dandelions in your lawn, apply your selected method to kill the dandelions. Apply your herbicide a 3 days before you plan on mow your lawn. The bigger the dandelion the better, so the surface area is maximized.  The 3 days gives it plenty of time to get the herbicide into the root system to guarantee you’ll never see it again.

Once you get rid of your dandelions and you want to keep them from coming back next year, apply a broad leaf weed control in the early fall. Normally dandelions die back during this time and all the nutrients in their leaves are transfered to their root system. Remember this is not only good for dandelions but all broad leaf weeds, so it really helps even if you don’t have a weed problem today.

Pond and Lake Weed Killers

There are a variety of products that are available to control weeds in ponds and lakes. The specific type of pond weed killer or lake weed killer depends on the types of weeds that are growing as well as the size of the pond or lake. Different products are generally recommended for plants that are growing beneath the water as opposed to those that are growing on top of the water.

The critical determinant of which pond weed killer to use is the type of weed that is the target. One of the more common surface pond weeds is duckweed. Duckweed exists on the surface of a pond and is characterized by very small leaves that measure no larger than ¼ inch. If duckweed gets out of control, it is likely to cover an entire small pond and it can cut off the oxygen supply for any fish that exist in the small pond and result in death for these and other aquatic creatures. While raking of the pond is an option, a pond weed killer may be necessary to control this weed. There are several pond weed killers which when used according to directions are relatively safe. These herbicides act as very effective pond weed killer or lake weed killers and generally pose no extended risk to the environment if used properly.

Two other common surface pond weeds are mosquito fern and watermeal. As with the duckweed these possess very small leaves. Watermeal is the smallest seed-bearing plant in the world and is characterized by leaves that are less that 1/16 inch in size. Mosquito fern bears leaves that are no larger than one inch and the color may vary from green to red. These plants often co-exist with each other and with duckweed. A pond weed killer will effectively rid a small pond of these weeds.

There are a number of weeds that exist in ponds below the surface. Two relatively common weeds are American pond weed and baby pond weed. American pond weed has several leaves on a stem that are about 3-6 inches long. It grows from the bottom of a pond and these leaves can be present on the surface of the pond as well as below. Baby pond weed is a wiry plant that exists below the surface. It is green and has the appearance of tangled string when pulled up. Again a pond weed killer or lake weed killer will be effective in the control of this pond weed.

A critical element to bear in mind when using pond weed killers or lake weed killers is to accurately determine the volume of the water to be treated. Careful measurement is a must when using a pond weed killer to protect the environment while ridding the pond or lake of these weeds.

Weed-B-Gon vs Roundup Weed and Grass Killer

You better pay careful attention when purchasing and using herbicides on your lawn to control or kill weeds. Two products that are very popular and widely used are Ortho’s Weed-B-Gon and Monsanto’s Roundup Weed and Grass Killer. These products are readily available at virtually any store that has a lawn or garden care center. However, it is necessary to identify your particular need prior to using either of these two products as they control weeds in very different manners.

Ortho’s Weed-B-Gon is used on established lawns to kill weeds. It is a liquid that can be purchased so that one can mix their own amounts or it can be purchased in ready to use sizes to control weeds. The most common ready to use weed killer size is a gallon. It comes packaged with a pump and can be dispensed for spot treatments of weeds. The product can also be mixed for spray applicators to mix larger quantities. Ortho is a division of Scotts that produces a myriad of lawn and grass products. This product when sprayed over the entire lawn or just as a spot application kills a variety of broad leafed weeds. If used properly it will not harm the lawn, but one must be careful not to inadvertently spray this weed killer on desirable plants. The key word is that Weed-B-Gon will kill weeds, but will not generally harm an established lawn if used properly. One should read the directions to insure it will not harm certain types of grasses. Bermuda grass may be harmed by this product.

Roundup Weed and Grass Killer is much different than the Weed-B-Gon. Roundup is not selective and will eradicate all grasses and kill weeds that it comes in contact with. This means that it is not the ideal product to use on an established lawn. This is however, a great product when one might want to insure that no grasses grow around mulched areas under trees or along walkways. It is particularly effective to kill weeds and grasses when absolutely no growth is desired. This product is ideal for a fall application if one wants to kill all grass and weeds in a lawn and begin anew. Since fall is the ideal time to plant grass, many chose to kill all the grass types and reseed. There is a time period between the application of this product and the reseeding phase so read the product description carefully to insure that sufficient time exists to enable a new weed free lawn to be established.

Are Organic Weed Killers Really Worth the Extra Cash?

There is a growing interest amongst people interested in protecting the environment about the use of organic weed control products. These are the same people interested in organic fertilizer. There are several organic weed killers that are effective for spot applications to control weeds. These products usually contain high concentrations of vinegar which act quickly to kill weeds, but do not harm earth worms, beneficial insects and do not provide a danger to aquatic life if they run off into streams or rivers.

These products are not as easy to find as the chemical herbicides and are considerably more expensive. In many cases these organic weed control products can cost 5-7 times more than man-made herbicides. The question that many face is if the organic weed control efforts worth the extra cash? This is probably a personal decision about how one believes the environment is affected by man-made chemical herbicides. Chemical herbicides do degrade over time, but are a hazard to aquatic life if run off occurs into rivers or streams. Responsible use can minimize those hazards, although not entirely eliminate them.

Organic weed control is the safest way to deal with a pesky weed control problem so the answer to the question might be to consider an investment in organic weed killers as an investment in our environment.

Perhaps the most responsible choice is to practice lawn care techniques that allow the minimum number of weeds to grow. Establish a rich thick lawn, cut the lawn higher throughout the year to discourage weed seed from reaching the soil and germinating. Also one can use organic weed control sparingly as a spot control to quickly and aggressively stamp out weeds and prevent them from spreading.

There are other ways to use organic weed control measures. Areas that are habitually infested with weeds could have mulch applied to prevent growth. Strawberry farms often use porous sheets that enable rain water to reach the soil, but block sunlight from the weed seeds that may lie beneath it.

Tree rings are a popular way to use organic weed control measures for areas that are often a breeding spot for weeds. These porous sheets around trees enable moisture to permeate the soil while preventing weeds. An organic weed control measure that can be applied to dandelions which are a nuisance weed found throughout the country is to apply a spoon full of salt which will result in a quick kill. The ultimate organic weed control solution is to pull the offenders out of the ground. Be careful to pull the root completely out. This is best applied after a rainfall when the soil is moist. Organic weed control is practiced regularly will serve to protect our environment.

Ultimate Weed Control - The Best Weed Killers

It’s amusing to wonder if one was trying to grow weeds, would grass invade? Well, we all know that is just a dream for those of us that are trying to cultivate a well manicured and beautiful lawn. Weeds, like troubles in life, are a reality. However there are actions that can be taken in the weed control arena to minimize their impact on our lawns. Understanding weeds and their growth patterns is the first step in the weed removal and elimination process. There are a variety of weed control and weed killer products that can assist us in our lawn care endeavor.

Weeds are generally divided into two categories. There are broad leaf weeds and weedy grasses. The weedy grasses are composed of several types, but by far the king of the weedy grasses is crabgrass. The broad leaf weeds are characterized by such plants as clover, dandelions and plantain.

To further complicate the weed control challenge, weeds are also characterized as annual, biannual and perennial with certain weed varieties occurring in the spring and other varieties occurring in the fall. Weed control is a year round challenge, but the good news is that weed killers and weed removal efforts will produce results.

Now let’s examine a few specifics on weed control and how weed killers can help. First the most effective weed control is a lush lawn. Mowing the lawn a bit higher particularly in the summer months, often prohibits many weed seeds from reaching the soil where they can germinate. A thick lawn maintained at a height of 2½ to 3 inches will greatly assist in weed control. Certain grass types act as their own weed control mechanism. For instance Zoysia grass provides natural weed control because of it’s natural thickness. Weed killer is often not required on a lawn that has a thick Zoysia grass.

Annual weeds can often be controlled through the application of a preemergent herbicide which acts to control weeds by preventing the seeds from germinating. A pre-emergent must be applied two-three weeks prior to spring for effective weed control. A pre-emergent can also be applied in the fall for weed control of perennial weeds.

After weeds have developed there are a number of effective herbicides available at local nurseries or other retail outlets that can be used to kill weeds. Granules can be used as well as liquid sprays. When used properly both are effective methods of weed control. Granules are effective for a small lawn if applied over the entire area with a rotary or drop spreader. However for a larger lawn it may be cost prohibitive to treat an entire area and weed killer can be applied selectively in specific spots by using a liquid spray canister that usually holds a gallon or two. Liquid weed killers can also be applied to an entire lawn or in selective areas using a product that will enable it to be dispensed using a garden hose.

The major lawn service companies tend to use liquid sprays because it is easy to carry about in small tanker vehicles and can be quickly applied either to treat an entire lawn or for spot applications to in troublesome areas control and kill weeds.

If you chose to do it yourself, make sure you follow the directions carefully as one wants only to kill weeds, not the lawn grasses. Also, make sure you give a wide berth to garden areas where food crops will be raised or to areas where ornamental plants are growing.

Herbicides to control weeds generally have specific instructions on when to apply them. If using one of these products to kill weeds pay close attention to the time of day and conditions that are necessary for effective application. For granular applications the product needs to stick to the leaves of the weeds so it is generally best to apply in the early morning when dew has coated the ground or after the lawn has been watered. However, any rain too soon after application will significantly reduce the product’s ability to effectively to kill weeds. Liquid weed kill products obviously have the moisture necessary to cause the herbicide to stick to the leaves of weeds, but as with the granular products any rain too soon after application will diminish the effectiveness of the weed killer. Avoid spraying in windy conditions as the herbicide can drift and kill or stunt the growth of garden crops or ornamental flowers.

Shady areas where it is more difficult to grow grass are most susceptible to weed infestations. These areas generally demand more attention to control weeds. It is hoped that these words will help the reader to control and kill weeds – happy hunting!

The Skinny on Preemergent Herbicide

The old adage “A good offense is the best defense” couldn’t be more true when trying to keep your lawn weed free. Weeds are the inevitable enemy of your lawn and will take over if nothing is done to stop them. Read more