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Day: January 16, 2022

  • Herbicides

    Herbicides

    Day: January 16, 2022

    Are the weeds invading your turf? The cooler weather of the winter months will mean that it will be safe to have your lawn treated with a herbicide to try and bring them under control. Treating your lawn for weeds with temperatures in the 90’s can stress and damage your turf. There are herbicides labeled for use in hot temperatures but my observations show severe stress to the grass with these products. The result can be a thicker bed of weeds as the grass is unable to compete with the weeds in the damaged state in which it was left. It is best to wait until it is in the mid to low 80’s before having your lawn treated for weeds. So always be patient and wait for those lower temperatures.

    Weeds

    Weeds can get a foothold in your lawn in areas where the grass is thin or weak. Weeds do not overtake healthy turf. St. Augustine is a very aggressive and competitive grass allowing it to compete with weeds. If allowed to, St. Augustine grass could overtake and kill most shrubs in your yard.

    Primary Causes

    Most weeds appear because of improper cultural practices such as mowing too closely or infrequently, improper fertilization or irrigation. These are the primary causes for thin or weak turf. In addition, inadequate control of insects, diseases, and nematodes will also damage the turf and allow weeds to invade.

    Weed Control

    Herbicides may temporarily remove the weeds, however, unless the basic cause of the weakened turf is corrected, weeds will continue to be a major problem. Weed control will only be successful if the turf is returned to a good healthy growing condition. The thick blanket of grass will not allow weeds to germinate at the soil line.

    Pre-emergence Herbicides

    Pre-emergence herbicides provide several weeks of residual control in the soil and will kill the seedling weeds as they emerge. Pre-emergence herbicides should be applied before germination of the weed seeds. The timing of applications of this type of herbicide must coincide with the various germination times of weed species. If applied too late in the growing season the weeds will have germinated and escaped control. Applying the pre-emergence herbicide too early may also result in undesirable control since the control is time limited. Adequate soil moisture is important before and after application so timing for rainfall or irrigation is necessary. Most pre-emergence herbicides will control germinating weed seeds over a six or twelve-week period. The best time for application in South Florida is the first of February.

    Post-emergence Herbicides

    Once weeds have germinated and are actively growing they must be controlled with post-emergence herbicides. Weeds are easier to control when in the seedling stage or large and actively growing. Applications made to weeds under stress may reduce the effectiveness. It sounds strange but you want your weeds to be healthy and vigorously growing when you kill them. Post-emergence herbicides are absorbed through the foliage, roots or both and then trans-located throughout the plant. If conditions are dry, irrigate prior to application to ensure active growth and translocation. Fertilization prior to application is also a good idea. Do not water or mow for several days following herbicide application to give the chemicals time to absorb into the weeds.

    “Do not apply herbicide during extreme hot or cold temperatures to avoid damage to the grass.”

    Atrizine

    Atrizine can be used in St Augustine grass to control most broadleaf and annual grass weeds as a pre-emergent if applied before the weed seeds germinate or a post emergent after germination. Apply every six months (spring and fall) for continued effective pre-emergence weed control. Crabgrass control will require a special herbicide. They have taken the best product off the market but there are some replacements appearing. These are not as effective and so patience and a healthy turf will be necessary when trying to kill crab grass. Do not over water as this can encourage crab grass. Do not apply herbicide during extreme hot or cold temperatures to avoid damage to the grass.

    Trimic

    Trimic can be used in bahia grass to control most broadleaf weeds. Use only herbicides labeled for your type of grass as severe injury or death will usually result if the wrong type of herbicide is applied. Herbicides in general should not be applied to freshly mowed turf or to turf under stress.

     

    While herbicides can help with the weed control in your lawn the best way to a weed free lawn is to practice good horticultural practices like proper watering, mowing, insect and disease control to prevent weak areas which will be susceptible to weed invasion. Using biological organic amendments is a great way to kick start the soil ecosystem in your yard to help make your lawn lush and green and discourage weed invasion in the first place.

  • Grass Mowing

    Grass Mowing

    Day: January 16, 2022

    Proper mowing of your lawn can kill weeds and chinch bugs, cure disease, save water and provide fertilizer. However, improper mowing can be harmful. Mowing is stressful to grass because it is meant to grow tall, mature and make seeds. Man decided that lawns look better when freshly mowed and most people feel the shorter the better. But a close cut doesn’t do much for your lawn or your water bill

    Roots & Leaves

    Grasses are basal-growing plants. The growing point is at the crown (the area between the root and the blade) of the plant near the soil line. The tips are the oldest part of the blade which means you can cut off their tops without killing them. When you cut the tips, new growth pushes up from the crown. When the mower cuts off those grass tips, it causes severe shock to the grass plant. Grass lives primarily on food manufactured in its blades not on what is drawn up through the roots. Cutting the blades reduces the ability of the plant to manufacture food. That food is used for both top and root growth so the shorter you cut the grass the less root growth you will have. A plant with deep roots will be better able to withstand drought, fight off disease and insects and store food manufactured in the leaves. So the longer the root the healthier the grass.

     

    Every time the grass is cut the root system is weakened to some degree. When cut too severely, the roots stop growing. Mowing tears the plant and creates ports of entry for disease. Sharp mower blades give a cleaner cut which heals faster. Another problem with close cutting is that it allows sunlight to dry the soil and the additional light will encourage weed seeds to germinate.

    A Thicker Lawn

    Mowing has actually tamed the wild grasses of our past. Mowing grass before it sets seeds prevents sexual reproduction and many grasses respond by reproducing asexually by spreading stolons and rhizomes creating a thicker lawn. How high you mow will also influence the spread of the grass. A higher cut makes healthier grass with deeper roots, more mass for photosynthesis and more stolons and rhizomes for a thicker sod which means less weed invasion.

    Seasonal Mowing

    You should also take into account that grass grows at different rates throughout the seasons. The summer months require more frequent mowing than our cold winter and dry spring months when you should not cut as often. Our coming cold weather will slow the growth and bi-weekly mowing will be all that is needed. Some lawns could go three weeks or a month without mowing. If the grass doesn’t need to be mowed save it from the extra stress and don’t mow it. As we move into the dry spring months grasses will be stressed by heat and drought so care must be taken to properly irrigate to help ease the stress of mowing.

    Watering

    In past years drought required the city to reduce our allowed watering to once a week. The fact is our lawns could easily survive on this schedule and be healthier for it. We should use horticultural practices every day which produce deep-rooted lawns that don’t require excessive water to keep them green. All lawns, properly cared for, could be conditioned to require no more than once a week watering all year. The exception would be during the cold winter months when once every two or three weeks will do.

     

    I remember the year the Phase 3 water restriction took affect on Marco Island and everybody thought their lawn would surely die if watered only once a week. People were surprised as their lawns remained green and lush. It was because it was during the winter months with the cooler temperatures and lower evaporation rates. That benefit ends as the temperatures begin to climb in March, April and May.

     

    Spring is when the benefit of a deep root system and tall grass blades come in to play to allow for less watering.

    Sprinkler Systems

    Check your irrigation system to be sure of proper coverage. It may seem that the sprinklers are reaching all areas but if you have dry spots on the edge of your sprinkler pattern you may not be getting adequate water at the edges of the sprinkler pattern. Place some empty tuna cans at the center of the green areas and also in the dry areas and measure the water levels after the zone has run. You’ll most likely find you’re not getting enough in the dry areas. This could be dirt in the sprinkler tip, heads not properly spaced or water pressure problems when the sprinklers are running in the wee hours of the morning. When not mowing every week be sure the sprinkler heads stay well cleared of taller grass blades to allow for proper coverage.

    “Clippings are a very good thing and should be left to break down and feed your lawn.”

    Clippings

    It was once believed that grass clippings were the cause of thatch accumulation in the lawn. It is now known that they do not accumulate unless the clippings are exceptionally long. They break down soon after they hit the ground. In the process they return a lot of nitrogen to the soil. Clippings are a very good thing and should be left to break down and feed your lawn. Just be sure to keep them out of the waterways where nitrogen is not so welcome.

     

    A lush, green lawn is a beautiful thing. It doesn’t need excessive fertilizer, chemicals and water use to look that way if you just raise the mower deck as high as it will go. A deeper lawn is a healthy lawn!

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