WEEDS
Best Management Practices:
Chickweed
Chickweed is a cool season, winter annual broadleaf weed that has oval-shaped leaves that are smooth and opposite of each other. Chickweed is a matt-forming plant that has numerous branched stems that normally lie flat on the ground. The flowers of chickweed are white with five deeply notched petals. As an annual plant it only comes back from seed each year.
Chickweed begins its life by germinating in the fall from seed. Pre-emergent herbicides work by killing germinating seeds from weedy plants like chickweed. Normally, an application of a pre-emergent in mid-September will work well but a second pre-emergent application in November may be warranted.
There are several pre-emergent herbicides that can be used to control chickweed in most turfgrass sites including bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalograss. Examples include Pendulum 2G or Anderson's 11-3-11 (Pendimethalin) and Balan 2.5 G (Benefin).
These post-emergent herbicides can be effective if used when the chickweed is very young/immature and actively growing. Examples of effective post-emergent herbicides include: Trimec Southern, Certainty and Weed Free Zone. These work very well if used in the correct manner. It may require multiple applications to obtain excellent control with these post-emergent products. CAUTION: Make sure you read the labels carefully for the tolerance level of your specific turfgrass for all herbicides.
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
Best Management Practices:
Corn Speedwell
Corn speedwell is a low growing, cool season, annual broadleaf weed that has oval or egg-shaped leaves with toothed margins and prominent veins. The leaves and stems will have fine hairs on them and the flowers of corn speedwell are light blue. It is considered a winter annual that usually germinates in the fall season and into winter.
Pre-emergent herbicides work by killing germinating seeds from weedy plants like corn speedwell. Normally, an application of a pre-emergent in mid-September will work well.
There are several pre-emergent herbicides that can be used to control corn speedwell in most turfgrass sites including bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalograss. Examples include: Pendulum 2G or Anderson 11-3-11 (Pendimethalin) and Balan 2.5 G (Benefin).
These herbicides can be effective if used when the corn speedwell is very young/immature and actively growing. Examples of effective post-emergent herbicides include: Trimec Southern, 2-4-D Amine #4, and Weed Free Zone. They work very well if used in the correct manner and in accordance with the product label. It may require multiple applications to obtain excellent control with these post-emergent products. CAUTION: Make sure you read the labels carefully for the tolerance level of your specific turfgrass for all herbicides.
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
Best Management Practices:
Crabgrass
Crabgrass is a warm season, annual grassy weed that normally has dense hair on the leaves and a finger-like seedhead with two to nine thin branches. Crabgrass only comes back from seed each year, usually germinating in the early spring season.
Pre-emergent herbicides work by killing germinating seeds from weedy plants like crabgrass. Normally, an application of a pre-emergent in mid/late February will work well. Remember, though, that this weed may germinate into the summer...so, a second pre-emergent application in early May is usually warranted.
There are several pre-emergent herbicides that can be used to control crabgrass in most turfgrass sites including bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalograss. Examples include: Pendulum 2G or Anderson 11-3-11 (Pendimethalin), Crabgrass Control and Balan 2.5 G (Benefin).
These herbicides can be effective if used when the crabgrass is very young/immature and actively growing. Examples of effective products are Q4, Quintessential (Quinclorac) and Celsius. It may require multiple applications to obtain excellent control with these post-emergent products. CAUTION: Crab-E-Rad and Drive can only be used on bermudagrass and zoysiagrass turf sites --- NOT ST. AUGUSTINEGRASS! If you do decide to spot spray with these post-emergent herbicides in St. Augustinegrass, you can expect at least some damage to the surrounding St. Augustinegrass unless you are extremely careful not to get any on your turf. Make sure there is no wind to avoid drift and set your sprayer to where the droplet size is much larger (not a fine mist).
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
Best Management Practices:
Dallisgrass
Dallisgrass is a perennial, warm season grass with short thick rhizomes. This means that it grows primarily from March to November and comes back from its root system each year, as well as from seed. A good identification characteristic is the seed head formation (3 to 7 branches with spikelets arranged in four rows).
Controlling dallisgrass is no easy chore but control can be accomplished. Unfortunately, pre-emergent herbicides alone will not control this perennial weed. Remember, this plant comes back from its roots each year, so it will take both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides to take out dallisgrass from your lawn. Pre-emergent herbicides kill germinating seeds while post-emergent herbicides only control weeds that are already actively growing.
Certainty is one of the best post-emergent products on the market used to control dallisgrass. It works very well if used in the correct manner. It will normally take at least two applications 10 to 14 days apart to obtain excellent control. Also, the weed needs to be actively growing (May to August).
Unfortunately there are no post-emergent herbicides that are labeled for controlling dallisgrass in St. Augustinegrass. The only solution is to do one or a combination of the following: dig out the dallisgrass by hand, use pre-emergent herbicides. One can also spot spray with a non-selective herbicide like RoundUp QuickPro (Glyphosate). If you do decide to spot spray, you can expect at least some damage to the surrounding St. Augustinegrass unless you are extremely careful not to get any on your turf. So make sure there is no wind to avoid drift and set your sprayer to where the droplet size is much larger (not a fine mist).
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
Best Management Practices:
Dandelion
Dandelion is probably one of most recognized problematic weeds and grows throughout most of the United States. It is a perennial broadleaf weed that has slightly to deeply lobed leaves with lobes that point toward the base of the plant. Not only can they reproduce by seed but by segments of root parts as well.
Since a dandelion is a perennial broadleaf weed it comes back from its base/crown each year and reproduces by seed. With dandelions, it will take both pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides to obtain control.
There is only one pre-emergent herbicide that can be used to help control dandelions in most turfgrass sites including bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, Zoysiagrass, and Buffalograss. This pre-emergent product that works specifically on broadleaf weeds is Portrait/Gallery (Isoxaben).
As stated earlier, it will take post-emergent herbicides to control this weed. These herbicides can be effective if used when the dandelions are actively growing. Some experts have stated that fall applications are even more effective than spring—or at least when the plant is in the “puffball” stage. Examples of effective post-emergent herbicides include: 2-4-D Amine #4, Certainty, Weed Free Zone and Trimec Southern. These products work well when application rates and application methods are used properly and in accordance with Product Label. CAUTION: Make sure you also read the labels carefully for the tolerance level of your specific turfgrass for all herbicides.
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
