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What is a Weed?
A plant growing where you don’t want it to - this is a working definition of a weed. Weed seeds arrive in your yard either by wind or carried in by birds. There are two basic groups of weeds, those that are grasses and those that are broadleaf and they can be classified as annuals or perennials. Annual weeds grow from seeds and grow, flower, produce seed and die within one season. Perennial weeds can live for several years. The control methods you choose will depend on what type of weed you are dealing with.
Control
If you only have a few weeds in a relatively small area, mechanical removal is often the most desirable. This can be accomplished with sharp hoes, shovels, or hand pulling. C’mon, this is good exercise - therapeutic even. If applications of herbicides are warranted, it is important to select one that will target the weed you are dealing with and not harm surrounding vegetation.
In gravel areas both annual and perennial weeds can be controlled with the application of a post-emergent herbicide. Post-emergent meaning weeds that have already sprouted and are growing. The most common products for this application contain Glyphosate or Glufosinate as active ingredients listed on the label. These herbicides work by translocating the product through the leaves to the roots where they interfere with the growth process. Both these products are non-selective, meaning they will kill any growing vegetation, both grass and broadleaf.
Pre-emergents work very well in preventing weed seeds from sprouting and work best in gravel areas. Many pre-emergents are available from your local nursery or home improvement store. Ask the sales staff for assistance if you are unsure which product is a pre-emergent.
Caution: Never use a total vegetation killer that is a soil sterilant. These products kill existing vegetation, persist in the soil for many years and can leach into surrounding areas seriously affecting or killing plants there. If you have an area in your yard where nothing will grow, a soil sterilant like Triox may have been applied there in the past.
Remember! Always follow label directions exactly! We sometimes think if a little is good, more is a whole lot better. The average homeowner applies 9 times more chemicals to their property than a farmer does on the same size land. With herbicides and insecticides, this can be deadly - to plants, pets and humans. Wear protective clothing and avoid skin contact with the product.
Common broadleaf weeds: Purslane, goosefoot, pigweed, puncturevine, London rocket, bur clover, cheeseweed, tumbleweed, silver nightshade, prostrate spurges.
Common grass type weeds: crabgrass, Bermuda grass, nutgrass (not really a grass), bromegrass, orchardgrass, common foxtail. |
