Weeds are among the major enemies of having healthy green grass. Well, don’t worry because we have the solutions you need. Here we discuss the chemical weed control methods.
Herbicides
Herbicides are essential for killing or reducing the growth of weeds. It is divided into two major groups.
• Selective – These herbicides control target weeds without damaging other turfgrass species.
Here’s a very detailed pdf on selective chemical weed control
• Nonselective – Nonselective herbicides can kill all the vegetation including the turfgrass. It is also used to renovate your lawn on weeds which are not controlled by the selective herbicides.
Here’s an indepth look at nonselective herbicides
On the other hand, herbicides can also divide into two different categories:
• Pre-emergent – This herbicide can be applied before emergence and germination of weeds. It is ideal to use to control the annual weeds before they grow.
Read this article to learn when to apply pre-emergent fertilization in Texas
• Post-emergent – The post-emergent herbicides are beneficial to control weeds that are already emerged to the soil. It is systemic or contacts nature. The post-emergence contact herbicides can affect the plant parts that they contact. It cannot affect the other portions of the plant. The post-emergent systemic herbicides are translocated all over the plant. It is beneficial to control perennial weeds that generate new foliage in underground vegetative structure.
Application of Herbicides
Herbicides are best to apply in soil or foliage. Post-emergent herbicides are foliar applied, while the pre-emergent herbicides are used to the soil. The foliar-applied herbicide needs to be absorbed by the foliage. It is not efficient if it is washed away by irrigation or rainfall. The soil-applied herbicides can be used to granular or liquids. They must be watered to the soil on or after the application.
Chemical Control of Grass like Weeds
- Summer annual weeds
Pre-emergence herbicides can control annual summer weeds. The herbicides form a chemical barrier to the soil before the seed emergence or germination. The barrier also helps to avoid grass seedlings from developing and emerging frequently.
If you are choosing pre-emergence herbicide, you must consider the safety of the chemical for cultivars and turf grass. Pre-emergence herbicides come with long residual activity in soil. It can also affect newly seeded grasses.
- Perennial grass weeds
Perennial grass weeds cannot be controlled by selective herbicides. One of the most effective chemical methods is the glyphosate. It is a spot treatment that comes with a nonselective herbicide. Glyphosate is considered one of the most effective herbicides for perennial grass weeds. It can be translocated in rhizomes and stolons. The good thing about it is that cannot give harmful soli residual. Applying for growing plants is efficient.
- Winter annual grasses
Annual bluegrass is hard to control winter grass weed. Most commercial pre-emergence herbicides are best applied for annual bluegrass control. The best time to use it is in September before the period of yearly bluegrass germination.
To sum it up, you must have the best quality herbicides to make the most of your chemical weed control methods.
