Summer Insect Control by Dr. Garden from Monterey Lawn and Garden

Gardening Tips

Dr. Garden, from Monterey Lawn and Garden Products

Lawn Weed Control
by Dr. Garden

Everyone wants a lush, green lawn, free of weeds. The urge to do this usually hits in the spring and wanes during the summer. However, with proper planning weeds can be taken care of for the entire year. Monterey Lawn & Garden Products have a number of products that can help with your problems.

First, in the spring comes putting down your pre-emergence material to prevent crabgrass throughout the summer months. If you have a bermudagrass lawn Dr. Garden recommends Weed Impede™. This pre-emergence herbicide prevents weed seeds from germinating in lawn and flowerbed areas. In California and Arizona, this should be applied in February but can be applied later in other areas since the ground warms up later. If you do not have a bermudagrass lawn, Dr. Garden recommends Crab & Spurge Preventer. This product can be applied in the early spring as a pre-emergence to control many weeds. It will even control Crabgrass that has already germinated if it is not past the 2 leaf stage. Crab & Spurge Preventer gives about 4 months of weed control so an additional application may need to be made around May or June.

Now that we have our pre-emergence program in place the next problem is broadleaf weeds. In most areas, dandelions come first but, there are a lot of other broadleaf weeds that can be a problem. For general broadleaf weed control, Dr. Garden recommends Weed Whacker. Simply mix with water and spray where weeds are. Weed Whacker can be used on all turf grass species (except dichondra). For really hard-to-control broadleaf weeds in your lawn use Spurge Power. It works wonders on spurge, ground ivy, wild violet, oxalis, bindweed and most tough broadleaf weeds. If you're a lazy gardener and don't want to mess with spraying (since you do not have many weeds), Dr. Garden recommends Weed Whacker Jet Spray. This comes in an aerosol can that you simply point and spray each, individual weed. No fuss, no mess, no sprayer clean up. Weed Whacker can be sprayed twice a year so we recommend once in the spring and again in the early summer.

Remember, weeds need to be present for these products to work.

Now let's look at some special problems in the lawn with regard to weed control. The first product we need to discuss is Turflon™ Ester. Turflon™ Ester works like Weed Whacker but is more effective on perennial weeds such as clover and oxalis. Turflon is the only product available that can take bermudagrass out of your fescue lawn. However, Turflon™ Ester can only be used on cool season turf species (fescues, ryegrass, bentgrass, bluegrass). Turflon™ Ester is much slower acting than Weed Whacker but does a better job of controlling these tough weeds.

Many people have converted bermuda lawns to fescue for water conservation. However, if the bermuda has not been thoroughly killed before putting in the fescue it will come back on you. Turflon™ Ester can stop this process. It takes at least 4 applications spaced at 3-4 week intervals when the Bermuda is actively growing. You must be persistent to control bermudagrass in a cool season lawn— one treatment will not do the trick. The process also works on taking kikuyugrass out of these turf species.

Another problem that occurs in turf is nutgrass (nutsedge). This is a yellowish green sedge (it looks like a grass but isn't) that grows faster than the turf so it is always higher than the lawn grass at mowing. Dr. Garden recommends Nutgrass 'Nihilator for this job. Simply spray the individual bunches of nutgrass when its actively growing. The product should be mixed with Herbicide Helper to make it more effective. A second application may be necessary 2 weeks after the first one. Nutgrass 'Nihilator will kill it right down to the nutlets. However, there are two types of nutgrass, yellow and purple. Unfortunately, Nutgrass 'Nihilator only controls the yellow species. Nutgrass 'Nihilator can be used on all turf species (except dichondra).

Another problem Dr. Garden can help is annual bluegrass control on dormant bermuda turf that has not been over seeded to ryegrass. Annual bluegrass is the weed that is green all winter when the bermuda is brown and dormant. An application of Weed Impede™ made in September or October will prevent this problem. Remember you can not overseed with rye if you apply Weed Impede™ that time of year.

Monterey Weed-Hoe is the last product to use on your lawn for in-season crabgrass control. If you forgot to put down your pre-emergence material or you missed some spots with it, Monterey Weed-Hoe is the answer. Monterey Weed-Hoe controls crabgrass as a post-emergence treatment. Apply in May to August and Monterey Weed-Hoe will effectively control this grass with little effect on the turf. Two applications, spaced two weeks apart, may be necessary for complete control. The best time to apply Monterey Weed-Hoe is half way between the mowing cycle. If you mow on Saturday, apply Monterey Weed-Hoe on Tuesday or Wednesday and do not water for 24 hours.

While on the subject of Monterey Weed-Hoe, this product can be used to control Dallisgrass in your lawn. Dallisgrass is the one that grows in flat clumps and get about the size of a dinner plate. Again, control is not easy due to the extensive root system of the plant and with Monterey Weed-Hoe you simply wear it out with multiple applications made every 2 weeks throughout the summer.

Well, this seems like a lot but once you get the weeds under control, you can have a perfect, weed free lawn the entire year. Happy mowing!

These weeds control tips have been brought to you by Dr. Garden,
from Monterey Lawn & Garden Products

“Products that work!”

Lawn and Garden Products, Inc.
P.O. Box 35000
Fresno, California 93745-5000
Phone: 559-499-2100
Fax: 559-499-1015
Email: info@montereylawngarden.com

Not all products listed on this site are registered for use in all states. For product registration information please contact the lead regulatory agency within your specific state and/or locality.

Gardening Tips

Lawn Weed Controlby Dr. Garden

Lawn Weed Control
by Dr. Garden