Substituting for the Agronomist:

quote:

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Can you still buy Tordon? I used to use it years ago but don't recall seeing it at the farm & home stores recently. I'll be needing to do some landscaping work in the spring and was gonna get some.

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Yes, it is still available, but it is a restricted use herbicide, only available for purchase by those with a private or commercial applicator's license.

Oh, and all you people with Houston-area lawn questions, check out http://www.950kprc.com/gardenline.html. You will find most of your answers here. And this guy knows what he's talking about.



You know what? The stuff on the range is the fun stuff. For example, let us "Like, you know, load safely, holster safely without shooting anyone, draw safely, and shoot well, and like, hit the target." Gunsite Training Center has a great advertisement that reads "Hard Fun." I couldn't agree more. You should go to school to learn, then to the range to practice competency. You want entertainment? Buy a kazoo. - Clint Smith

SWOSU - Propionic acid like 2,4-D (2,4, Dichloro phenoxyacetic acid) is a compound that mimics plant horemones found primarily in broadleaf weeds. One organic post-emerge weed control is to mix vinegar and orange oil as a foliar spray. The major drawbacks to this mix are 1)it is non-selective and will give results similar to a flame thrower taking grass and weeds alike and 2) it does not "translocate" or pump itself throughout the plant for the kill. The result on tough weeds and grass is simply a topkill requiring repeat application.

Back on the Tordon question. Tordon or Grazon is "Picloram" another horemone like product. It is a very water soluble foliar/soil active, and persistant chemical. It is also restricted use (for a good reason). Picloram can be found in small amounts in some over the counter products like "Weed be Gone" (NOT the one for Southern lawns). It is very rough on St. Augustine, and because it is so water soluble and persistant, it can damage tres and shrubs if not used carefully. I don't recommend using it in lawns unless you really know what you are doing.

Thanks. I thought I remembered he'd said that an ingredient was propionic acid, not a pa derivative.

Do you always mow your grass on the highest setting (St. Augustine)?

Also, do you bag?

Thanks.

TTT!

I used the Ortho Weed B Gone "for Southern Lawns" but there are a buch of little white flowering weeds in my yard.

I used it a few days after it rained and I realized when I was half done parts of my yard were still kind of water logged. In fact, my yard seems to take forever to dry out. I know the water table in Houston is high, but it still seems to take forever for the soil to dry out. It rained Saturday all day, and Monday night the yard was still soaking wet. A small section even had standing water (hasn't been fully dry since last fall).

The valve to the sprinkler system is off so I don't think that is the problem and the water line to my house is ~20-feet away from the problem. Also, I checked the meter and it didn't move over 1-hour (made sure no one flushed any toilets or turned on water in the house).

Is the water table that high and I'm forgetting how wet Houston is or do I have a drainage problem in my yard?

Also, I just remember late last summer a small patch of my yard (different area than above)seemed to be always soaked. Again, I thought it was the irrigation system but I turned off the valve and checked the meter and it appeared there were no leaks. Could I have a natural spring or something in my yard somewhere? This one is also in a "high" area of the yard.

[This message has been edited by agracer (edited 3/3/2005 8:59a).]

Yes, and yes. No place is wetter than Houston after a prolonged rainy spell.

I remember when I was looking at houses seening a lot of the new construction homes had drains in the yards? Is this by code and is it a new thing for Houston? I've not seen any in my current yard (2000 build date).

agracer-

Not sure how much rain ya'll have had in Houston...but I know it takes a while for that gumbo soil to dry out. Sounds like you might have a drainage problem.

The best way to check is to rent a site level & shoot the grades in your yard to see if you have any low spots. Get the site plan you were issued at closing & inlist your wife/buddy to help out taking measurements.

If you figure out you have a low spot, buy some washed sand & fill in the low spot - the grass will grow up through it. If the low spot is several inches off, you'll need to fill the area & re-sod over it. Just be careful not to fix one problem & create another.

Also, drains in the yard are a bad idea & should be done only if all other options are exhausted. Drain pipes/grates can clog in a hurry. Surface drainage always the best way to go.

[This message has been edited by Apache (edited 3/3/2005 9:06a).]

Drains are cheaper than regrading. Nothing more, nothing less.

When I was on the A&M Soils Team, we went around Houston several times with Mr. Mills and/or Dr. Hallmark. As I recall, Houston has both gumbo clay and sandy soils with a nasty claypan. Neither one is likely to drain well after the rains you folks have had.

quote:

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Not sure how much rain ya'll have had in Houston...but I know it takes a while for that gumbo soil to dry out. Sounds like you might have a drainage problem.

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That's what I was thinking. This low area on the side of the house is a straight shot to the drainage out front. Also, it's the "V" between my house and my neighbors and his yard is a good 6" higher and slopes more into the "V" than mine does. There is also and underground electrical box right there that could allow water to get to the surface more easily(?).

However, the 2nd spot is pretty high and seems like a ground leak. But, I shut off the valve to the sprinklers (and watched the meter - no movement for ~1-hour) for a few days and it was still soaking wet days later. In fact, the yard was dry but that spot was soaked.

Mr. Agronomist:

What do you think of Chemlawn? I am a new homeowner and have owned my house for a year. The previous owner didn't take good care of the lawn and consequently i have a lot of weeds (right now all grassy weeds). They seem to be taking over. I fertilized about 3 times last year, but it's still out of control. I called Chemlawn to help me get it back in control and then I think I can maintain it. What do you think?

Substituting for The Agronomist:

Chemlawn=bad. Do not pass go, do not collect $200. First, I would check with the County Horticulturalist with the extension service for your county, and get them to come take a look. Then see if they can recommend someone to you to take care of your lawn.


[This message has been edited by HTownAg98 (edited 3/3/2005 10:01a).]

ChemLawn has gotten a bad reputation for sometimes killing flys with nuclear weapons. Check and see if any of the lawn care services offer an organic division - that is becomming more popular. I'm not a 100% advocate of organic lawn solutions, but some of them are solid and safe.

What type of grass do I have?

Indo?
Maui Wowie?

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/

I know all about that kind of grass, but I know nothing about my lawn.

Mexi
Since you're in Dallas you probably have St. Augustine and/or Bermuda or a mixture of the two with assorted weeds.

I'm a bad mexican... I don't know what kind of grass I have. I can mow the hell out of it though!

It doesn't really matter I guess since I rent, I was just trying to edumacate myself.

The "Dirt Doctor" (aka Howard Garrett) is good, but a little over the top organically for me.

I used to use fertilizers, weed killers, and such, and they did OK. But I was young and poor and got tired of buying the stuff, so I stopped. Instead, I just mulched the grass, and mowed on a higher setting in the summer. As a result, my lawn was never healthier. Earthworms and other beneficial microorganisms were no longer killed by the chemicals, and as a result, the grass clippings were broken down better and the lawn was naturally aerated by the earthworms.

Weeds were not a problem either. Weeds grow in unhealthy lawns because they are nature's way of replenishing nutrients into the soil. Sure, I got some weeds, but they were never a big problem. I would simply pull them by hand and mulch them with the rest of the grass.

I agree that Howard Garrett can get over the top, though. I think that the best plan is a mixture. For broad applications like lawn issues, I will go organic since they have worked well for me. However, I will spot-kill fire ants with god-knows-what Ortho Ant Stop chemical in a heartbeat.

How did all this sawdust get under the hood?

Who sells the organic fertilizer and how much more does it cost vs. the standard Scott's fertilzer?

Usually the good garden centers sell it (NOT Walmart, Lowes, etc...). It will be a little more expensive (25%), but I think it is worth it.

So if I need to use a Weed and Feed, would you recommend like Scott's Bonus S Weed n Feed? I guess the 15-5-9 ratio goes out the window at that point, doesn't it?

You're gonna make me a hero in my home this year if you can teach me enough to keep me from getting intimidated and off my arse to get this yard in shape.

Read the whole thread and avoid those mentioned. I'm not sure what the active ingredient in Scott's Bonus S is, just be careful.

I just looked it up - it contains Atrazine - nasty stuff on trees and shrubs. Use a good fertilizer and corn gluten meal (organic) or something like Balan for pre-emerge control.

[This message has been edited by B-1 83 (edited 3/3/2005 3:05p).]

Weed and Feed = Feed the Weed