my yard needs help

3,528 Views | 19 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by TMfrisco
EagleCamden
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AG

wow this year is worse than ever! My Dallas, Bermuda grass yard is filled with weeds, all different kinds. I'm trying to decide if its worth it to hire one of the "weed exterminating experts" for $40 per application, or if my fellow Aggies can tell me a way I can do it myself for less $$$. Thx and Gig'em
Kceovaisnt-
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It would help if you post photos. Identifying the weeds can be important.

Generally speaking, if your yard is just salad of broadleaf weeds you can start by treating with a basic post emergent herbicide. Anything with 2,4d as the primary active ingredient like Weed B Gone or Bayer Advanced will kill most weeds. Be sure you fertilize a week prior as it speeds up metabolism of the weeds which causes a more effective kill. It is cheap and it should help but there are some grassy weeds that are likely to remain. Hopefully they can be pulled or else some selective herbicides targeting specific species will be required. That makes identifiying them important. These type of herbicides can get expensive too. Grassy weeds can be a ***** to get rid of. You may be spot treating for half the growing season.

I use Bayer Celcius for spot treating grassy weeds when I get them. At $100 a bottle, it is crazy expensive but it will last me the rest of my life plus it is safe to use in temperatures above 90 degrees which is better than most. READ LABELS!!

Another point worth mentioning in regards to bermuda. If you have major weed problems, that is indicative of bad grass health. Make sure you are mowing under 2" for common or under 1.5" for hybrids (most sodded bermuda is hybrid). Most weed problems mean the lawn has gotten too tall. Or that you don't mow often enough. If you are waiting until it looks like it needs a cut, that is waiting too long between cuts. Make sure you are not over watering. Alot of weed problems are aided by oversaturated soil.

If you haven't done so yet, scalp your yard as low as you can. I take it down to .250" myself as is wakes up in spring and remove all clippings. Bermuda can thrive at heights under an inch and spreads fastest at low heights. If you have a dense turf canopy that is manicured well, weeds don't stand a chance. Pre emergent herbicides can help to prevent weeds as you transition into winter dormancy and a second application after scalping.

That should help you get started. Let me know if you have questions. I can sometimes say things without properly explaining them.
EagleCamden
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great info! Thanks!
TMfrisco
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The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.
- Wait 2 or 3 days and then mow
- 2-4 days after mowing the grassy weeds in your yard will be shooting up above your bermuda because it really isn't growing yet
- Go back and buy some Image or look for/ask for a product with a sulfnylurea active ingredient and either spot treat or broadcast spray your grassy weeds.

The weeds you see right now are all "Winter Annuals" the Weed-B-Gone will take care of the broadleafs. You may have a few more pop up, but you can get a spot sprayer and take care of those. Any grassy weeds you have now are also "Winter Annuals". Whatever you spray on them will not kill them quickly, but in the course of a month - with a herbicide app and a couple of mowings - they will all die
I don't subscribe to the need to scalp. Mow your yard a little lower in increments. Say if you mow the first time at the 3rd or 4th notch on your mower, go down one the next time, and then one more the next time. I try to start the year on the first notch of my mower knowing that with bermuda will have to raise the height has the year goes on.

Go ahead and put a preemergent down as soon as possible as well. I know the big box stores sell a Lesco 0-0-7 with PreM - pendemethlin. If you can find one with Dithyiopir as the active ingredient you will have better results. Right now, you are preemerging for crabgrass and other summer weeds that have not germinated, but will be soon.

In Dallas, you really need to preemerge 4 times a year - March 1, June 1, Sept 1, and Jan 1- if you want to really reduce your weeds. As the poster above said, a healthy yard is the best preemergent. Most people/lawn services will skip the Jan 1 preemergent application which is why there are so many weeds right now. The weeds you see now are easy to kill hence why most services skip that Jan 1 app.

With just a little bit of effort on your part you can eliminate/greatly reduce your weeds for a fraction of what the services charge and do a better job.

Let me know if you have any questions. I've been a Golf Course Superintendent for 20+years and have a really small landscaping service in the Frisco area if you need help.
mm98
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quote:
The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.




I have a similar problem but with St Augustine grass in Houston climate.

Is that version of WeedBGone safe for my grass? If not, any suggs?
TMfrisco
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You can find one for St. Augustine on the label - generally has Atrazine instead.
B-1 83
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quote:
quote:
The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.




I have a similar problem but with St Augustine grass in Houston climate.

Is that version of WeedBGone safe for my grass? If not, any suggs?
Great point!!!!! Use the Weed-B-Gone for Southern Lawns on St. Augustine. I've had a terrible time with chickweed and wild carrot this year and had to result to nuclear weapons. I inherited Raleigh St. Augustine in my front yard, and it is not happy on the high pH soils, so it always gets weak in the fall and invites weeds.
Bottlerocket
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watchlist post. great thread
TMfrisco
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quote:
quote:
quote:
The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.




I have a similar problem but with St Augustine grass in Houston climate.

Is that version of WeedBGone safe for my grass? If not, any suggs?
Great point!!!!! Use the Weed-B-Gone for Southern Lawns on St. Augustine. I've had a terrible time with chickweed and wild carrot this year and had to result to nuclear weapons. I inherited Raleigh St. Augustine in my front yard, and it is not happy on the high pH soils, so it always gets weak in the fall and invites weeds.
Sorry, live in the Dallas area - the poster asked about Bermuda in Dallas.
AGGIE WH08P
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All good advice
Lesco's pre m is good stuff. I use it religiously. However, it can sometimes be weak on poa anna. I apply pre m in late February/March, then again In May/June. After that, I switch to Lesco 18-0-10 with Dimension Herbicide (the herbicide is coated on the fertilizer)
You can buy it at that John Deere Landscape store. The dimension does a great job on poa and many other weeds. I use the dimension pre emerge twice before my lawn goes dormant. Probably in sept and then in November. I hardly pull weeds anymore and when I do, they are in drainage paths were a bunch of water flows after big rains. Obviously the rains washes away my residual and probably carries tons of weed seed as well.
TMfrisco
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Dimension is Dithyiopir. It is what I would use in March - better than Pendy on Crab and Goose as well -and September if you can find it. JD Landscapes is now Site One and not everyone has one close. HD and Lowes now usually have a product with Dimension if you look hard.
512Ag
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Can I follow the advice in this thread for my zoysia lawn in Austin?
Thanks!
FDXAg
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Great advice
TMfrisco
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Went to HD today in Frisco. They had a Vigoro product with Dithiopyr(Dimension) for preemergent. They did not have the products I saw last Fall with the sulfonyl ureas. They do have Weed-B-Gone with Crabgrass control. It contains Quinoclorac.
Be clear, you do not have crabgrass right now - it has not germinated in North Texas and if it has in Central or South Texas it is so small you can't see it. However, the Quinoclorac will eventually control the winter annual grassy weeds you see right now. In North Texas that is mostly Poa annua and Rescuegrass.
Looking at the active ingredient percentages on the label and the size and amount of weeds I see around town right now I would guess you will need to treat your yards one time( a bottle treats 5000 sq ft), mow once or twice(probably a week a part) and treat again if you had a large infestation and are impatient. One application combined with regular mowing will probably control your weeds to a level you find acceptable. A bottle costs less than $9 and hooks to your hose.

You can treat your zoysia in Austin with these. Grass is probably a little greener in Central and South Texas so the Weed-B-Gone products containing 2,4-D may temporarily discolor your grass, but won't do any permanent damage.

With all chemicals, if you don't have a large infestation, please get a spot sprayer and only treat what you need to.

Preemerge 4 times per year and you will greatly reduce your weeds.
512Ag
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Thanks. Appreciate it.
EagleCamden
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Thank you, sir!
The Original AG 76
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quote:
Went to HD today in Frisco. They had a Vigoro product with Dithiopyr(Dimension) for preemergent. They did not have the products I saw last Fall with the sulfonyl ureas. They do have Weed-B-Gone with Crabgrass control. It contains Quinoclorac.
Be clear, you do not have crabgrass right now - it has not germinated in North Texas and if it has in Central or South Texas it is so small you can't see it. However, the Quinoclorac will eventually control the winter annual grassy weeds you see right now. In North Texas that is mostly Poa annua and Rescuegrass.
Looking at the active ingredient percentages on the label and the size and amount of weeds I see around town right now I would guess you will need to treat your yards one time( a bottle treats 5000 sq ft), mow once or twice(probably a week a part) and treat again if you had a large infestation and are impatient. One application combined with regular mowing will probably control your weeds to a level you find acceptable. A bottle costs less than $9 and hooks to your hose.

You can treat your zoysia in Austin with these. Grass is probably a little greener in Central and South Texas so the Weed-B-Gone products containing 2,4-D may temporarily discolor your grass, but won't do any permanent damage.

With all chemicals, if you don't have a large infestation, please get a spot sprayer and only treat what you need to.

Preemerge 4 times per year and you will greatly reduce your weeds.
just an FYI. Crabgrass is absolutely in full assault from College Station down to Houston. Both of my places have that devil grass. We just didn't get enough wonder to really knock down the crabgrass this year.
I am going to go full NUKE on mine this year. I have bermuda on my acreage in CS and bahai AND crabgrass/dallisgrass will get introduced to Pastora in a few weeks. That stuff kills damn near EVERYTHING except bermuda and is just about the only thing that will kill that damn bahai grass.
EagleCamden
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yesterday, did the weed be gone from my hose, treated the whole yard and I added a pre-emergent. It was Scott's Halt and the active ingredient was pendemethelin
21sgAxeT
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Quote:

The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.
- Wait 2 or 3 days and then mow
- 2-4 days after mowing the grassy weeds in your yard will be shooting up above your bermuda because it really isn't growing yet
- Go back and buy some Image or look for/ask for a product with a sulfnylurea active ingredient and either spot treat or broadcast spray your grassy weeds.

The weeds you see right now are all "Winter Annuals" the Weed-B-Gone will take care of the broadleafs. You may have a few more pop up, but you can get a spot sprayer and take care of those. Any grassy weeds you have now are also "Winter Annuals". Whatever you spray on them will not kill them quickly, but in the course of a month - with a herbicide app and a couple of mowings - they will all die
I don't subscribe to the need to scalp. Mow your yard a little lower in increments. Say if you mow the first time at the 3rd or 4th notch on your mower, go down one the next time, and then one more the next time. I try to start the year on the first notch of my mower knowing that with bermuda will have to raise the height has the year goes on.

Go ahead and put a preemergent down as soon as possible as well. I know the big box stores sell a Lesco 0-0-7 with PreM - pendemethlin. If you can find one with Dithyiopir as the active ingredient you will have better results. Right now, you are preemerging for crabgrass and other summer weeds that have not germinated, but will be soon.

In Dallas, you really need to preemerge 4 times a year - March 1, June 1, Sept 1, and Jan 1- if you want to really reduce your weeds. As the poster above said, a healthy yard is the best preemergent. Most people/lawn services will skip the Jan 1 preemergent application which is why there are so many weeds right now. The weeds you see now are easy to kill hence why most services skip that Jan 1 app.

With just a little bit of effort on your part you can eliminate/greatly reduce your weeds for a fraction of what the services charge and do a better job.

Let me know if you have any questions. I've been a Golf Course Superintendent for 20+years and have a really small landscaping service in the Frisco area if you need help.



What product are you using for pre-emergence for your 4 applications? Do you use any broadleaf pre-emergence (gallery) or will the 4 applications of Halts/LescoPre-M/LescoDimension control broadleafs? I am in DFW with bermuda grass.
Pepper Brooks
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AG
TMFrisco - Does your company offer a weed control/fertilizing service? If so, I'd love to hear from you on a pricing quote. We live in Carrollton and have a fairly small bermuda yard with regular weed issues.

I've done it myself in the past with success but simply don't have time anymore and I'm not sure that I'm happy with my current company.

Edit: Added email in case you want to reach out... insuranceag10@gmail.com
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TMfrisco
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21sgAxeT said:

Quote:

The above post is a good one. Here is what I would add:
- Go to HD or Lowes and buy a bottle of Weed-B-Gone that attaches to the end of your hose or a similar product that has 2,4-D and Dicamba. Spray your whole yard.
- Wait 2 or 3 days and then mow
- 2-4 days after mowing the grassy weeds in your yard will be shooting up above your bermuda because it really isn't growing yet
- Go back and buy some Image or look for/ask for a product with a sulfnylurea active ingredient and either spot treat or broadcast spray your grassy weeds.

The weeds you see right now are all "Winter Annuals" the Weed-B-Gone will take care of the broadleafs. You may have a few more pop up, but you can get a spot sprayer and take care of those. Any grassy weeds you have now are also "Winter Annuals". Whatever you spray on them will not kill them quickly, but in the course of a month - with a herbicide app and a couple of mowings - they will all die
I don't subscribe to the need to scalp. Mow your yard a little lower in increments. Say if you mow the first time at the 3rd or 4th notch on your mower, go down one the next time, and then one more the next time. I try to start the year on the first notch of my mower knowing that with bermuda will have to raise the height has the year goes on.

Go ahead and put a preemergent down as soon as possible as well. I know the big box stores sell a Lesco 0-0-7 with PreM - pendemethlin. If you can find one with Dithyiopir as the active ingredient you will have better results. Right now, you are preemerging for crabgrass and other summer weeds that have not germinated, but will be soon.

In Dallas, you really need to preemerge 4 times a year - March 1, June 1, Sept 1, and Jan 1- if you want to really reduce your weeds. As the poster above said, a healthy yard is the best preemergent. Most people/lawn services will skip the Jan 1 preemergent application which is why there are so many weeds right now. The weeds you see now are easy to kill hence why most services skip that Jan 1 app.

With just a little bit of effort on your part you can eliminate/greatly reduce your weeds for a fraction of what the services charge and do a better job.

Let me know if you have any questions. I've been a Golf Course Superintendent for 20+years and have a really small landscaping service in the Frisco area if you need help.



What product are you using for pre-emergence for your 4 applications? Do you use any broadleaf pre-emergence (gallery) or will the 4 applications of Halts/LescoPre-M/LescoDimension control broadleafs? I am in DFW with bermuda grass.
check your other thread.

I wouldn't bother with Gallery. I would use Bayer 3-in-1 Advantage in January and September if you don't mind the price. The preemergent chemistry in that is relatively new and the best available and will take care of 90% of your broadleafs.
Halts, I'm pretty sure, is Dimension. Check the label and if Dythiopir is the active, that is Dimension.
Dimension gets all but the large seeded broadleafs - big thistles and such.
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