Is your summer lawn full of weeds? If yes, preemergent herbicides are for you. In a couple weeks the widow will be open for the use of preemergent herbicides. February 15th to March 15th, is the ideal time to apply preemergent herbicides in Georgia.
So what is a weed? Weeds by definition are a plant out of place, causing economic loss, whose virtues have not been discovered, or a non-native plant. We control weeds to maintain landscape beauty, prevent economic loss, and decrease plant competition. Weeds can also be a host for disease and insects. Before applying a preemergent herbicide, or any herbicide for that matter, the weed and the type of grass in your lawn needs to be identified. Some herbicides are more affected on some weeds than others, and some herbicides will cause damage to certain grass types.
Preemergent herbicides kill a variety of weeds just as the seeds germinate. By the time you see weeds in your yard it is too late to apply a preemergent herbicides. If you are seeing weeds in your yard, a postemergent herbicide will have to be used. The secret to weed control when using a preemergent herbicide is to apply the herbicide to the lawn before summer annual weeds germinate. Germination can vary from year to year, so applying too early is always better than doing it late.
Preemergent herbicides primarily control summer annual weeds such as crabgrass, goosegrass and spurge. Postemergent herbicides can control these weeds as well, but preemergent treatments offer some advantages. Since you apply the chemical before the weed seed germinates, most weeds never appear in our lawn. Many preemergent herbicides come in granular formulations. Granules tend to be easier to apply for most homeowners. Postemergent herbicides can leave yellow or dead spots in your yard where the weed has died.
Make sure that if you use a preemergent herbicide that the lawn has been established for at least a year. These herbicides can and often will severely injure freshly seeded or sprigged turfgrass. Don’t apply a preemergent herbicide in the spring if the lawn will be seeded, sprigged, or sodded in the early summer. Preemergent herbicides persist in the soil anywhere from two to four months and will hinder establishment of new turfgrass.
Now is also the time to apply postemergent herbicides to your lawn for you winter annual weeds. Contact your local extension office for herbicide recommendations. If you don’t know the number you can call 800-ASK-UGA1
