Need to spray for weeds.

Discussion in 'Maples' started by Unregistered, Mar 30, 2005.

  1. Hi, I am considering spraying my yard for weeds before the grass comes back. I was told that scots turf builder was good. How will my recently transplanted ***. maple handle it?

    Thanks
     
  2. jimmyq

    jimmyq Well-Known Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    Metro Vancouver, BC, Canada.
    well for starters dont spray the maple. and secondly, it wont like weed spray, not many of us do. If you have a lawn weed problem consider spot spraying, NOT weed and feed. weed and feed is a gross overuse of chemical plant killer and is not recommended by anyone that takes IPM in to account. Any company that pushes a "weed free lawn" or a "bug free yard" should really have their IPM policy examined. With IPM (integrated pest management) we look at pest levels and acceptable siutuations, preferred control methods (soap sprays, pyrethrins, vinegar) BEFORE we consider the use of chemical products. They still have their place in IPM but they are usually a last resort to an infestation otherwise uncontrollable. with lawn weeds try these few things and see what happens:

    let the lawn grow taller between mowings
    feed regularly with a locally made and formulated, time release fertilizer
    aerate the lawn yearly
    overseed the lawn yearly
    water deep and periodically, not shallow and often
    tolerate a few weeds (there will ALWAYS be dandelions and clover somewhere)
     
  3. Elmore

    Elmore Active Member 10 Years

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    Location:
    North Alabama USA
    What are the active ingredients of this Scotts product?...Be careful...Is it like Trimec?
    Trimec = 2,4D, Mecoprop and Dicamba...bad stuff for broad leaves which your maples are. As I recall from a few years back there were three formulations, Trimec, Trimec Classic and Trimec Plus. One has an amine salt, one an ester and the last had MSMA added to the formulation. Be careful don't subject your ornamentals to any drift and keep this stuff away from the dripline.
    Whoa...apparently there are now many different Trimec formulations : Trimec Classic, Trimec Plus, Threesome, Trimec Turf Amine, Trimec Turf Ester, Threeway Selective, Trimec Bent, Triplet, Super TRIMEC, TRIMEC Encore, TRIMEC Southern...and more. I got tired of searching. All different formulas that could very well spell doom to your Japanese Maples and other valued ornamental broadleaves, if not used carefully and in accordance with the label. Heck with the lawn...plant more trees and use mulch and groundcovers in between.
     
  4. Ralph Walton

    Ralph Walton Active Member 10 Years

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    Amen!
    When you see a "perfect" lawn, you must realize that this condition will have been reached thru primarily cultural and nutritional efforts (except for the one that has just been unrolled from the back of the truck).
    Most of the products that imply this perfection will follow shortly after their application are treating you to a very "optimistic" view of the outcome. I speak from experience here - when I do use this stuff, and occasionally I have, my sprayer lays down a 25 foot wide swath and I'll do several acres at a time. I also have available a selection of chemicals that can be considerably more enthusiastic than those you can purchase at your local nursery or lumber yard. I have tested sections of land: stripes 25' wide by 300' long in a field, the remainder untreated. I defy you to find those strips after just one season of growing and harvesting or grazing.
    It's not that these chemicals don't kill the weeds, mostly they do. It's just that killing them doesn't seem to make a noticeable difference after the initial dieback.

    There. My dirty secret is out. Actually, the last time I used my sprayer was trying to lay the dust on my new driveway last summer, and that didn't work either.

    Consider also: one fo the "selective" sprays that I looked into (because the other ones barely touched the thistles) had a 1 year grazing restriction following application.There is another that says "don't try planting (list of plants) for 3 years after application" Wow! Would you want your kids to play on this grass?

    Ralph
     

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