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Broadleaf Weed Control, Master Gardener Plant Sale, and Fruit Tree Spray Reminders
By John Fulton

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[April 28, 2015]  Broadleaf Weed Control - Everyone seems to have been waiting for warmer temperatures and the appointed date to begin broadleaf weed control programs. Well that time will come, believe it or not.

For most of the broadleaf products to work, the temperature has to be over 55 degrees. These chemicals do work better when it is warmer and the weeds are actively growing. Usual timing is the first week of May in our area. The first item of business is to know what type of weeds you want to control. This will make a big difference in what product or products you select.

The main products used for broadleaf weed control in lawns are 2,4-D, MCPP, dicamba, a combination of those three products, and triclopyr. Let’s start with the triclopyr since it’s probably the easiest to discuss. Its place in weed control is for hard to control weeds and woody plants, and it helps with control of violets. It can be added to one, or more, other chemicals to provide broad spectrum control. Some blends now contain trichlopyr, so check the label. There are many trade names for products containing trichlopyr, and they seem to change every year. Just check active ingredients.

2,4-D is the old standby. It is good on carpetweed, chicory, dandelion, lambsquarters, plantains, and wild carrot. There are amine forms and ester forms. The ester will generally give better control of more weeds, is generally not water soluble (except for a hard inch of rain soon after application), but it does have vapor drift potential. MCPP is good on chicory, lambsquarters, and white clover. Dicamba is good on black medic, chickweeds, chicory, dandelion, dock, henbit, knotweed, lambsquarters, pearlwort, purslane, red sorrel, thistles, white clover, wild carrot, and yarrow. The combination of all three products will pick up all of those listed for the individual products, plus a few more such as mallow, speedwell, and wild onion. The combinations are sold under many different trade names so check the active ingredient list for ones you need.

My annual disclaimer for application of these types of products is: “Beware of potential drift from these products.” Not only can the spray move under windy conditions while you are spraying, but particularly with dicamba, the products can drift as a vapor for up to two weeks after spraying with hot and humid conditions.

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Master Gardener Plant Sale Scheduled

The Logan County Master Gardeners annual plant sale is Saturday, May 16, from 9 – 11 a.m. (note the time change) at the Logan County Fairgrounds exhibition buildings. They are working hard to get ready, so save the date if you have an interest in attending.



Fruit Tree Spray Reminders

There are a few fruit tree spray reminders for this time of the year. If trees are blooming, no insecticides should be applied. If you didn’t get the spray on just before bloom, you can use a straight fungicide such as captan. The next regular spray with an insecticide and a fungicide (or multipurpose fruit spray) is at 75% petal fall for apples and pears, and when husks being to split and pull away from the fruit base on apricots, cherries, peaches, nectarines, and plums.

[By JOHN FULTON, COUNTY EXTENSION DIRECTOR SERVING LOGAN, MENARD, AND SANGAMON COUNTIES]

 

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