Ms. Bailey,
I have been reading your articles regularly and I hope you can help me. I moved into a new house a year ago. With that house came new Floritam sod, it came in fine and after a couple of problems with the sprinkler system we are very happy with the lawn. After a year however I have noticed some dollar weeds along with some others I do not know the name of, there are a number of other types. I hope I can describe them to you:

1. A weed that is about 6 inches tall with a real thin stalk and some purple flowers on top

2. A patch of real thin narrow light green that sticks about an inch above the regular grass

3. Just some miscellaneous broadleaf weeds that are just here and there around the lawn.

All together they probably comprise less than 5% of my yard if that, but I want to stop them before they get away from me.

I have tried spot granules that said it would kill dollar weeds and something like 40+ types of broadleaf weeds. I think I heard the weeds partying after the application, not sure! Needless to say I am at a loss; every neighbor I have has a different opinion of what to do. I hope you will be able to point me in the right direction. Thank you for your time in this matter

Sincerely,
Rick
Vero Beach, Fl

Hello Rick;
We have talked about lawn weeds before here on the BLOG, see the entry “Lawn Weeds” at http://blogs.scripps.com/tcpalm/gardening/2005/03/lawn_weeds.html

I have to say it again and few people want to hear this, but the best control for lawn weeds is proper lawn maintenance! The cliché applies – The best defense is a good offense. Good lawn management practices encourage a dense, thriving turf. Healthy turf shades the soil so sunlight can't reach weed seeds, minimizes the physical space available for weeds to grow, and out competes the weeds for nutrients and moisture. Here is a short review of the basics for good, healthy turf:

--Most turfgrass selections need 6 – 8 hour of sun per day. Too much shade equals thin turf & weed invasion.

--Mow it high and right! This is the single most important practice in a weed-free turf. If you remove the grass leaves that produce the things the grass plant needs to grow, then the turf will thin and weeds will invade.

--Watch the water and adjust for seasonal changes.

--Fertilize as a result of soil test recommendations.

Rick, work through the maintenance issues first, then consider an herbicide. Chemical herbicides do have their place, but just like any pest, the first step in weed control is identifying the pest, in this case the .weed. You must know what you are dealing with before choosing an herbicide. Unfortunately I have not found a lot of online help for weed identification, but here are a couple of sites that might be useful:

Tallapoosa County Extension Office – Weed Control http://www.aces.edu/Tallapoosa/weed-control.php3 This site has a good collection of pictures, however, please be aware that Tallapoosa County is in Alabama and the control recommendations are for transitional grasses and Alabama soils.

Lawn Problem Solver – Weeds in Turf http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/lawn_problem_solver/solver/weeds/
Another out of state site with good pictures, this one is from the University of Illinois, again look, but come back to Florida for control strategies.

Bayer Lawn & Grass Problem Solver at http://www.bayeradvanced.com/lawn/problem-solver/weeds.cfm?source=gaMany chemical manufacturers have helpful websites. My concern is that along with weed ID help, the message can be to use an herbicide first. With that in mind, I have found this site to have good pictures and information. Please note that no endorsement is implied by listing this site.

Use these sites for ID then head back to Florida for control recommendations at Weed Management in Home Lawns http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/EP141

One concern I have is about weed & feed products – this is what the University of Florida has to say about these formulations:
“Fertilizer/Herbicide Mixtures
Many herbicides are formulated with a granular fertilizer as the carrier. Fertilizer/herbicide mixtures enable a "weed-n-feed" treatment in the same application. These materials should only be used when a lawn has a uniform weed population. If weeds exist only on a portion of the lawn, do not apply a "weed-n-feed" product to the entire lawn. If the situation warrants the use of a "weed-n-feed" product, it is important to determine if the manufacturer's recommended rate of application supplies the amount of fertilizer needed by the turfgrass and the amount of herbicide that is required for weed control. Supplemental applications of fertilizer or herbicide may be required if the fertilizer/herbicide product does not supply enough fertilizer to meet the fertility needs of the turfgrass or the amount of herbicide needed for weed control. Turfgrass fertilizer/herbicide products should be used with caution near ornamentals. Products that contain dicamba, metsulfuron, or atrazine can be absorbed by the roots of ornamentals and cause severe injury. Do not apply products that contain these ingredients near the root zone of ornamental trees and shrubs.”

The last sentence here is what should concern you if you are considering using one of these products. The root zone of established trees and shrubs can range from 2 to 5 times the width of the canopy of the plant. In other words, if the shrub is 4 feet across, the roots can easily extend 8 to 12 feet in all directions and a tree with a 15 foot canopy can have roots that grow out to 30 feet or more. This root spread is dependent on tree species and soil conditions, but the possibility of herbicides in the root system must be considered when selecting a turf herbicide.

Finally, remember an herbicide is not a substitute for good lawn maintenance practices. Also, if you deicide to use an herbicide, be sure to read and follow all of the label directions and conditions before buying and again before applying for your safety and the safety of the environment.

Good Luck and Happy Gardening,
Carol