Pre-emergent Weed Control in the South
Pre-emergent Weed Control In Southern Lawns & Landscapes
By: Brent Wilson
Date: 1/28/2009
What does the term "pre-emergent weed control" refer to? It simply refers to a method of controlling weeds by preventing a weed seed from germinating in the first place. There are pre-emergent weed control products that you can use to kill weed seeds before or as they try to sprout. Pre-emergent weed control can tremendously cut down on the need for mixing and spraying other chemicals to kill weeds after they have sprouted.
Basically, there are two places in the landscape we want to control weeds: 1) the lawn, and 2) landscaped beds and islands. There are pre-emergent weed control products designed and available for both areas.
Pre-emergent Weed Control in the Lawn
What is the best time to apply pre-emergent weed control in the lawn? Because weed seeds literally fly in with wind at all times of year, pre-emergent weed control can be done at anytime of year using a pre-emergent weed control product. That being said, to be most effective, pre-emergent weed control should be done before most of the weeds begin to grow.
In the South, we have two categories of weeds: 1) warm season weeds which grow during the spring and summer seasons, and 2) cool season weeds, such as poa annua and henbit that grow during the winter months. So, the best times to treat lawn weeds in the southern zones with a pre-emergent herbicide are early Fall (September/October) and late Winter (February/March)...before most seasonal weeds begin to germinate.
What is the best pre-emergent weed control to use on my lawn? This depends on your location and what is available at local nursery and garden centers in your area. At Wilson Bros Nursery, we stock Team 2G Lawn Weed Pre-emergent Weed Control for the late winter application, and then carry a line of lawn fertilizer products which contain Barricade pre-emergence for applications in mid-Spring and again in fall. This way, our customers can kill two birds with one stone. Many of our customers at Wilson Bros Nursery use lawn fertilization and weed control programs that we designed specifically for those who garden in the state of Georgia, and others who garden in similar USDA Zones.
Check with your local nursery and garden center professional to see what products he or she recommends and stocks or if they have an easy-to-follow program you can get on.
Pre-emergent Weed Control in Landscaped Beds and Islands
Landscaped beds and islands are non-lawn areas in which shrubs, trees, groundcovers and other types of plants have been arranged together in a "bed" that is usually then mulched.
What is the best time to apply pre-emergent weed control to landscaped beds and islands? You can apply pre-emergent weed control products, such as Treflan Granules, any time of year. Treflan is a pre-emergent weed control product that can provide up to a full year of weed control, so the best time to aplly would be in late winter or early spring: before all of the warm season weed seeds begin to germinate (sprout). That being said, weeds blow in with the wind year round, so, if you're reading this article in late spring, it's never too late to get a pre-emergent on the ground!
There are several other products, such as Dimension, which are good fro pre-emergent weed control in landscaped beds and islands. Check with your local nursery and garden center to see what products they stock.
SEE ALSO:
lawn fertilization and weed control programs
Weed Control Homepage