Broadleaf Weed Control in Spring
Cool Season Temperatures 40° – 65°
As early spring arrives homeowners walk through their springtime lawns, they all have the same question: “What is this strange little weed?” Bare spots left from summer stressed lawns become home to broadleaf weeds. Some weeds, like dandelions, survive the winter while others weeds like chickweed and henbit, with its purple flowers, will pop up from seed in cool soils. As days get longer and soil temperatures rise the small broadleaf weeds start to spread out and capture the sun’s rays.
Enhance Performance with Stikit
The best way to kill these spring weeds is a cool weather liquid weed killer. Gordon’s Speed Zone with Uncle’s Stikit added can be used effectively during cooler spring weather. Uncle’s Stikit, a non-ionic surfactant, improves weed killing efficiency by increasing the spread and penetration of the active ingredient throughout the surface of the broadleaf weed. Humectants in Stikit extend drying time which encourages increased uptake of the herbicide on broadleaf weeds. Also, be patient, at cold soil temperatures these plants die more slowly, and you may need a second application after seven to ten days. Speed Zone is the best choice for tiny leaf weeds like chickweed, clover, veronica and henbit. Always use pesticides responsibly.
Broadleaf Weed Control in Fall
Cool Season Temperatures 65° – 40°
Mid-September to Mid-November is an excellent time to control broadleaf weeds like dandelions, plantain, curled dock, and thistle. In the fall, broadleaf weeds are busy collecting energy from photosynthesis and storing it in the crown and roots. Loveland Weed and Feed and Speed Zone® contain systemic broadleaf weed herbicides that will move through the leaf tissue and into the crown and roots for a complete kill. Killing broadleaf weeds in fall will allow turf to fill in the bare spots before crabgrass or other weeds germinate the following spring. Speed Zone® will be effective down to 40° soil temperature, however; Weed and Feed is most effective when temperatures are above 65°.
See Related: Broadleaf Weeds When Overseeding
Broadleaf Weed Control in Summer
Warm Season Temperatures 65° – 85°
When warm weather has arrived, the broadleaf weeds get a little larger. The larger the leaf, the easier the target, so Loveland Weed and Feed is an excellent control for broadleaf weeds. Using Weed and Feed has three great advantages:
- Professional strength herbicide for quick kill down to the roots.
- Contains fertilizer to encourage grass to thicken and fight weed pressure.
- Formulated specifically for use with Uncle’s Idiot Proof Lawn Care Program. Can be applied within days of Prevent crabgrass pre-emergent application.
Speed Zone® can also be used for spot spraying at temperatures up to 85°.
How Do I Find the Ground Soil Temperature?
You can use a soil temperature probe to test the soil temperature in your own lawn or you can simply watch the weather forecasters. You can follow the ground soil temperatures at the sites linked below.
How to Get Rid of Creeping Charlie and Wild Violet
When Creeping Charlie and Wild Violet show up at the party, use Triad or T-Zone* to run them out of town. Ground ivy (aka Creeping Charlie) and wild violet are particularly challenging weeds to control. Triad or T-Zone* delivers excellent cool-weather control for these hard-to-kill broadleaf weeds. Triad or T-Zone*, a selective weed control, will not harm cool-season grasses, much like Speedzone. The addition of triclopyr and sulfentrazone in the Triad or T-Zone* formula in the precise ratio show an improved performance against tough weeds like ground ivy, wild violets, and clover in turf. Triad or T-Zone* also provides suppression of young and actively growing nutsedge. The best time to control these weeds is when they actively grow in spring and fall.
If you don’t want to spray, the best management would be to make the environment around them unfriendly for them to grow. Ground Ivy and wild violet prefer moist shady areas. Correcting drainage issues in the area can help. More sunlight can be added by removing low tree branches. Mowing those areas higher to allow the grass to grow taller to limit the amount of sunlight reaching the weeds. Reseeding problem areas multiple times per season will work to fight invasive weed pressure. These are just a few fundamental management practices to help the need for herbicides applications.
*Triad and T-Zone: NOT RECOMMENDED FOR USE OVER WARM SEASON GRASSES
Uncle’s Tip: Before using any pesticide, always read the label directions for use.
