In my last post I mentioned that crabgrass preemergence herbicides are packaged as a percentage of the active ingredient (ai). When buying these products first check the bag for what herbicide it contains and what is the percentage of the active ingredient.
Generally the product with higher percentage of active ingredient, the smaller the bag will be by weight. The reason for this is that the application amounts are base on a recommended quantity of .25 lbs. of active ingredient per acre. This where it gets somewhat confusing and requires a simple explanation.
One of the more common herbicides formulated for home use is dithiopyr. Dithiopyr is considered both preemergence and postemergence because it will control crabgrass seedling prior to tiller development. Two examples of products sold locally are Sta-green Crab-EX 0.17% ai in a 17 lb. bag and Green Light with Dimension (dithiopyr) 0.25% ai. in a 10 lb. bag. Both products cover 5000 sq. ft.
Why? Sta-green recommends applying the product at 3.4 lb. per 1000 sq. ft thus the 17 lb bag and Green Light recommends applying the product at 2.4 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. thus the 10 lb. bag.The consumer needs to be aware of this information and base their choice on these facts. The most important thing to do when applying herbicides and fertilizer is to know the square footage of your lawn and apply the correct amount that is recommended on the label. By applying ½ the amount in one direction and ½ the amount at 90 degrees will insure complete coverage of your lawn area. The herbicide must be irrigated into the lawn by a ½ ” rainfall or by sprinkler to give good weed control.
I purchased Green Light at Virginia Beach Feed and Seed on 132 N. Witchduck Road near Cleveland Street and would recommend them for their service and knowledge.
With temperatures on the rise, daffodils showing color and life returning to normal after an unusually cold, wet winter, it’s time to think about our lawns and gardens.Our lawns major enemy is lurking just inches below the surface. The seeds from last year’s crabgrass crop are waiting for the soil to warm up to 55 degrees to germinate. This can occur in the local tidewater area very soon. My soil thermometer is reading 49 degrees today. The local weather prediction is for temperatures in the upper fifties to near sixty this week with rain later in the week.How do we stop the germination of the crabgrass seed? The only way to control crabgrass is by using a preemergence herbicide. Herbicides containing bensulide, benefin, dithiopyr, oryzalin, pendimethalin and prodiamine inhibit certain phases of cell division during seed germination. The herbicides is absorbed by the root or shoot, cell division is blocked, growth is inhibited and the immature seedling dies.Most formulations of preemergence herbicides for the homeowner are sold as a dry or granular product. Some companies incorporate the herbicide in with fertilizer but please avoid this product because as written in a previous blog, you should not fertilize in the spring. Turfgrass preemergence herbicides essential do not leach in a downward direction beyond a depth of 2-3 ” due to binding to the soil and organic matter. The herbicide is presented as a percentage of active ingredient (ai). All of the dry formulations of herbicides are stable and maintain their activity for many years if protected from moisture.
Check out your local retailers, see what is available and make careful note of the percentage of active ingredient.
In my next blog entry, I will try to offer a simple approach to buying crabgrass preerergence and spreading it on the lawn.
I hope everyone had a chance to read my last post concerning soil testing. If you haven’t taken your sample , there is still time this spring to do so.
Your next step is to determine what type of grass you are growing. Generally, if your lawn is brown this winter you have a warm season grass, if most of your lawn is some shade of green, you have a cool season grass. Warm season grasses include bermudagrass, zoysiagrass, St Augustine, and centipedegrass. Cool season grass include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, and fine fescue.
Whether you determine you have a warm or cool season lawn, please do not be tempted to fertilize your lawn in the spring. You can save on the cost of fertilizers and help reduce the amount of pollutants going into the rivers and bays.
Warm season grasses should fertilized in the late spring and and summer and cool season grasses should be fertilized in the late summer and fall.
For more details visit your local extension web site or office. I will follow with more information in future posts.
It is time to start thinking about taking a soil sample of your property. In general, it is better to take samples of both the front and back yards and any other areas that are used for different purposes, like a vegetable garden.
It a very simple process:
Use a small clean plastic bucket and a clean trowel or small shovel (very important)
Collect a small amount of soil from 5-6 spots in your yard on a random zig-zag pattern approximately 4″ deep
Place the soil from each spot in the bucket, removing any debris and blend together
Put the blended soil into a sandwich size baggie, filling about 2/3 of the bag. Mark the sample location on the bag
Yesterday I was able to volunteer a couple of hours to help Helen setup the Lynnhaven River Now Booth at the Mid-Atlantic Home and Flower Show. As a volunteer I had a chance to get a sneak preview of the landscape displays. Most were very impresses, especially this early in the year, seasonal color is definitely a challenge.
Be sure to stop by the booth to get information about soil sampling and rain barrels, both are important clean water practices.
According to the news headlines, Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow this morning and retreated to his hole. This supposedly mean another six weeks of winter. I’ll let you decide if a groundhog can predict the weather. See You Tube
But where did this custom begin? This custom owes its origin to Candlemas, February 2, the day between the first day of winter and the the first day of spring. A sunny Candlemas day would mean that winter would be extended six more weeks. February 2 is also the day that the Purification of the Virgin Mary is celebrated. Candles were blessed that day, thus Candlemas,
The custom was brought to America by German immigrants and gradually modified to use the groundhog as an indicator.
I was reading in the paper this morning about the Flower Show and I was disappointed that there was only one presentation related to green gardening, Making Your Own Compost and Tumblers. I really thought we were heading in the direction of more sustainable garden landscapes.
Please visit the Lynnhaven River Now booth and see all the green initiatives that are helping clean up our area waters.
We had about 7″of snow in our neighborhood and it made for a very pretty scene.
Our favorite past time the last two days is watching the cardinals, blue jays, downy woodpeckers and the many small visitors to the feeder.
I feel I have finally come up with an inexpensive way to thwart the squirrels from tipping over the feeder.
Try not to use harsh chemicals to melt the snow on impervious surfaces because as the snow melts it will wash on to your lawns, flower beds or down the the driveway to the sewer drains .
