Weeds On Turf

Turf that is infected with weeds, and in particular broad leaf weeds, looks very unsightly. If they are not controlled they will spread quickly because they are prolific seeders. The reason they are so widespread is because the seed germinates and establishes easily. In dry conditions weeds stand out in turf because they are deeper rooted than grass and stay green when turf becomes affected by drought.

The good news is broad leaf weeds are easy to control. The size of the leaf means when sprayed with a selective herbicide a large proportion of the herbicide remains on the leaf. Timing of spraying to control a weed problem is important. An early application of selective herbicide in May or sometimes late April can be very successful. Any gaps left by large weeds will soon be covered by grass as it colonises the space.

It goes without saying that strong turf will succeed better in competition with weeds than a weak sward which has not been fertilized correctly.

Selective herbicides are specific to certain weed species so correct identification is important before application of any product. The technical staff who are BASIS qualified will help if anything unusual is causing a problem.

Products such as Mascot Super Selective have a broad spectrum of control but in the case of woody weeds such as brambles it will be necessary to use Timbrel . When applying any herbicide one of the items which will affect its success is the nozzle used in the lance on the sprayer. If the droplets are too large they will tend to run off the leaves, if they are too fine insufficient product will reach the target. Stopping to “make sure” a particularly big weed is killed will result in the grass being scorched. Remember when controlling weeds in turf always use a SELECTIVE herbicide. If the first application is not 100% successful make a second treatment about 4-6 weeks later. Avoid using selective herbicide on newly seeded areas as young seedlings are delicate and need lots of T.L.C.