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  (January) My question is from your column I clipped last spring. You stated to use 2,4-d for spurweed in January or February. I have a liquid 2,4-d, I want to use in a pump sprayer (hand-held). What measurements do I use for Bermuda grass lawn? I should be extremely careful around my flower beds and trees, correct?

  Many of the winter annual weeds got a quick start this season, and are already up and growing. Now would be a great time to spray with 2,4-D--a broadleaf weed killer. I cannot give you amounts to use, since there are numerous formulations of 2,4-D on the market. You need to read and follow the label directions. If your product came with a separate booklet with directions, and you have misplaced it, you can go to any retailer and find your product and read the directions. Bermuda is fairly tolerant of herbicides, but flower beds and shrubs are not. Make sure you are not spraying on a windy day, and avoid getting too close to ornamentals. Since it is a pump sprayer, spot spray the areas that have problems.

  (January) We live in Sherwood, Which means my yard is clay and rock. We purchased the house new 6 years ago. The yard was sodded with Bermuda grass. I would like to over seed it with Bermuda seed, but have developed a problem with crabgrass. I need to put a pre emergent fertilizer on. If I do when do I put the seed down?

  My suggestion would be to use a pre-emergent herbicide (crabgrass prevention) in mid Feb to early March. Using this will preclude you from using grass seed, since the chemical would inhibit germination of the grass seed just like it would the crabgrass. However, if you get the crabgrass under control, you should be able to really push the existing Bermuda grass with nitrogen, and get it much thicker in one season. Fertilize with a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer once the grass has completely greened up, and then reapply two or three more times throughout the season. Bermuda grass responds very well to nitrogen -- so well, you may mow more than you want to.

  (January) I had a bumper crop of crabgrass in my front yard last year that I don't want to return. I put a pre-emerge on it in the late winter, but it came up anyway. With the dry summer, the crabgrass grew better than my 31Fescue(shade)and common Bermuda(sun). I dragged out the MSMA and it ended up doing a better job on the fescue than on the crabgrass. What would you suggest to take care of this problem ? Also what fertilizer regimen do you suggest for yards? With recent warm  weather...I'm seeing green weeds...can I use roundup on them and not kill surrounding grasses?

  It is easier to deal with crabgrass in warm season grasses than cool. February through March is the time to put out a pre-emergent herbicide for crabgrass, but you need to use caution around the fescue, since we often overseed it. Pre-emergent products are only recommended for well established lawns. If you had tons of crabgrass, you can do a split application of the pre-emergent, using some in February and a lighter dose in April. Any crabgrass that still makes it can be controlled with MSMA, but only on the Bermuda--it is not recommended on fescue. There are some other products that can be used on fescue, but it is usually hard on the fescue, since you are applying them during fescues toughest season--summer. If you have green in your Bermuda now, you can spot spray with Round-up, but only on Bermuda--no other lawn grass, especially fescue, which should be green and growing now. As for fertilization, fertilize Bermuda when it completely greens up--typically April or early May, then again in June and August, if you want to. Fescue is a cool season lawn and we typically fertilize in the fall and early spring, stopping with the onset of summer. You may want to get a copy of the lawn care calendars from your local county extension office, or visit our web site at www.uaex.edu.

  (February) My husband was wondering if he could put out Roundup on dormant Zoysia grass to kill the weeds that have come up so far this spring????

  NO! Even though zoysia grass looks the most strawlike during the winter of almost any lawn grass, it has green near the soil line. Round-up or glyphosate products could do damage. The only grass that Round-up can ever be applied to in the dormant stage is Bermuda, and then only when it is good and dormant. If you have broadleaf weeds now, consider using a product containing 2,4-D.

  (February) Please tell me how to get wild onions out of the yard. I have about 2 and 1/2 acres of land that is filled with green onions. We built a house in the country about 3 years ago just east of Cabot. I have Bermuda grass around the house but only about 50 feet wide. The rest of the yard was scraped and leveled somewhat where it can be mowed. I thought about sowing grass seed but I figured I needed to get rid of the onions. Someone told me to put down a lot of lime granules. Grass is supposed to like the lime, but the onions don't. Please give me some advice.

  Lime is not going to solve your problem, but if you are planning to plant a lawn, you may want to have your soil tested to get the pH in the proper balance--that is what lime is used for. If there is nothing desirable now growing--other than weeds, including wild onions, you could spray with a glyphosate product, such as Round-up. It will kill anything growing there now, and then you can come in and seed in April or May with common Bermuda grass. If you are trying to kill wild onions in a Bermuda lawn, you can use a product with 2,4-D in it. It may take more than one application for total control. You can also use a product called Image on established lawn areas. In a worse case scenario, you can simply harvest the wild onions, and make a big stew-they are edible (without chemical exposure, or course).

  (March) Last year, I had my yard sprigged with Bermuda, and it really took off as the summer progressed. Then man that did the work used a couple of different weed killers in my yard at various stages of the treatments. In the beginning it was round-up to kill most everything, then after a while, he used something that was either MSMA6 or MAMS6, I am not sure which. He told me that the latter was going to kill the weeds in the lawn, but would not affect the Bermuda grass. It worked very, very well and very quickly. He also told me that this particular weed killer was a "commercial" killer and you had to have a license for it. As the weather was so nice this past weekend up here in Northwest Arkansas, I began to do outdoor work. One area I want to control as soon as possible is a couple of patches of weeds in my yard. If I were to use Round-up on those weeds now, would it kill the Bermuda that is around it even though it is still brown (dormant?) Is there a residential application similar to the MSMA6 weed killer that I could use to remove these weeds?

  Yes, it is too late to use Round-up now on Bermuda grass. All lawns are beginning to green up, even if you can't tell it just yet. MSMA is a product that home gardeners can buy, but it works on summer grassy weeds, and must be in the 80's to be effective. At this point we are almost getting too late to spray herbicides without slowing down the natural green-up. The winter weeds that you see now are really kicking into high gear with the warm weather. Try to keep them mowed to prevent seed set and they should disappear as summer nears. Next year, either use a pre-emergent product in the fall, or use a 2,4-D product in January or February to kill the small winter weeds.

  (March) Is there a single chemical that controls both spur weed and nut grass?

  No, unless you spray with a glyphosate product which kills everything growing. Typically, these two plants aren't growing at the same time though. Spurweed is a winter annual, and nutgrass is a summer perennial. Spurweed should be killed ASAP with a 2,4-D product -- often called broadleaf weed killer. Nutgrass can be managed with Image plus MSMA, or Basagran, but not until May or early June. Be sure to read the label direction to make sure these products can be used in your lawn.

  (May) Our lawn grass is starting to green up (zoysia in the front yard and Bermuda in the back). I'd like to broadcast a fertilizer now. Is this the right time? Should I put out a "weed and feed" product or fertilizer only?

  Now that we have had some good rains, the lawns are getting really green. Now is the time to begin fertilizing your lawn. I would opt for a separate fertilizer, instead of the weed and feed. If you do have tons of weeds, you can use a weed and feed, if the product kills weeds -- not prevents them. Keep in mind that many of the weeds now are winter weeds which should begin to die out. If you have perennial dandelions and wild onions, you can still use the broadleaf weed killer, 2,4‑D. There are a few weed and feed products with 2,4‑D in them, but you need a weed killer now, not a pre‑emergent. Many of the weed and feed combinations link the fertilizer with a pre‑emergent, so read the label. I like using the individual products, fertilizer and herbicide separately, but it is up to you. Use a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer.

  I recently built a new home in Vilonia. When I built my home, I had river dirt brought in. I think this is where I got my nutgrass from. I don't know if it is nut or water grass. I have it in my sod and landscape. It grows as fast as I can pull it up. Is there anything I can do? Is there a pre-emergent or anything else that can control it?

  First of all, you need to be sure which it is--nutgrass or crabgrass (commonly called water grass). Nutgrass is usually a brighter green in color, and if you look at it from above, the leaves will come out in threes--forming a triangle if you were to draw an imaginary line between them. The stem, at the base will also be triangular in shape. Crabgrass will have broader leaves, and usually will spread closer to the ground. If you had to have one, I would hope it was crabgrass, since it is easier to kill. Pre-emergent herbicides work in the spring, or post emergent in the summer. Nutgrass on the other hand, is extremely difficult to kill, and unfortunately is common in sandy loam soil. On bare soil sites, or where you can shield shrubbery, try using Round-up or similar product this fall. Pre-emergent herbicides don't work, because this is a perennial. You can use a combination of MSMA and Image during the summer and get pretty good results, depending on the type of grass you are growing. Identify it first, and then begin the control process. Be careful about using herbicides in your lawn when it is stressed, or as it begins the process of going dormant.

  Every spring our front lawn is almost taken over with winter weeds, including the one I have sent you. I have sprayed with 2,4-D I the past, but they seem to keep coming back stronger than ever. In areas where the zoysia is thick and healthy, they do not thrive. Would it be safe to spray the dormant zoysia with Round-up to kill these weeds? If not, what would destroy the weeds and not harm the zoysia?

  Winter weeds are always worse in thinner lawns–both less competition and more light getting through to the soil. Never use Round-up on zoysia grass–even in the dead of winter. It may look the most dormant of any lawn, but there is typically some green underneath all the dormant grass, and you can damage your permanent lawn. 2,4-D herbicides are good to kill the weeds that are up, but they don’t prevent more. Try using a pre-emergent herbicide in the fall to prevent them from emerging, and catch any errant ones with Trimec or similar herbicide during early winter. Don’t wait until the weeds are large to try and kill them, since they die out with hot weather anyway. In the process they bloom and set hundreds of seeds for next years crop. Work on thickening up the rest of your zoysia lawn and try to prevent them from growing next spring.

  For the past two years, wild violets have taken over a large part of my yard. I have been able to locate any herbicide that will kill them without killing the grass. Trimec Plus was recommended to me, but it was so thick, I could not make it mix with water for my sprayer. Can you suggest a herbicide that will kill them? (Russellville)

  Wild violets are difficult to kill with any herbicide. If your grass is Bermuda, you can spot spray with a Glyphosate product (Round-up, Kleen-up, etc.) from now through early February. Only use it on dormant Bermuda; it is not recommended for other lawn grasses. The Trimec product will give you some control, but it may take more than one application. I am guessing that by a quart sprayer, you are referring to a hose-end sprayer. These are not all that accurate and are not recommended for use with herbicides. Try using a pump up sprayer or back-pack sprayer and the mixing should be easier.

  My yard is very large--the upper portion is sunny, well-drained and covered with St. Augustine. The lower portion is very shady, poorly drained and has an open drainage ditch which overflows when it rains hard. Every year I sow tall fescue seed in this shady area and with a sprinkler system, it lasts until it is time to reseed again in the fall. I have always had a problem with a weed that I am guessing is dichondra, but in the past month or so, I’ve had another weed that is literally taking over the lower part of my yard. It is choking out the new stand of fescue and is marching over into my good St. Augustine. It looks like a strawberry type weed, but it doesn’t vine, growing more like clover. What are these weeds and what do I use to kill them without damaging the fescue and St. Augustine?

  There are two separate weeds here as you know. The weed you thought was dichondra looks like ground ivy-- a running weed with scalloped leaves. The sample had pretty much turned to mush before I got it however. It is very common around St. Augustine, and can be quite difficult to control. The other weed is India mockstrawberry another common weed in the shade. Both of these weeds are tenacious and difficult to kill with herbicides. Hand-pulling would be of great help, but often isn’t feasible. Try a 2,4-D herbicide now for the strawberries, then again in the spring. Be sure to find a product that says it is safe for use on St. Augustine. Ground ivy should be fairly dormant by now and you will have to wait for late spring to treat it. Good luck.

  Enclosed are some weeds that we have growing in our yard. They come up every year and when it gets really hot, the green tops die down. We have sprayed with Round-up and weed-b-gone, but this did not work. Do you have any idea how we could get rid of them? What are they?

  The weeds in question are false garlic, a small bulbous perennial which resembles a wild onion, but lacks the onion odor. Round-up used in the late winter or the 2,4-D should have given you control. Next year try using Image in early March. At this stage, the plant is preparing to go dormant for the summer, and total control would be questionable.

  I am enclosing a weed of some sort. I hope you can identify it and tell me how to get rid of it. The weed is growing in my St. Augustine and Centipede grass. Thank you.

  The weed in question is lespedeza, a member of the pea or bean family. It has small clover-like leaves and a somewhat woody stem which spreads quickly. Wait until your lawn is actively growing next spring, and spray with Atrazine.

  I have stickers all over my yard already this spring. What can I spray with to kill them?

  The weed in question is spurweed. We always get calls this time of year when people walk barefoot and step on these annoying weeds. Unfortunately, the sticker is the weed seed, and there is nothing you can use to kill the seed now. The weed itself will begin dying with hot weather, but the sticker will remain until next fall, when it will germinate and begin growing again. Raking up the offending stickers or encouraging growth on your grass to buffer the stickers are your only options now. Herbicides will control them easily in the fall and winter.

  My neighbor and I need some help. We are covered up with spurweed. We seem to get more every year. What would it take to kill them? When do you spray?

  Spurweed is a terrible weed in the lawn, making it hard to walk barefoot until your grass grows enough to buffer it. It is a winter annual weed which germinates in the fall, grows all winter, blooms and sets the nasty stickers in early spring. Nothing you do now will do any good. The weed itself will soon die, but the sticker will be left behind for next season. Use a pre-emergence in the fall --around mid October to early November. Then look at your lawn closely in January and early February. If any of it makes it through, spray then with 2,4-D to kill it before it blooms again and sets more seeds. Rake it now to loosen the stickers and get them out, or fertilize with nitrogen to get the grass thicker to buffer the stickers.

  I am sure I have the sticker weeds again in my yard. Is there anything to do now to keep the stickers from forming? I have both Bermuda and zoysia grass.

  Spurweed is a definite problem in home lawns. It looks like a ground-hugging small growing parsley with ruffled leaves. Soon it will produce a tiny white flower which will be followed with a seed–the sticker. If you can get to the weed before bloom and seed set, you can avoid the sticker. Spray with a 2,4-D product such as Trimec soon. You can prevent the weeds in the fall with a pre-emergent product, but it is too late for that now.

  Crabgrass took over my bermuda grass lawn this summer. It looks like there is more weed than lawn. What can I kill it with now to kill it, and what can I treat my lawn with to get it thicker before winter?

  Crabgrass is an annual weed, which germinates in the spring, grows all summer then sets seeds and dies in the fall. The seeds then come back next spring. I wouldn’t worry about it this late in the season. Anything that will kill crabgrass will also stunt your bermuda, and it sounds like your grass is in enough trouble. Apply one last application of fertilizer immediately (before the 15th if possible), or use a winterizer after that. Next year, from mid-February to mid-March, apply a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent the crabgrass from germinating. Then fertilizer your bermuda monthly from green-up through August to get a thicker lawn.

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