Organic weed control

bmitd67 – posted 15 April 2005 09:51

Hi. I’m new at lawn care (usually I just mow but this year I want to start improving my lawn).

Grass: mix of Bermuda/Tall FescueSoil: Clay

I had an analysis and was told I have controllable dandelion, clover, henbit & chickweed.

I was told that I should start Pre-M for Crabgrass ASAP.

I would like to do any of this but with as few chemicals as possible.

Can anybody 1. give me ideas on how to do it myself or, 2. give me names of folks in Middle TN who can help.

Thanks

Dchall_San_Antonio – posted 13 May 2005 21:43

The best way to get rid of weeds is to grow a really great turf. Deep watering and proper mowing will do it most of the time. I’m going to make the assumption that you’re mowing your grass higher than one inch (bermuda height) but lower than 4 inches (tall fescue height). That’s about the only way you could have a mix. There is another way you can have a mix: thin fescue. Fescue is a bunch grass and bermuda is a sod forming grass. So the bermuda will creep to fill in where the fescue is weak. You can fill in with fescue by overseeding in the fall and setting your mower as high as it goes. Or you can fill in with bermuda by overseeding in June and setting your mower as low as it goes.

Henbit is the easiest plant to pull out of the ground. It has a teensy little root for all that foliage, so just pluck it out. For the dandelions get a Weed Hound tool at almost any box store. WH plucks out tap rooted weeds as fast as you can step on them. Chickweed I am not familiar with. Clover (Dutch white clover?) I would tend to keep and even would suggest you buy Dutch white clover seed and spreading it throughout your yard. Clover turf looks extremely plush, needs no fertilizer, and no mowing – just a consideration. Other clovers besides Dutch white are not suitable for turf.

If you would like to try an organic program, you can start very inexpensively by spreading ORDINARY corn meal at a rate of 10-20 pounds per 1,000 square feet, four times a season. If you grow clover you won’t need even this.

ted – posted 18 May 2005 16:35

call second nature in nashville. you can use alot less chems if you have a healthy lawn to begin with.

bmitd67 – posted 19 May 2005 07:51

Thanks so much. I’ve already raised my mower height and I was hoping to find somebody local who knew more than me.

prmantisburgh – posted 23 June 2005 23:11

…i hope this information is not too late, Ted gave great advice except for the little BIG error…you NEED to use corn gluten meal- this is organic pre-emergent weed control…corn meal is used only for brown patch/fungal problems (…and make sure it is horitcultural grade, pantry corn meal will not work!)

prmantisburgh – posted 23 June 2005 23:13

sorry, not Ted..but Turfmaster

Tungsten33333 – posted 25 June 2005 16:42

Corn meal is not ONLY for fungus control. It provides food for microbes as well which in turn keep the soil rich and less compacted. Provides nitrogen for the plants as well.