Zap Winter Weeds

Don't let these cool-weather rogues make a mess out of your yard.

Nobody wants a brown lawn in summer. But winter is a different story for folks growing Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede, and other grasses that go dormant in the cold. That's when you want to have a beautiful brown carpet unsullied by weeds that sprout and thrive in cool weather.

The best way to prevent winter weeds is by growing a thick lawn-having no gaps in the grass means there's no place for weeds to invade. Thick lawns result from plenty of sun (although some grasses take light shade, none prefer it), proper fertilization (buy a product labeled for your type of grass, and apply it according to directions), and enough water (1 inch per week from spring through fall).

For extra protection against winter weeds, apply a preemergence herbicide, such as Scotts Halts or Sta-Green Crab-Ex, early next fall. Do it just as nighttime temperatures begin dipping into the low 60s. This will keep all sorts of broadleaf and grassy lawn weeds from germinating, including annual bluegrass (Poa annua), henbit, and chickweed. But don't use these products if you're putting down grass seed, or it won't sprout.

Knock 'Em Dead

I know what you're thinking: "Last fall is history. I didn't put down that pre-emergence stuff, so what can I do with the weeds I have now?" Kill them-that's what-before they can set seed to make more plants for next winter. Here's how to send four common weeds into the great beyond.

* Henbit-With its crown of purple-pink flowers, this is one pretty weed. It's okay in a meadow, but most folks in suburbia don't want it in their lawns. It will die in spring when the weather warms; then it'll sprout again next winter. To speed its demise, spray it with a liquid broadleaf herbicide, such as Weed-B-Gon or Weed Stop. For a widespread infestation, use a spreader to apply a granular broadleaf product for lawns that does not contain fertilizer. Check labels carefully to make sure these products are safe for your kind of grass.

* Wild onions and garlic-These two closely related perennial weeds grow from bulbs and spread by seed and bulblets. Their deep green tufts of foliage are prominent now. If you have just a few clumps, dig them up, making sure to get all the bulbs. To control a large number, spray with a broadleaf herbicide such as Weed-B-Gon. You may have to apply it more than once.

* Chickweed-This creeping plant with small white flowers forms ever-expanding patches. It usually dies in warm weather but may survive the heat in shade. Dispatch it in the same way as henbit.

* Mouse-ear chickweed-Named for its fuzzy, rounded leaves, it tolerates more heat and drought and is tougher to eradicate than chickweed. If you can't wait for it to die in late spring, treat it with the same herbicides you use on henbit. You'll probably have to apply it repeatedly. STEVE BENDER

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Feb 2004
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