Managing late summer weeds (8-3-09)

Homeowners who applied a pre-emergence herbicide in early spring to prevent summer annual weeds, may now be noticing that the herbicides have about run their course. Some late germinating seeds of prostrate spurge, goosegrass, crabgrass and other summer weeds are breaking through, especially where there has been excessive rainfall the past few weeks.

For most of the state, we are still several weeks from a killing frost. These weeds can get to be quite noticeable if not managed. For broadleaf weed species there are many post–emerge herbicide options we can apply to warm-season turf species, but for grassy weeds, the herbicide choices become limited.

To select the proper herbicides for your lawn publications Weed Control Guidelines for Mississippi and Establish and Manage Your Home Lawn may be downloaded or obtained from your county Extension office. The best weed management is to maintain a dense healthy canopy of turf that provides natural competition.

Published August 3, 2009

Dr. Wayne Wells is an Extension Professor and Turfgrass Specialist. His mailing address is Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Mail Stop 9555, Mississippi State, MS 39762. wwells@ext.msstate.edu