Gardening and Horticulture - Controlling Weeds in Aggravating Locations
Doityourself.com community forum was created to provide answers to all questions related to home improvement and home repair. Doityourself community can help you find information about how-to topics on small fixes to large remodeling projects. With comprehensive how-to content and expertly moderated community forums DoItYourself.com makes it easy to tackle even the most complex home improvement projects.View Full Version : Controlling Weeds in Aggravating Locations
IWD1
03-09-02, 05:28 PM
I have creeping ivy in various locations in my yard and every spring and summer I have to become a weed harvester for the entire season. The weeds pop up in my ivy and I am not sure what weed eradicating or controlling agent to use that will not harm my ivy. A gentleman in the Lowes lawn and garden department suggested that I use a product called Preen. I tried Preen but it did not help the weed problem. Maybe I used it incorrectly, it was in granular form and I spread a healthy amount throughout my ivy beds. The weeds behaved as if they were impervious to the Preen product, I did not even see one leaf wilt.
What can I use to combat these stubborn plants other than old fashioned sweat and brute force?
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.
What can I use to combat these stubborn plants other than old fashioned sweat and brute force?
Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated.
howiek
03-09-02, 06:34 PM
Hello IWD1
This is going to be more work than it sounds, but you could try painting the weeds with Roundup or Wipe-out. Use a small artists' or painters' brush to dab the product directly on the foliage - the brush will give you a lot more control, but it will be a lot of work... (you'll still have to be careful about drips and spills, but if you take your time...)
Good Luck
Howie
This is going to be more work than it sounds, but you could try painting the weeds with Roundup or Wipe-out. Use a small artists' or painters' brush to dab the product directly on the foliage - the brush will give you a lot more control, but it will be a lot of work... (you'll still have to be careful about drips and spills, but if you take your time...)
Good Luck
Howie
BobF
03-11-02, 05:30 AM
Try preen. Its supposed to work well at preventing weeds. Apply the first treatment in early spring and follow the directions for timing of repeat applications.
ct. arborist
03-13-02, 08:31 PM
okay,first things first...
let me give you a brief lesson in herbicides.
there are 2 types,pre-emergent herbicides and post emergent herbicides.
pre-emergent herbicides do not kill weeds they prevent new weed seeds from germinating. there are several different types of pre-emergents one of which is 'preen' that is why your weeds havn't shown any signs of decline. the idea beeing that if you get your beds free of weeds and apply the preen to a nice clean bed the preen will keep your beds relatively weed free for the better part of the season.
unfortunately you have an existing weed problem so you need a post emergent herbicide which will kill off existing weeds. round-up is an excellent example of a post emergent weed control.
here's the problem... round-up will damage every plant it touches including your ivy,but luckily round-up only works through the plants leaves so as mentioned above if you have the patience to very carefully,with a paint brush,apply round-up(properly diluted according to label directions of coarse)to the leaves of your mystery weed without getting to much on your ivy the weed will be killed. seeing as you've already applied preen to your bed that should help to keep any new weed seeds from germinating and cuasing more aggrivation.
i would recomend annual applications of preen in the spring to help avoid this problem in the future. also i would recomend the use of preen for ground covers it comes in a yellow pakage with a purple label,the general use preen which comes in a yellow package with a red label contains treflan which althogh it is quite safe around trees and shrubs is also quite volatile and has the potential to damage some low growing ground covers.
hope this info helps,
good luck!
ron r.
let me give you a brief lesson in herbicides.
there are 2 types,pre-emergent herbicides and post emergent herbicides.
pre-emergent herbicides do not kill weeds they prevent new weed seeds from germinating. there are several different types of pre-emergents one of which is 'preen' that is why your weeds havn't shown any signs of decline. the idea beeing that if you get your beds free of weeds and apply the preen to a nice clean bed the preen will keep your beds relatively weed free for the better part of the season.
unfortunately you have an existing weed problem so you need a post emergent herbicide which will kill off existing weeds. round-up is an excellent example of a post emergent weed control.
here's the problem... round-up will damage every plant it touches including your ivy,but luckily round-up only works through the plants leaves so as mentioned above if you have the patience to very carefully,with a paint brush,apply round-up(properly diluted according to label directions of coarse)to the leaves of your mystery weed without getting to much on your ivy the weed will be killed. seeing as you've already applied preen to your bed that should help to keep any new weed seeds from germinating and cuasing more aggrivation.
i would recomend annual applications of preen in the spring to help avoid this problem in the future. also i would recomend the use of preen for ground covers it comes in a yellow pakage with a purple label,the general use preen which comes in a yellow package with a red label contains treflan which althogh it is quite safe around trees and shrubs is also quite volatile and has the potential to damage some low growing ground covers.
hope this info helps,
good luck!
ron r.
cheese
03-13-02, 09:11 PM
Nice post ron r. Informative.
Gami
03-14-02, 08:57 AM
Thanks all for the info!
I just wanted to say that I use Preen and Preen 'n Green and like both products.
I read somewhere (and I think it was here) that someone sets 5 gallon buckets over plants they want to protect while spraying Roundup.
I would think that you could also cut the bottom out of containers (all sizes), set the bottomless container on the weeds and spray down into the container and keep scooting it around as you move. That would also protect the other plants from the spray. In fact, I have a HUGE problem with bindweed, and that would work great to single out that offense weed.
Gami
I just wanted to say that I use Preen and Preen 'n Green and like both products.
I read somewhere (and I think it was here) that someone sets 5 gallon buckets over plants they want to protect while spraying Roundup.
I would think that you could also cut the bottom out of containers (all sizes), set the bottomless container on the weeds and spray down into the container and keep scooting it around as you move. That would also protect the other plants from the spray. In fact, I have a HUGE problem with bindweed, and that would work great to single out that offense weed.
Gami
IWD1
03-14-02, 06:00 PM
Thankyou for all of the help.
I will use the Preen in the early spring and then apply it again annually. I will also give a few of the other ideas a try like the one about taking a container to surround the weed and then spray it with round up that way isolating the rest of the ivy bed from coming in contact with the weed killer.
I will use the Preen in the early spring and then apply it again annually. I will also give a few of the other ideas a try like the one about taking a container to surround the weed and then spray it with round up that way isolating the rest of the ivy bed from coming in contact with the weed killer.