GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

[email protected] · 15-04-2009, 12:46 PM posted to alt.home.lawn.garden,alt.home.repair

wrote:
On Tue, 14 Apr 2009 19:34:07 -0400, "
wrote:

Jon Danniken wrote:
Hi, I have a number of dandelions in my yard (PNW), too many to spot treat,
and I'm not going to rip out the yard and resod it.

That leaves me to looking for an herbicide. The only problem is that I have
a few trees (oak, maple, walnut), and I don't want to kill the trees.

Looking at the labels, I see 2,4-D and Dicamba, both of which seem to be
toxic to trees.

My question is, for those of you who have used these products around trees,
what has been your experience? Have you been successful in keeping the
trees alive?

Also, is there perhaps a different formulation which might be less toxic to
the trees?

Thanks,

Jon

We have southern lawn and did lawn care for our condo for several years.
For first all-over treatment, we used Weed-B-Gone. For really
persistant weeds, I used Roundup with a spray bottle (no drift) or a
brush. Using a paint brush makes quick work of the occasional weed and
keeps herbicide from contacting anything else.

When we did all-over treatment, we weren't particularly careful about
root zones, as some labels say not to spray. As I recall, WBG works
through the leaves, not the roots, so nothing is really getting to tree
roots. Need to be careful not to spray on windy days, or herbicide will
drift. We also fertilized a week or two prior, so weeds were actively
growing, which is what you want them to do so they take up the
herbicide. Good idea not to apply herbicides when lawns are stressed by
hot dry weather.

Not an issue in Ontario any more. In about 2 weeks it becomes illegal
to use chemical pesticides of any kind on our lawns------
Yup - time for ASTROTURF

Wow! Unfortunately, too many folks think if a little is good, more is
really good. Some herbicides are really nasty stuff, especially when
they get into water....no more frogs? Not a big deal to some, but it
changes the environ. in a big way.