Hi, everyone ..

I'm in Fort Worth, TX, the temperatures lately have been 30s at night, and
50-70 during the day. I'm trying to turn a lawn that was all weeds up until
two years ago into a bermuda lawn without resodding or using round-up.

So, I've got at least 70% bermuda after 2 years, but in the areas where its
thin, I've got lots of henbit (I think). It's a short leafy plant with a
purple flower.

I've just left the henbit hoping that it will die out on its own and that
this spring I can thicken up the bermuda and crowd it out so that it wont
come back next year. Is this a reasonable idea or should I be pulling this
stuff? It's all over the yard already, though.

Also, I'm wondering if I should mow it to try to keep it from spreading, and
alternatively, if there is any benefit in just leaving the henbit alone.
Does it thwart bugs, does it fix certain minerals into the soil, anything
like that?

Thanks in advance,
Datura

It's a winter weed which is pretty. If you don't want it, you have to keep it
from going to seed and so yes, mowing is one way to go. You do not need to pull
it out, it is an annual weed. This is the window of putting down some corn
gluten meal as a pre-emergent. Take a look at www.dirtdoctor.com and look for
his advice on weeds or turf.


On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 18:40:50 GMT, "Datura" wrote:

Hi, everyone ..

I'm in Fort Worth, TX, the temperatures lately have been 30s at night, and
50-70 during the day. I'm trying to turn a lawn that was all weeds up until
two years ago into a bermuda lawn without resodding or using round-up.

So, I've got at least 70% bermuda after 2 years, but in the areas where its
thin, I've got lots of henbit (I think). It's a short leafy plant with a
purple flower.

I've just left the henbit hoping that it will die out on its own and that
this spring I can thicken up the bermuda and crowd it out so that it wont
come back next year. Is this a reasonable idea or should I be pulling this
stuff? It's all over the yard already, though.

Also, I'm wondering if I should mow it to try to keep it from spreading, and
alternatively, if there is any benefit in just leaving the henbit alone.
Does it thwart bugs, does it fix certain minerals into the soil, anything
like that?

Thanks in advance,
Datura

Datura said:


So, I've got at least 70% bermuda after 2 years, but in the areas where its
thin, I've got lots of henbit (I think). It's a short leafy plant with a
purple flower.


Perhaps it is ground ivy, not henbit? Henbit is a rangy annual winter weed with
(typically) pinkish-purple flowers. Pulling it out by hand before it blooms can
control it, as can fall applications of a pre-emergent herbicide. Keeping the
turf healthy, thick and growing through the fall is also preventative.

There's a pretty picture of a fallow field full of henbit in bloom he
http://www.psu.missouri.edu/fishel/henbit.htm

Ground ivy, on the other hand, is a perennial weed, worse in shady or semi-shady
areas (where the summer is hot), not easily controlled by pulling. The flowers
are more purple than henbit (sometimes blue-violet) and the bloom (in my area)
about the same time.

For some close-ups of ground ivy (and a mention of a couple of other weeds
it is sometimes confused with):
http://www.ppws.vt.edu/scott/weed_id/glehe.htm

I've got ground ivy in part of my lawn, henbit in the vegetable garden. Rarely
do I see henbit in the lawn, and it's easily pulled.
--
Pat in Plymouth MI

Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced.
(attributed to Don Marti)

First off, henbit can be a short lived perennial. It spreads though seeds,
rooting stems, and rhizomes.

It is generally an indicator of poor decaying of the soil and will usually
work itself out of a home in about 5 years in a lawn. It often indicated
high levels of magnesium, and therefore I advise not applying dolomitic
lime. Moreover, I would be willing to bet that where the problem is
occurring, there are slightly low levels of calcium and phosphorus. Bone
meal and rock phosphate are organic sources for these nutrients.

The upshot is, I recommend thatching and aerating the infected areas as a
first defense (or offense as the case may be) and if all else fails,
sprinkle around some rock phosphate over it and see if things aren't much
nicer in another year.


--
Please see our website of gardening products at
http://www.southernexposure.com

Peace

Cricket
"animaux" wrote in message
...
It's a winter weed which is pretty. If you don't want it, you have to
keep it
from going to seed and so yes, mowing is one way to go. You do not need
to pull
it out, it is an annual weed. This is the window of putting down some
corn
gluten meal as a pre-emergent. Take a look at www.dirtdoctor.com and look
for
his advice on weeds or turf.


On Sat, 01 Feb 2003 18:40:50 GMT, "Datura" wrote:

Hi, everyone ..

I'm in Fort Worth, TX, the temperatures lately have been 30s at night,
and
50-70 during the day. I'm trying to turn a lawn that was all weeds up
until
two years ago into a bermuda lawn without resodding or using round-up.

So, I've got at least 70% bermuda after 2 years, but in the areas where
its
thin, I've got lots of henbit (I think). It's a short leafy plant with a
purple flower.

I've just left the henbit hoping that it will die out on its own and that
this spring I can thicken up the bermuda and crowd it out so that it
wont
come back next year. Is this a reasonable idea or should I be pulling
this
stuff? It's all over the yard already, though.

Also, I'm wondering if I should mow it to try to keep it from spreading,
and
alternatively, if there is any benefit in just leaving the henbit alone.
Does it thwart bugs, does it fix certain minerals into the soil, anything
like that?

Thanks in advance,
Datura