Weeds Weeds Weeds

N

niceone

Guest
I have around 1 Acre of lawn and have a constant battle keeping weeds out. I can't afford to buy the domestic type products as they typically cover 50 Square Meters. Can someone out there offer some advice on how I should control moss, dandelion, thistle, dock leaf ? Perhaps there is a product geared towards farmers ?
 
if you go to a place called NAD National agrochemicals in blakes cross lusk north co. dublin. You are looking for a semi selective translocated herbicide. The chemical make-up means that the chemical cannot attach or penetrate the narrow leaves of any plant [ie. only leaving the broadleaves - ie. the weeds] this is readily available to trade and domestic. A good napsack and a 'coul' is essential[to prevent wind-drift and therefore killing/ affecting any of your neighbours plants with a broadleaf] You will find them at [broken link removed] in the trade members section. The trade names vary but the chemical make up rarely changes nor the principle behind

Slan agus beannacht
 
I have around 1 Acre of lawn and have a constant battle keeping weeds out.
Click to expand...

Live and let live? Surely you don't need a bowling green surface? Better to tolerate a few weeds in your lawn than go poisoning your own, and probably your neighbours' land, not to mention lungs. Regular mowing also helps to keep weeds to a minimum.
 
Sherman - to be very honest most chemicals are [under stingent eu legislation] safe as can be. Health and safety regulations make it so that a double filter mask, white suit and nitrile rubber gloves must be worn by the spaying contractor. The chemical forms a distortion in the growth cells of the plant and this alone is what kills the weed of a broad leaf nature [eg tritox]. The moss in lawns is killed by a chemical imbalance when an iron sulphate based liquid is applied as moss cannot grow in its presence of Iron[Fe]. Like washing powder it is safe but you wouldnt eat it and equally pouring it into your fish tank may have side effects. At the rate of eu change, which was necessary, most 'chemicals' for gardens are safe within this kind of standard. It therefore wont affect your lungs or poison your land as it is eliminated once it has passed through the hormones[auxins] of the particular plant. The problem with the weeds in lawns is that the growing point is often below that of the grass and so it can be difficult to eliminate without 'non green' measures. The perennial have all a deep rooting system so a translocated or systemic herbicide is somewhat in this situation a necessary evil.
 
Fair enough Oirish, judging by the 'science bits' as they say, in your post you know what you're talking about.

However, like I said, I'm happier not using these products - once upon a time all dangerous garden chemicals were thought to be safe. I'd much rather have a few daisies in the lawn than take a risk damaging my health/the environment, but that's a personal choice. Its not as if having a Wimbledon sward is a life-enhancing necessity!
 
If I may summarise by saying my sister likes her lawn 'au natural' [ie. doesnt really care] but once a year becomes inspired and heads to the local garden centre were she is sold a vast amount of useful/less products, [but never uses them]?!!! My father on the other hand likes the wimbledon look, [although it will never be achieved and in my opinion it looks disastrous!!!] however - their both happy and my horticultural opinion no matter how many letters after my name, is as warranted by both as the dogs opinion on nuclear warfare?!!?! ie. As long as the house doesnt fall down your correct and so am i...
 
Have a 3/4 acre garden myself and used 4 bags gouldings weed and feed @20euro a bag. Not too expensive once a year. Garden is looking fairly weed free.

Will have to put down some ferric sulphite alright but ca. 30 - 40euro should cover that.

You cant expect a half decent lawn if you wont spend a bit of cash!:)
 
i think the only problem I had personally with some domestic clients was that they could not/ didnt calculate the output properly when it came to the granular range. They really couldnt go wrong when it came to the liquid option. Different strokes, different folks etc... i undertand. NAD also do a commercial range of that to or [broken link removed] and hit the trade members section. I usually find the AI [or active ingredien] is less in the garden centre/ domestic range and so less is more etc.
warm regards
 
Thanks everyone for the response. If I don't do something I will have a lawn FULL of weed, so I am taking the lawn doctors advice and buying some selective herbicide. Have taken the green approach and just kept cutting but that's not doing the trick. I read recently killing weeds is just tackling the symptom, you need to tackle the cause. In my case that may be poor drainage, I don't know ! Should I be doing something else about the 'problem' ?
 
Hi Niceone
Have you considered landscaping half of your lawn ... for lower maintenence? With an acre there is lots of scope to do something interesting ... you could have a woodland area ... which would mind itself ... !
As regards the weeds ... the deep rooted perennials like dandelions thrive on wet claggy soil ... sorting out the drainage is only a start. If you think the lawn is beyond repair you should consider digging it up and replacing the topsoil and reseeding. Failing that I would give this bit of advice ... one years' weed is 7 years seed ... so keep popping the flowers off the weeds before they multiply any further ....
Hope this is a help.

Henny
PS: There's a lot to be said for concrete and tarmac ... no weeds ... no mowing :)
 
niceone - the drainage really wont solve the weed problem. For this you need to take mother nature to court! The drainage may help solve the moss problem... but not the weeds.

warm regards
ps keep 'em coming!
 
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