Lawn Maintenance - Green Thumbs Advice Required.

[Homestar]

Ok, so 10 years after building my house, I'm finally getting around to doing something with the back garden (perfection takes time...:D)

So, for the last few months, I've slowly turned an overgrown building site into something that is starting to resemble a garden. Garden beds done, natives planted and growing, mulch down, blah, blah, blah. Now, as I've never had a lawn before, I had todo silly things like buy a lawn mower. By the way, my front yard is all natives, no lawn and the nature strip is Tuscan toppings, so I've never needed a mower until recently.

I wanted to put synthetic turf down, but SWMBO wanted real grass. Easy for her to say, she never mows the bloody stuff. Anyway, I'm actually starting to get a lawn happening and with good watering that we are allowed to do at the moment I've got some green stuff happening. Now, I did this by spraying the whole yard with roundup, killing all the weeds, digging all the dead stuff up, and levelling and smoothing out the ground. Then I've been throwing grass seed down and flood irrigating it...:D

So now I've got all sorts of weeds growing up with the grass - obviously seeds that were dormant when I killed all the weeds off. I pull a few out each evening, but I need a hand - and this is my question - there seem to be quite a few broad leaf and selective herbicides on the market - can anybody recommend one of them that isn't going to kill my grass off? I've heard stories of these sort of things killing everything, rather than the target weeds. Don't ask me what weeds I've got - there are several different varieties - some with roundish sort of leaves, some spindly flat stuff that spreads out under the grass and is a real pain to dig out, then there are prickly things, some canola that has blown in from a local crop, and others.

Any suggestions on how to tame these beasts without have to pull every one by hand, as I seem to be loosing this battle.

Cheers - Gav.:)

[Peter O]

What weeds are you trying to kill?
Broad leaf is easy with weed and feed or any of the dicamba try sprays.
Be careful near roses and tomatoes and avoid spraying when hot days are expected.
If you have weed grasses in the lawn it will be more difficult to take them out without killing the lawn.

[Kev the Fridgy]

Good old Yates weed and feed has always worked for me.

[Peter O]

Go on ask him what weeds :D

[Homestar]

Don't know what weeds they are - is there a beginners guide to weeds on the net?:D

No roses - they're weeds too in my book. Only natives - once it's in the ground it's on its own. Got a pretty good strike rate - only ever lost a couple.

[Homestar]

Ok, giving myself a crash course on weeds. So far I can tell you I have -

Wire Weed
Paspalum
Canola
Prickly Lettuce

I'll update as I find more...

[Andrew D]

Gav

You need to identify the weed first of all otherwise you will kill what you trying to grow. Obviously selective herbicides work on a selection of weeds but you need to know what weeds, and the parent vegetation you are trying to preserve.

Look at this website for information Which herbicide spray for my lawn? (http://www.searles.com.au/Whichspray.html)

Good place for beginners.

Your description of the weeds is pretty vague but a broadleaf killer sounds like it will get most but if you have a broad leaf grass e.g.Buffalo you will most likely give that a touch up as well.

Can you post any photos.

Regards
Andrew

I used to be bit of a lawn nut. I've got the Scott Bonnar and Honda Mower (sold) combo. Also a hole assortment of chemicals (herbicides)

[Andrew D]

Gav

Here's a product I recommend Kamba.

You need to go to a Elders or similar to purchase and it can be expensive but if you know someone who uses it e.g. cereal farmer/agronomist then you will be in luck.

Also farmers or agronomists and pretty good at killing weeds.

Regards
Andrew

[Homestar]

Thanks for that - I'll take some pics tomorrow. I've listed 4 in my previous post that I'm 99% sure I have right based on the weeds.org website for my area. That still leaves me with several more I can't identify.

I just don't want to rush in and kill my handy work so far, hence my investigations.:). Happy to do the research and get it right rather than run to Bunnings and spray my yard with the first thing I find on the shelf.

[Andrew D]

Gav

What was the turf you laid. This is really is deciding factor.

At the end of the day you may need a selection of herbicides.

Regards
Andrew

[Homestar]

Wasn't turf, it was a few boxes of budget grass seed. I'm way too tight to pay for turf... :D

This stuff.

[V8Ian]

Chuck down some couch seed, blue and green work well in SEQ, water well and don't cut it too short. The couch will defeat the weeds. Also be aware that compaction (such as driving a car constantly on the grass) will give bindii an advantage over grass.

[Peter O]

The Paspalum and wire weed will be the most difficult depending on what the lawn is. Paskiller will work in most fine lawns like fescue and bent

[POD]

Gav, I use a broadleaf herbcide called Kamba M, I buy it from farm suppliers by the 20L drum for around $240, lasts me a few years depending how often I can be bothered spraying, I have about an acre and a half of lawn. The main lawn in front of the house is 3/4 of an acre and I did exactly what you described with it about 4 years ago, sprayed what was there with roundup and started from scratch, didn't do too bad. It's pretty crunchy at present cos I don't water it, would be ridiculous.
I wouldn't be spraying in the current conditions, unless you are watering well and the grass is not under stress. I have some weeds myself but waiting for some rain and cooler weather. The trick with spraying is to kill the weeds and not the grass, so the grass has to be happy as Larry when you spray. Not too wet, not too dry, don't mow for at least 2 days before or after spraying, all these factors make your grass vulnerable to the spray. Have to be careful not to overdose it, you'll kill the weeds but knock the grass back as well.
I think I still have a few litres of Kamba M in the drum, I could pour some off into a bottle for you and do a reverse of the amp transport?

[Stuck]

Try putting a piece of PVC pipe or a soft drink bottle with the bottom cut out over the weed that you're spraying to prevent overspray drifting onto your lawn and if there's that many of them, put a bit of food colouring in your spray so you can keep track of where you've been.

[mick88]

Get a wheel barrow full of Kykuyu cuttings and randomly plant them through the patch. Give it plenty of water and urea for the rest of summer, cut it nice and low regularly and in no time it will spread out. You will end up with a good hardy lawn and it will choke out everything else. It is easily controlled with roundup to stop it spreading where you don't want it and the only down side is it will brown off in winter in a cold climate!




Cheers, Mick.

[BigJon]

Chuck down some couch seed, blue and green work well in SEQ, water well and don't cut it too short. .


Bit of a stretch calling Melbourne SEQ! :D

[Homestar]

Gav, I use a broadleaf herbcide called Kamba M, I buy it from farm suppliers by the 20L drum for around $240, lasts me a few years depending how often I can be bothered spraying, I have about an acre and a half of lawn. The main lawn in front of the house is 3/4 of an acre and I did exactly what you described with it about 4 years ago, sprayed what was there with roundup and started from scratch, didn't do too bad. It's pretty crunchy at present cos I don't water it, would be ridiculous.
I wouldn't be spraying in the current conditions, unless you are watering well and the grass is not under stress. I have some weeds myself but waiting for some rain and cooler weather. The trick with spraying is to kill the weeds and not the grass, so the grass has to be happy as Larry when you spray. Not too wet, not too dry, don't mow for at least 2 days before or after spraying, all these factors make your grass vulnerable to the spray. Have to be careful not to overdose it, you'll kill the weeds but knock the grass back as well.
I think I still have a few litres of Kamba M in the drum, I could pour some off into a bottle for you and do a reverse of the amp transport?

That would be awesome if you could.:)

[V8Ian]

Bit of a stretch calling Melbourne SEQ! :D
Onya BJ, I was trying to point out what works in one area/climate might not be the best in another, so do some local research. Couch isn't happy in full shade or with wet feet.

I've called Melbourne lots of things but not SEQ! :p

[Fatso]

Took the advice of a bearded guru on TV once that said to get rid of weeds out of the lawn you just mow em , this will prevent them from seeding and viola next year no weeds , I can report it don't work !!!!!. So back to pulling them out or use weed and feed which may or may or not work ! , better still get rid of the lawn and put down mulch and grow native plants , more time for beer drinken then :):):):) .

[superquag]

... Should have gone with Plan A

- No watering, No weeds, No herbicide$, No lawnmowers and No stress.

:twisted:

[Chops]

Gav

Here's a product I recommend Kamba.

You need to go to a Elders or similar to purchase and it can be expensive but if you know someone who uses it e.g. cereal farmer/agronomist then you will be in luck.

Also farmers or agronomists and pretty good at killing weeds.

Regards
Andrew

Roundup,,, ;)
Works wonders if you use either a little spray bottle, or a wick type system. A wick system allows your to be very precise at nailing individual weeds.
I'm not sure if you can still buy these anymore, but Bunnings/Masters should have something that'll work.

[MatthewK78]

Gday Gav,

http://www.nufarm.com/Assets/23745/1/Kamba50051080100511.pdf

I have always used this for work and have had some great results using the mix in the "Turf" section on page 3..

Hope this helps, Matt.

[Homestar]

... Should have gone with Plan A

- No watering, No weeds, No herbicide$, No lawnmowers and No stress.

:twisted:

That was my plan and it worked for 10 years, but the nagging finally got to me. Life is quieter now...:D