February is the time of year when several broadleaf weeds such as clover, oxalis, dandelion and Carolina geranium become quite noticeable throughout the home lawn. Left to flourish these weeds can weaken turf areas and contribute to a mowing nightmare with the first cutting in spring. Several options can be used for controlling a majority of these weeds which would include pulling by hand, digging, mowing or use of a chemical herbicide.
With the exception of clover, these weeds can be pulled along with their roots and more easily when the soil is wet following a soaking rain. Since each clover leaf is an individual plant, pulling by hand would involve an enormous amount of time and patience. Certainly, there would be no benefit to pulling clover while leaving the roots in place only to have the plants re-emerge. Removing this weed generally requires digging up the root system or treating with a systemic herbicide to eliminate the clover totally.
Mowing weeds during the winter months especially when young and low growing, helps to keep weeds stressed and reduce the opportunities for seed head production. However, this method has less significance on reducing or eliminating weed problems. The reason is that mowing allows for the roots to remain in tact which in turn provides an opportunity for the weed to regenerate. Weed growth will often continue on a regular basis with mowing, at least until hotter weather arrives or until weeds become suppressed due to competitive growing turf grass.
When treating with a herbicide always consider first the severity of the weed problem affecting the lawn. A lawn that is heavily infested with weeds may require total coverage with a herbicide whereas weeds concentrated in certain areas may need only spot treatments. Also keep in mind that more than one treatment may be necessary to achieve results.
Broadleaf weed control can be accomplished through use of herbicides that contain tri-mec formulations such as: Ortho Weed-B-Gone, Fertilome Weed Out, Green Light Wipe Out, and Spectrum 33 Plus, just to name a few. These products provide effective control for broadleaf weeds and are safe for use on Centipede, St. Agustine, Zoysia, and Bermuda grass lawns. Desired results with tri-mec formulations are best achieved when applied in the early morning hours while the weed plants are still moist with morning dew. If the choice is to apply a herbicide, always remember to first read the label and to follow all instructions in order to provide for a safe and effective application.