Weeds are plants that are growing where they’re not wanted. Weeds can take any form and can vary depending on where they grow.
How to beat weeds
- Prevent weeds from taking hold – Keep lawns in good condition. Remove seed heads from weeds. Take care when bringing soil or equipment into the garden.
- Dig them out – hand control of weeds in the early stages is the best method of all. Young weeds are easy to remove and they won’t have had the chance to form seeds that can spread to other parts of the garden.
- Mulching – a layer of mulch will smother weeds and prevent their germination in the soil.
- Herbicides – these are chemicals that kill weeds.
Guide to herbicides
Selective herbicides remove some plant types and leave others unaffected. They are mostly used to remove weeds from lawns.
- Clover controls. These are also termed ‘broadleafed’ weedkillers and they control weeds such as Onehunga weed, dock and dandelions. Examples are Turfix and Prickle Weed Killer.
- Weed ‘n’ Feed products. These remove weeds from the lawn while, at the same time, fertilising the lawn.
- Moss and algae killers (e.g. Surrender) are used to remove moss, algae and lichens from lawns and hard surfaces.
- Grass Killer effectively removes grass without damaging broadleafed plants.
- Hydrocotyle Killer removes hydrocotyle, creeping oxalis and clovers from grass lawns.
Non-selective herbicides (also called total herbicides) kill every plant they contact.
- Glyphosate – moves through the plant to the roots. Usually takes 2-3 weeks to take effect. Soil is unaffected by glyphosate and can be planted as soon as plants have died. Examples are Yates Zero Glyphosate.
- Woody Weedkiller – very effective control for unwanted trees and shrubs (check local regulations before removing trees).
- Once-A-Year Path Weeders – control existing weeds and leave a weed-killing residue in the soil (that lasts for up to 12 months). Das Long Term Weedkiller and Prefix are examples.
- Basamid is a soil sterilant that kills weed seeds in the soil before they can germinate.
- Amitrole controls difficult weeds like bamboo, couch, sheeps sorrel, periwinkle, wandering willie and many others. Apply with care as it is non-selective.
- For organic weed control choose Yates Nature’s Way Greenscape (available as a concentrate and in a ready-to-use formulation
Tips for applying herbicides
- Read and follow label instructions carefully.
- When applying to large areas (such as lawns) carefully measure the area to be covered.
- Weedkillers work most effectively when the plant is actively growing (usually spring, summer, autumn).
- Keep glyphosate mixes free of soil or dirt.
Tips for mulching
- Make sure the soil is moist before applying mulch.
- Don’t allow mulch directly contact plant material.
- Zero Glyphosate Weedkiller
- Yates Surrender
- Surrender Moss Killer
- Yates Turfix Lawn Weed Spray
- Yates Prickle Weedkiller
- Yaes Amitrole
- Yates Basamid Granules
- Das Long Term Weedkiller
- Yates Trigger Path Weed Spray
- Yates Zero Weeding Brush
- Yates Nature’s Way Greenscape
|Spray Zero before weeds flower and seed. Start a compost heap to create mulch.||Use Yates Surrender to remove moss and algae from lawns and garden beds.||Treat lawns for Onehunga weed, clover, dock, and other broadleafed weeds. Apply mulch to garden beds.||Feed lawns to maintain good cover and keep weed from invading. Spray weeds with glyphosate.|
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