Lawn Weed Herbicide - FYI

7 years ago

I know there are a lot who refuse to use ANY kind of herbicides, so if that's you no need to read this. But for those who do, I found out last week that if you have fruit trees if you use lawn herbicide within 2 feet of the drip-line it can kill the tree. I didn't realize it. So now I have to figure out how to control weeds in the lawn and preserve the trees, too. The trees aren't large yet but when they do get large it's going to be a problem. I might have to forego a lawn completely in those areas. I do keep the trees free of all grass, weeds and mulch directly under them but didn't realize the reach of lawn herbicides.

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Comments (6)

dirtygardener73
7 years ago
That's strange, because I used to spray herbicide (before I went organic) around my trees every year to keep the weeds away so I wouldn't harm the trunk with the weed-whacker, and it never hurt them. Of course, I hand-weeded around any young trees. Maybe that's what they're talking about.
ritaweeda
Original Author
7 years ago
If you were using something like Round-Up it's OK. It's the herbicides for use in lawns to kill broad-leaf weeds that's the problem. I'm surprised that I haven't killed my trees in the past because I've been using both the Weed and Feed for Bahia and the spray type also. Round-Up is safe as long as you don't spray the foliage of a tree. One of the plant experts here in Brooksville said that one of the new lawn herbicides that they have come out with for St. Augustine will actually kill an oak tree.
dirtygardener73
7 years ago
Ah! I see. It's the 2-4D that harms them. Well, that stuff is cousin to Agent Orange, so it's pretty nasty stuff. I never did care about weeds in lawns. I go by the "if it's green, mow it -- that's your lawn" philosophy. I know if you live in a deed-restricted area, you probably have to keep up your lawn, though. And some people just love lawns. It takes all kinds of gardeners to make this a beautiful world. I just wish gardeners who are on waterways (canals, rivers, streams and such) would stop using chemicals on their lawns.
suncoastflowers
7 years ago
That's terrifying that there is going to be a weed killer for St Augustine that kills oaks. We don't use weed killer on our lawn but many people do and I can imagine a lot of old oaks being destroyed. Hopefully the biggest ones will be so large that they can withstand it. Ugh. That's just disheartening.
ritaweeda
Original Author
7 years ago
OK, head's up, here's something else I just found out. They've been advertising a new lawn herbicide by Round-up lately and I was told by a very well-informed plant expert that people in Florida should PAY CLOSE attention to the label because it kills St. Augustine, and Centipede lawns! So I went online and looked it up and they have it for different areas so they must have sent the wrong one to the Lowes where she works.
rednofl
7 years ago
The new configurations for st Augustine is basically a reformulated and watered down version of the ones for Bahaia. If you have an improved version of St augustine be very careful that you dont over apply.

Scotts did this a few years back with their Bonus S and killed quite a few Lawns forcing them to put the Atrazine product back out at appx 33% strength.

I am a Bayer spring consultant in Orlando and they dont want us selling their Liquid southern weed control to anyone with St Augustine even though its on the label . Now the New 3 n 1 weed n feed if fine.

If you do use a glyphosate product around your fruit trees applying a humic/fulvic acid product will help with the minors that you lock up by using it.