# Weed ID...and how to make it GONE!



## John Redcorn

Despite my best efforts, my yard is in shambles. My house is about 5 years old, and the grass has never really grown well. Lately, it has become more weeds than grass.

In particular, I have one weed type that I cant seem to get rid of. There is way to much to pull, and it Scotts weed and feed wont kill it. Any ideas what this is and how to rid? It also gets into my flower beds and a constant PITA to weed these out.


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## YakMan

Dont know but I have the same stuff! Between that and clover and the dang sticker burrs my yard is toast.Didnt have it last year,but this year its everywhere!


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## swifty

I have a small bet I'll wager with you. Let' say $1 will be our bet.

Follow these simple results and let's discuss your yard later this summer or even next year around this time. Avoid chemicals on your lawn is a BIG requirement. You need to feed your soil and you grass will be happier.

1) Throw the weed and feed at your nearest household hazardous waste disposal site. Your trees\shrubs will thank you later.
2) Start pulling the weed in your pic by hand - I know this sucks - or find the strongest vinegar you can find - not at HEB\Wally world or a big box store but a local mom and pop gardening center. Spray the weeds with the mix.
3) Purchase bags of high quality compost - again, not from big box stores; or hire a company to do the following...
4) Spread a 1/2 layer of compost to your entire lawn; maybe even aerate while your at it..
5) Pray for rain
6) Once your soil gets healthy again, let you st augustine grow HIGH or cut at one of your highest settings; This will shade out the weeds.

So do we have a wager?


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## speckle-catcher

rain?

crazy talk!


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## Meadowlark

Good post Swifty..right on!. I'm betting on you.


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## huntinguy

You can do what Swifty said or ( and I certainly mean no offense to Swifty) you can find a product with Atrazine in it. Atrazine will eliminate your problems with annual weeds and clovers as well as stickers.


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## RB II

I agree with Swifty in that the major problem is the soil, not the weeds. Aerate and topdress with either sand or compost to change the composition of the existing soil. Have a soil sample tested for ph, add ag lime as required to adjust the ph. Water, water, water, even clay will grow grass with enough water. Healthy, well drained soil/grass is the best solution to a weed problem. One word of caution about the composting, if you do it for enough successive years a layer of "thatch" will build up and the grass roots will largely reside in that layer, a hard freeze will kill those roots in that layer and you will be back at square one requiring new sod/seeding to replace. Aeration and refilling of those holes allows the compost to embed in the soil and not just lay on top and build up. One large scale example is on our hay fields, when the soils get tight and production drops, we use a disc cutting straight and plow the heck out of those fields in the spring. The results are fairly amazing how the production will return. Just my .02.


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## John Redcorn

Thanks Swifty!

The weed and feed was an almost last resort.

I will get to weeding, vinegar-ing and aerating.

YakMan, I feel your pain. Clover, stickers and this weed are all I got.


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## WilliamH

What is the name of this weed?

I pull this stuff up all the time.


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## Dcrawford

I have had "Virgina Butt" weed giving me a fit. Last year I picked all that mess by hand to reveal nothing, but bare dirt. I thought that the freezing temperatures would kill it. I started spaying with one of the Ortho products, but it is still present. Maybe not as healthy looking as before, but there none the less. I think mowing to low may have contributed to this?


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## Muddskipper

Weeds don't like healthy soils ...... we need to amend your lawn with good compost to add the proper nutrients.

Naturesway resource makes the best - 2yr leaf mold compost

Spread it over the yard.

Next, you need to think about a Pre-emergent for next year. November isa good time. as well as February for putting it out. It will stop the weed seeds from germinating. Once you have them growing you cannot put a W&F of pre-emergent on them and expect them to die.

A good organic pre-emergent is corn meal Glutant.

As mentioned above, the organic way is best. When you use a synthetic it treats an issue but creates other issues.. So your weed and feed has a ton of salt in it. Sure it's feeding your plants but also drying out you soil and making it harder. Therefore your roots cannot go deep. You have to water more and that creats more fungus at certain times of the year and so on and on and on...... You keep treating one isssue and another will pop up.

Start with making you yard healthy and improving your soil


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## WilliamH

Can anyone i.d. the weed in the picture?


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## YakMan

My front yard got scalped last year.I usaully mow the front at a pretty high setting on the mower.Bout the last mowing before winter set in my oldest son was mowing the back yard and did not remember or know to raise the mower before he went to the front. Killed all of it and nothing but clover and stickers came up this year.Been watering the heck out of it and that alone has knocked out the clovers.


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## castaway300

John Redcorn said:


> Despite my best efforts, my yard is in shambles. My house is about 5 years old, and the grass has never really grown well. Lately, it has become more weeds than grass.
> 
> In particular, I have one weed type that I cant seem to get rid of. There is way to much to pull, and it Scotts weed and feed wont kill it. Any ideas what this is and how to rid? It also gets into my flower beds and a constant PITA to weed these out.


looks like some type of burweed or spurweed, does it ever produce a flower ? if it does..could be a type of aster.


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## John Redcorn

No flowers. Really long roots so not fun to pull out.


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## castaway300

did a little more lookin....thinking its a type of ragweed, which is a member of the aster family.
safest/cheapest way to rid your yard of it....pull it
best way...spray it.
any broadleaf herbicide for st aug. grass should help.
trimec southern ( although its getting a lil to hot to spray a 2-4d product)
image
celsius
any of the big box stores should have something in a hosein sparayer.
read and follow directions...if a little is good...mores not always better.
castaway300


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## John Redcorn

Thanks! Google image search brought up some that pics of ragweed that definitely look like the stuff I have in the yard. That would also explain why my sinuses have been killing me this year more than most.

There is way too much to pull up. I guess I am going to have to spray, airate, add some compost and re sod.

Thanks to all.


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## CoastalOutfitters

http://www.wssa.net/Weeds/ID/PhotoGallery.htm


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## Johnny9

Milkweed


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## Johnny9

Mistake Ragweed


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## Chasin Bait

*Ragweed*



castaway300 said:


> did a little more lookin....thinking its a type of ragweed, which is a member of the aster family.
> safest/cheapest way to rid your yard of it....pull it
> best way...spray it.
> any broadleaf herbicide for st aug. grass should help.
> trimec southern ( although its getting a lil to hot to spray a 2-4d product)
> image
> celsius
> any of the big box stores should have something in a hosein sparayer.
> read and follow directions...if a little is good...mores not always better.
> castaway300


Castaway is correct. It is Common Ragweed and it is from the Aster family. Control options:
1) pulling
2) spray Celcius or Manor (post control)
3) pre-emerge next March and repeat 60 days later

Good luck


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