Lawn Weed killer around palms?

[Dartolution]

Is there a safe weed killer to use in the yard around palms? 

I am hesitant to use any type of weed killer or pre-emergent in the yard around the palms... 

 

[DoomsDave]

@Dartolution!

Great question!

I’ll have to reveal my relative age and the biases that go with it.

Early sixties and, for me lawn weed killer meant salts of 2-4-D, used to kill dandelions in the lawn. That was meant for broad leafed weeds as opposed to monocot plants like palms or grass and well maybe or maybe not.

[DoomsDave]

Sorry system getting ornery.

Most of the weed killers act through green tissue like the leaves and tender stems then kill the roots. 
 

In general,  most are okay around mature palms with brown trunk. Not so much around tender babies.

I’ve not used preemergents so can’t tell ya.

This might be one of those threads that starts passionate discussion or discourse I.e. brawls.

[joe_OC]

Try Tenacity.  It blocks the weeds from chlorophyll production which kills the weed.  You will need to research which weeds it is effective on.

[DoomsDave]

Okay careful about those weed killers.

[DoomsDave]

1 minute ago, joe_OC said:

Try Tenacity.  It blocks the weeds from chlorophyll production which kills the weed.  You will need to research which weeds it is effective on.

Egad sounds like a crazed novelist’s lady friend’s name.

[Darold Petty]

I used glyphosate to kill my lawn, which contained a Butia and a Howea.  The palms seem OK after 3 months.  

[Tracy]

I have used a pre-emergent product called Preen to keep new weeds from starting (rooting) without any apparent damage.  I try to avoid putting it close to the trunks of even established palms, and altogether avoid it around small palms without any trunk.  No experience with weed killers around palms or other plants. I have only used the weed killer products sparingly on cracks between pavers and in gravel where there is no threat to my plants.

[Steve in Florida]

You can use glyphosate when there is no wind and no precipitation for the next 24 hours.

[Tyrone]

I keep an exclusion zone around every palm trunk that I hand weed. It’s generally about 2 ft away from any palm. Beyond that I spray glyphosate on a non windy day (which you can count on one hand per year in windy old Albany).

Glyphosate is absorbed through green soft parts of the plant and it translocates to the roots where it kills them. It can’t be absorbed by bark for example, but if it ran off the trunk and onto soft roots it may penetrate them and kill them.

[mike in kurtistown]

I do spray with glyphosate around my palms. For large palms, I try to avoid the trunk, any green leaves, or exposed roots. For small new plantings, I put two big cinder blocks on both sides of them, and this becomes a limit for weedwhacking and spraying with glyphosate. Closer weeding is by hand. Every once a while, I have something die. So far, I'm not blaming glyphosate. My impression is that even if palms do get some glyphosate spray, they don't react very strongly too it. And there are some weeds and garden plants here in east Hawaii Island that just laugh at glyphosate.

[redant]

I have sprayed glyphosate  on stray seedlings, it doesn't even faze them, safe around palms, now humans, that may be another story.

 

Edited February 28, 2020 by redant

[sonoranfans]

I also have killed some lawn with glyphosphate and had no issues with bismarckia, livistona, teddy bear, kentiopsis and royals all of which had roots in the lawn area.  I rarely use glyphosphate, this was a one time lawn kill for example.  There are some reports of glyphosphate complexing micronutrients and taking bio-available nutrient levels down a bit.  Weed control around my palms is done with hand weeding and then metaleuca mulch on top, that stuff blocks the light so well, dont have to constantly weed.  I would caution against using glyphosphate as a continuous remedy for weeds, the long term health of your soil will likely degrade.  As far as all the health claims, in extreme situations where it is your job to do this, there could be a real problem with cancer.  And a bigger problem is that the USDA allowed monstanto to do all the safety and efficacy testing for approval, talk about corruption in government.  Would you allow ExxonMobil to set safey standards for gasoline?  So its complex, this glyhosphate issue, as the world food supply is so entangled with it.  Remove the glyphosphyate and many would starve.  

[sonoranfans]

If you want to remove glyphosphate and many other unhealthy components like salt accumulations from your soil, humic acid does it.  It will rinse away as the humic acid complexes adsorb glyphosphate.  So my yard has virtuyally no glyphosphate in the soil since I apply humic acid 2-3 x a year and rarely use glyphosphate.    I use the liquid humic acid concentrate(17%humic) and it has kelp in it too.   the liquid preparation supports a greater array of decomposed organic acids like humic and fulvic acids.  Dried crystals undergo oxidation much more in processing and have no fulvic acids.

[Merlyn]

2,4D is a good broadleaf killer, but the typical compounds for sale are root absorbtion only.  It's relatively safe around palms because of the dicot/monocot thing, however it can kill some other plants you might want, such as cacti, roses, oaks, and possibly (though I'm not sure) cycads and ferns.  I only use it for artillery fern, because glyphosate won't kill that.

Glyphosate is safe to use in small amounts on non-windy days.  I use it in my mulched palm beds a couple of times per year.  The only thing I've ever accidentally killed with it was a few flowers and other ornamentals.  I'd be walking around with the 1g pump sprayer and accidentally douse the top of a plant I wanted to keep...whups!  If you hose it off immediately it likely won't do any permanent damage.  Glyphosate causes surface spotting/leaf death on agaves, so I hand weed about 6" away from each agave and spray the stuff in between.

[Susanarscott]

Hey!

I had the same problem and I understant how it's important to get rid of weeds and not make a damage to your plants.

Unfortunately, spray weed killers can also make a bad impact on your lovely plants.

According to that, I'm using a trimmer in this fight with weeds. It can mow big and little weeds and it's rather easy in use.

I advise you that and hope I could help you!

Edited August 18, 2020 by Susanarscott

[Dartolution]

@Susanarscott I ended up using some spray weed killer in early spring, killed all the grass in the yard, scraped it down, and reseeded with Zoysia which is much more dense, and I haven't seen weeds since. I think the key for me, is just keeping the lawn fed, and very dense to prevent weed growth. 

So far its worked. 

 

[Stephenlord23]

On 8/17/2020 at 7:57 PM, Susanarscott said:

Hey!

I had the same problem and I understant how it's important to get rid of weeds and not make a damage to your plants.

Unfortunately, spray weed killers can also make a bad impact on your lovely plants.

According to that, I'm using a trimmer in this fight with weeds. It can mow big and little weeds and it's rather easy in use.

I advise you that and hope I could help you!

I tried the same way and luckily it is working for. Thanks for the contribution.

[BigWaveDav3]

I spoke to a friend a while back to see what they recommended to use on weeds instead of Glyphosate -given the health concerns. The suggestion was Spectracide weed and grass killer, or the Bayer equivalent product. Spectracide has worked very well for me.  Very similar to glyphosate application and you need to avoid spraying when it is windy and 24 hours before rain to avoid washing it off the weeds you sprayed. Other than that, once either product gets to the soil it is pretty much safe for your palms.  You just want to avoid getting it on the foliage. With a daily breeze in our area, I have a large piece of cardboard I use as a shield around the palm while I am spraying.

[NickJames]

12 hours ago, BigWaveDav3 said:

I spoke to a friend a while back to see what they recommended to use on weeds instead of Glyphosate -given the health concerns. The suggestion was Spectracide weed and grass killer, or the Bayer equivalent product. Spectracide has worked very well for me.  Very similar to glyphosate application and you need to avoid spraying when it is windy and 24 hours before rain to avoid washing it off the weeds you sprayed. Other than that, once either product gets to the soil it is pretty much safe for your palms.  You just want to avoid getting it on the foliage. With a daily breeze in our area, I have a large piece of cardboard I use as a shield around the palm while I am spraying.

I can’t speak highly enough for the spectracide. It works for me 100x better for me than roundup (glyphosate). 

I probably am more conservative with it than I need to me, but I steer fairly far away from my palms. I’ve never had an issue.

At my current home, I use it here and there for weeds that manage to grow in my landscape rock dust...but mainly for the Bahia/weeds that grow from behind the fence, and my neighbors’ st Augustine runners that grow into my backyard beds. 

[WaianaeCrider]

I have NO lawn on my two acres.  I use Round Up to control weeds of all types.  It's the only way I can keep this place manageable.  Of course I don't spray it on any palms of any size.  Been using it for decades and still alive, me, not the weeds.

[Mr. Coconut Palm]

On 2/26/2020 at 7:22 PM, Dartolution said:

Is there a safe weed killer to use in the yard around palms? 

I am hesitant to use any type of weed killer or pre-emergent in the yard around the palms... 

 

NEVER, NO WAY!!!  Weed killers are VERY BAD for palms, for us, and for the environment.  There is a natural weed killer you can use that is not harmful to us and the environment, but you still need to be careful and selective in its use, as it too can kill or injure plants that it comes into contact with.  It is horticultural vinegar.  But, I just prefer to do weed killing the old fashioned way, by pulling them.

John

[Tropicdoc]

Are the previous posters saying 2 4 D won’t harm palms?

[Merlyn]

On 1/21/2021 at 8:27 PM, Tropicdoc said:

Are the previous posters saying 2 4 D won’t harm palms?

2,4-D officially only kills dicots like oak trees, cacti, roses, etc.  It does not affect monocots (or is not supposed to) such as Palms, Cordylines, Bananas, Oyster, Philodendron, Lilies, Agave, Aloes, Cannas, Gingers, Bird of Paradise and others.  Cycads are related to ferns and are possibly damaged or killed by 2,4-D.  I've seen reports of severely distorted new flushes on cycads where 2,4-D was used as a broad spray brush killer, but I don't know about that for sure.  Just to be safe I don't use it near any of my ~200 cycads.

I use an amine form of 2,4-D (Gordon's Amine 400 from TractorSupply).  I use it sparingly in my grass areas to keep the weeds from spreading from the grass into my main palm/cycad beds.  The amine form is absorbed by roots, so it takes a couple of weeks to work.  It breaks down in soil over about a month, I think.  The more expensive ester form works as leaf absorption and breaks down really fast in soil.  So it's quicker, safer to use around other plants, but is more expensive.

[JKD23]

On 8/18/2020 at 3:57 AM, Susanarscott said:

Hey!

I had the same problem and I understant how it's important to get rid of weeds and not make a damage to your plants.

Unfortunately, spray weed killers can also make a bad impact on your lovely plants.

According to that, I'm using a trimmer in this fight with weeds. It can mow big and little weeds and it's rather easy in use.

I advise you that and hope I could help you!

weed killer is log term solution of weed trimmer is short-term.  

[RyManUtah]

This is safest weed control method I’ve found, and fairly easy for most to come by; one needs to be somewhat diligent in its use, though, or it’s fairly ineffective:

[KDubU]

I’m a no about weed killer as those chemicals are brutal on the environment not to mention ones health. I know they work but not something I choose to use but am thinking FL weeds are going to be a challenge. 

[Silas_Sancona]

2 hours ago, RyManUtah said:

This is safest weed control method I’ve found, and fairly easy for most to come by; one needs to be somewhat diligent in its use, though, or it’s fairly ineffective:

Yep, Great exercise, and time for quiet meditation too. On top of all the other awful negatives of using them, weedy plants can/do develop tolerance/resistance to herbicides.. Then you have to use even worse things that do further damage to the environment..  Where does it end?     

Resistance almost never happens when controlled through pulling / use of environmentally friendly means of elimination/rehabilitation.

 

Edited February 4, 2021 by Silas_Sancona
edit

[Kim]

If you have a few acres of fast-growing weeds, some occasional use of chemical weed killers to gain control over a large area is practical. Always read the directions AND follow them. I use chemical products sparingly, and hand pull regularly. Once a wild area is under control, the chemicals are hardly ever needed. As far as I know, I have never lost a palm due to chemicals. I have lost more sensitive plants, such as certain ferns, to what I suspect may have been 'drift' from spray.

[Darold Petty]

Yah, what Kim said.  You have never seen such weeds as untended land on the wet side of Big Island.  At least in the beginning chemical herbicides are really necessary.

 

[julie42]

On 2/27/2020 at 6:22 AM, Dartolution said:

Is there a safe weed killer to use in the yard around palms? 

I am hesitant to use any type of weed killer or pre-emergent in the yard around the palms... 

 

I've tried all the Weed killers and they NEVER last as long as they say they do. I HATE having to Constantly spray poison in my yard, I discovered this Ortho GroundClear product 5 years ago, I just put it in the pump sprayer with water ( It doesn't last no year or whatever it says either) But it does last a good 4 to 6 months depending on How much it rains every month after you spray. So Overall this is much better than Round-up which I literally had to spray every month.

[WaianaeCrider]

I've been using glyphosate (Round UP) forever all over the 2 acres.  It's the only way to keep the weeds under control.  Even more so in the rainy season.  Last bottle 2 1/2 gals cost $153.  It's a super concentrate and I use a coffee cup in 4 gallons.  Should last a few years.  No scaredem.  Those people gotten sick were probably ag workers spraying acres and acres w/the stuff for days and years.  I doubt any home owner got sick spraying a few gallons at home a few times a year.

[rprimbs]

I agree that it is a good idea to be careful and to try not to get Round UP on you when you spray.    I used it a lot when I worked in landscaping.  We found that if you just sprayed with Round UP instead of pulling weeds, that you would get fewer weeds coming back up -- because of less soil disturbance.  And it seems to somehow damage the soil over time, and not much of anything grows where you've sprayed a lot.  Which is GREAT for landscaping, but possibly not for your own yard.

[Dartolution]

FWIW: I gave up on this last year, and instead opted to fertilize the grass to promote a thick dense carpet as a weed barrier, and hand pull the occasional weed. Seems to be working fine.

I have no intent on poisoning myself or anything else for that matter. 

[WaianaeCrider]

5 hours ago, Dartolution said:

FWIW: I gave up on this last year, and instead opted to fertilize the grass to promote a thick dense carpet as a weed barrier, and hand pull the occasional weed. Seems to be working fine.

I have no intent on poisoning myself or anything else for that matter. 

As I don't have a single square foot of grass/lawn on my 2 acres your method wouldn't work here.  Glad your method works for you.  Be safe.

[sonoranfans]

20 hours ago, Dartolution said:

FWIW: I gave up on this last year, and instead opted to fertilize the grass to promote a thick dense carpet as a weed barrier, and hand pull the occasional weed. Seems to be working fine.

I have no intent on poisoning myself or anything else for that matter. 

Zoysia grass is claimed to choke out weeds, you can just lay it on top your other grass or weeds, feed and water, it will kill everything else.   My daughter uses zero weed killer and there are no weeds in the grass in her backyard.  

[D Palm]

Zoysia, St. Augustine, and most running grass will choke out weeds if feed properly. I use weed and feed that has a pre-emergent. Also supplement with turf building fertilizer and lime applications. I do not use the high nitrogen products near palms. 

I buy 2-4-D concentrate, mix and spray near palms. Wear PPE and spray on a calm (no wind) day. Don’t Let it touch the foliage of anything you want to live. Be mindful of your feet as stepping on sprayed areas can unintentionally spread chemicals.

Vinegar never worked well for me and created more of a headache due to changing the PH of soil.

Edited March 22, 2022 by D Palm

[TomJ]

I love Roundup. It is cheap, easy, and effective.

 

 

[Dartolution]

On 3/21/2022 at 5:10 PM, sonoranfans said:

Zoysia grass is claimed to choke out weeds, you can just lay it on top your other grass or weeds, feed and water, it will kill everything else.   My daughter uses zero weed killer and there are no weeds in the grass in her backyard.  

@sonoranfans thats exactly what I ended up reseeding. Zenith Zoysia. and it does choke out just about everything. very dense low growing thick carpet. 

[D Palm]

Also, people have said 2-4-D is not long term, add a splash of dish soap in your sprayer. It will latch on better. 
 

My neighbor used a product from Tractor supply in a red container a while back. It will definitely kill everything for a year+. Definitely wear PPE, no pets or kids, read instructions!