Weed Control Around Palms

[_Keith]

Here in Louisiana, weeds are a big problem.   I was just reading about a preemergent product called Snapshot and wondering whether it was safe, we I realized that you guys would know the answers.  

What chemicals, pre and post emergents, have you been succesful with that have not harmed your palms and other ornamentals plants?

[BS Man about Palms]

I'd love to see an answer here...........

[Kim]

I hate weeds!

I use everything in my anti-weed arsenal: pre-emergent herbicides, MULCH, MULCH, MULCH, hand pulling, and as a last resort, post emergents.   At the time of planting, scatter some pre-emergent herbicide around the area because digging tends to encourage seeds to sprout that may have lain dormant.  Then mulch heavily, so that any seeds that do sprout are easily hand-pulled.  And be sure to remove any sprouted weeds BEFORE they form seeds.  (This can be difficult -- some weeds seem to form seed overnight.)  Normally that's the end of it, except to re-apply the pre-emergent every so often.  Roundup is only needed if an area gets out of control, and in my small garden, that hasn't been a problem for quite awhile since adopting the above practices.  I have never used Roundup at the base of a palm, but as long as it doesn't come in contact with the palm, it should be fine, as it doesn't affect plants via the soil.

I had never heard of Snapshot, so I googled it and found this slideshow from LSU:

http://www.lsuagcenter.com/NR....ol3.pdf

Hope this helps.

[Kathryn]

As for pre-emergent herbicide, I use Amaze throughout my front yard (which has no turf grass) and in the beds in my backyard to prevent growth of weeds and grass. The active ingredients are benefin and oryzalin. In my Bermuda grass in my back yard, I use a product called Sta-Green, which contains dithiopyr.

For post-emergent, most weeds that do emerge in my front yard and the beds in my back yard are pulled by hand, except for torpedo grass, which requires round-up. I use a product called Over-The-Top, which contains fluazifop, in my beds that were invaded by my Bermuda runners. It works well to kill the grass but not the liriope. Over-The-Top also works on the torpedo grass, but it takes several applications to eliminate it. And I use Weed-B-Gone, which contains some dimethylamine salts such as mecoprop and dicamba in my Bermuda grass. I’ve used Image on my lawn in the past and it worked well also.

I haven’t noticed where any of these have harmed my palms, but I guess there is no way to know for sure that they are not affected. Over-The-Top, Image and Round-up are liquids so I make sure to avoid overspray. I think there was an article in a recent IPS journal that discussed the effects of using herbicides on grass near palms. I think there may have been a thread here also.

Kim - Thanks for finding that LSU presentation; it has some good information.

[osideterry]

I pull by hand (13 garbage bags full in one day last summer) and a month later follow with RoundUp. I am very careful not get any on my palms or foliage I care about.

[palmmermaid]

I use Preen - a pre-emergent -when I have it.  I've found the best thing is mulch - 6 inches or more.  For some plants around my palms, this means planting right through the mulch.

I use the old weeds, black garbage bags, old carpet, pieces of pond liner to kill grass in areas where I want to plant.

I think a big factor is not allowing the weeds to seed.  But here is south Florida, they seem to seed overnight!  I pull many by hand, including torpedo grass and St. Augustine, my nemesis.

[palmsrgreat]

Dimension is the best pre-emergent I've ever used, with great success