Question:
We’ve just bought a house and the lawn is weedy with lots of bare spots. How do we go about correcting this?Answer:
Bonide Weed Eater Ultra and Ortho Weed-B-Gon are two selective herbicides that kill broadleaf weeds such as Dandelions in the grass without harming the desirable grass. But for grassy weeds, you'll have to spot treat them with a non-selective herbicide such as Burn Out or a RoundUp like- But for grassy weeds, you'll have to spot treat them with a non-selective herbicide such as Burn Out or a RoundUp like product. These herbicides are non-selective, killing all desirable and nondesirable vegetation. Before spraying, you’d protect the desirable grass by surround the undesirable grass with a cardboard plant shield.
- Once this is done you are ready to reseed the entire lawn. However, there is a bigger question you need to ask yourself before deciding what to do. Is the above-mentioned remedies a solution or is it a band-aid? Many times, you are better off installing a new lawn rather than trying to correct someone else's headache.
- Other factors that need to be considered is how efficient is the irrigation system. Also, how level is the grass surface. Another option might be is to convert a portion of the lawn to water-wise plants. If you decide to install new lawn in the near future, I'd do a minimal amount of repairs now. I'd be inclined to keep a turf of mixed grasses but remove the broadleaf weeds. Depending on the timetable for the new lawn, I might even skip reseeding the bare spots.
- So, it’s a judgment call on your part as what to do or not do next.
Question:
I’d like to get rid of the ants in my lemon tree; however, it is near a fish pond. So, I have to be careful in what I use. Is there something that I can use other than tearing up my whole yard trying to locate the nest?Answer:
Ants are a nuisance pest in Bay Area gardens.- Ants will not cause plants or leaves to turn brown, yellow or any other color nor will they put holes in the leaves or cause them to curl up. At this time of the year, ants are after the sugary substance or nectar in the citrus flowers. They also feed off a clear, sticky substance produced by sucking insects like Aphids, Scale, and Mealybugs. If the lemon is in bloom, I’d do nothing as spraying will interfere with the fruit set.
- After the flower petals have dropped off, I’d make two applications of Horticultural Oil a week apart and cover the fish pond with a sheet of plastic. With the food supply gone, the ants will move on.
- In addition, place a two-inch band of Pest Barrier or Tanglefoot on the trunk. Pest Barrier is a clear, sticky resin that traps the ants. It’s an applied with a popsicle stick. It doesn’t kill the ants but it does prevent them from climbing into the canopy.