Large Scale Central

Weeds

Gardening
#1

Just spent 6 hours over the last two evenings on my belly in the front yard weeding. My neighbors think I’m nuts pulling grass, clover and broad leaf out of the moss I panted around the railroad. Wet spring and early summer really gave them a boost - I couldn’t even tell the moss and real plants were there

I wonder if there are some chemicals I could use that might make it easier. I’ve never tried Preen. It would be fine in the gardens, but I wonder if it will work in the moss areas without killing it. A lawn weed-and-feed would take care of the clover and broad-leaf, but again, not sure what it will do to moss.

Now I can get back to extending the lighting project and repairing some more structures.

#2

I wonder if there are some chemicals I could use that might make it easier. I’ve never tried Preen. It would be fine in the gardens, but I wonder if it will work in the moss areas without killing it. A lawn weed-and-feed would take care of the clover and broad-leaf, but again, not sure what it will do to moss.

Now I can get back to extending the lighting project and repairing some more structures.

Jon- in my experience, lawn type weed and feed does not usually kill off clover. I’ve had success using a product from Ortho that is made specifically for clover. You mix it up with water in a pump up sprayer. If you have a lot of clover, it might take two applications to kill it all. If you are trying to kill weeds that are mixed in with your moss or other plants and trying not to kill the moss, you could try a broadband killer (grass and weed killer), like Round Up (I use Spectrum 'cause it’s cheaper and I’m cheap). The trick is to saturate a paper towel with it and wipe it on to the leaves of the weeds that you want to kill. This method offers you more control than spraying it on. I should mention that it may still affect the moss because the poison that you wipe on to the weeds will work it’s way in to the root system of the weeds. If the weed roots are in contact with the moss… well, things could happen. Your mileage may vary. Oh, and Preen is a pre-emergent. So you must apply before weeds start growing. If you’ve already got weeds, it will not kill them. It will only prevent new weeds from germinating. Hope this helps. -Kevin.

#3

Spectricide has a product called Weed Killer for Lawns. We’ve used it in flower beds to kill clover and other weeds with no harm to the flowers or shrubs, mostly groundcovers where the clover is coming up through it.

#4

Jon,

Been my experience that Roundup and broad leaf weed killers will not harm Moss.

Here in Oregon every store in the country sells special Moss killer liquids and powders and they work , sort of.

Spray a test area and wait a couple weeks, if no burn or other harm your’e good to go.

#5

Thanks Guys. I have the Spectaracide week killer and lots of moss that is not on the RR that I can test it on. Will report back on my results.

@Dude - I like your paper towel idea; that would work when there aren’t so many, but if I’m going to have to touch them I might as well pull them. Upside to your idea is it will kill the roots. When I pull them, especially the broad leaf, lots of root stays behind.

Clean-Up continues in about a half hour. I hope to be able to run trains in July.

#6

Jon, I’ve found that Ortho’s Grass B Gone works well for most grasses. Slowly, but well. It will kill grasses, leaving everything “not grass” alone.

You might have to make a second application in one week. I’ve found that not making that second application only slows down the demise of the grass.

It works really well in the spring, just after the grass has emerged.