choosing a broadleaf herbicide

Broadleaf killers or broadleaf herbicides are "selective" herbicides; meaning they work on specific weeds while not harming your grass. "Non-selective" herbicides kill all plants, non-selectively. An example is Roundup ™.

First let's explore the best times to use these herbicides. We emphatically recommend to use these herbicides in the late spring and/or early fall. Why? Well, these are times when you will have the best opportunity to replace those bare spots with new grass seed. Late spring and fall gives you cool nights and traditionally more precipitation in the form of rain making it ideal for replacing those damaged areas. Once you kill those weeds you will have bare spots.

Types:

Preemergent herbicides will kill weed seeds before they have a chance to germinate or emerge. This is done in early spring. Preemergent herbicides will have broadleaf weed killing formulas but these applications become habitually over-used and over rated. A good fall fertilizer with broadleaf herbicide (postemergent) followed by overseeding with a good blended seed is the best approach to encourage a low maintenance lawn.

Postemergent herbicides are the better approach to eradicating broadleaf weeds. "Postemergent" describes an herbicide that kills weeds after they have been sprouted from seeds and seedlings have emerged.

Note worthy: Most of your major lawn rehabilitation tasks will be done in the fall. Any work you do during this time of year will have a greater impact on the health and future maintenance requirements of your lawn.

 

Ingredients:

The key ingredients to look for in an effective broadleaf herbicide are:

2,4-D -a chlorinated phenoxy compound, functions as a systemic herbicide and is used to control many types of broadleaf weeds.

MCPA -2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid, and its sodium salt, esters and organic amines

MCPP -2-Methyl-4-chlorophenoxypropionic acid and its salts and esters

Dicamba - Dicamba is a benzoic acid herbicide.

 

As with all toxic chemicals PLEASE, follow the handling instructions on the package.

Keep away from pets and children.

And do yourself a favor. In this age of lawsuit craziness, spend an extra couple of bucks and get pesticide or herbicide warning flags to post in the ground where they will be most visible.