Q. Our Association Lawns are infested with a weed that
spreads rapidly. We have been told it is spurge. Some owners have been told by
a nursery that spurge control is accomplished by spraying in June and
approximately every 6 weeks through the summer. Others have said that spraying
can’t be done when it is very hot. Please give your opinion on this matter.
spreads rapidly. We have been told it is spurge. Some owners have been told by
a nursery that spurge control is accomplished by spraying in June and
approximately every 6 weeks through the summer. Others have said that spraying
can’t be done when it is very hot. Please give your opinion on this matter.
 |
| Prostrate or spreading spurge |
A. If this is spurge you are fighting it is a very poor
competitor with a lawn. Most of it can be kept out by increasing the
competitiveness of your lawn by following a few rules:
• Keep the
lawn dense by keeping its fertilizer program current.
lawn dense by keeping its fertilizer program current.
• Make sure
it is getting water at the right times and avoid stress during the summer
months and starting in February for spurge.
it is getting water at the right times and avoid stress during the summer
months and starting in February for spurge.
 |
| Closeup of the small leaves of a spotted spruge. Not all spruges have spots on their leaves but all spurges have white sap or latex. So if you want to know if your weed is a spurge, break the stems and look for the white sap or latex. |
• Irrigation
system must apply water evenly to the turf area. Get rid of mix and match
nozzles and make sure the system applies water head to head.
• If this is
fescue, all irrigation heads must pop up out of the ground a minimum of four
inches. Replace irrigation heads that are less than this with four inch popups.
fescue, all irrigation heads must pop up out of the ground a minimum of four
inches. Replace irrigation heads that are less than this with four inch popups.
• Do not use
line trimmers to trim grass around irrigation heads or along hard surfaces like
sidewalks.
line trimmers to trim grass around irrigation heads or along hard surfaces like
sidewalks.
Use a steel edger, not line trimmers to edge turfgrass
areas.
areas.
• Mowing
height must be 2 ½ inch minimums.
height must be 2 ½ inch minimums.
• You can use
post emergent herbicides (weed killers applied after you see it up) such as
Trimec or similar but the best weed killers are applied pre emergent, before
the seed germinates in the spring. Visit Helena chemical in town to get your
chemicals and visit with them about which chemical has been working best and
the timing of it. Do it this winter before spring.
post emergent herbicides (weed killers applied after you see it up) such as
Trimec or similar but the best weed killers are applied pre emergent, before
the seed germinates in the spring. Visit Helena chemical in town to get your
chemicals and visit with them about which chemical has been working best and
the timing of it. Do it this winter before spring.