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This weeds chapter from the Extension Gardener Handbook discusses weed life cycles, how to properly identify weeds, and how to manage them using an integrated pest management approach.
Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum) Identification and Management: Brief Description: Japanese stiltgrass (also known as annual jewgrass, bamboograss flexible sesagrass, Japanese grass, Mary’s grass, microstegium, Nepal microstegium, or Vietnamese grass) is a summer annual commonly found in shady, moist areas, and is spreading rapidly in woodlands as well as shaded landscapes and low maintenance turf throughout the southeastern U.S., Mid-Atlantic States and north to New England. Japanese stiltgrass germinates in early spring, several weeks before crabgrass, yet flowers and seeds much later, from mid-September through October. It has broader, shorter leaves than most other annual grasses; somewhat resembling broadleaf signalgrass or spreading dayflower. After frost, the foliage and wiry stems turn a distinctive light tan in color and persist through the winter. Vegetative identification characteristics include: rolled vernation, a very short membranous ligule, and leaf blades that are shorter and broader than most other grasses.
Manual removal of weeds is time consuming, expensive, and often results in damage to landscape plants when intertwined roots of both the weed and the ornamental plant are pulled up. Nonselective herbicides (which must be selectively applied to avoid injury to desirable plants) are typically used for postemergence annual and perennial weed control. This publication covers choosing the right herbicide for this situation.
This publication covers chemical weed control and weed response to a variety of crops.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the herbicide, glyphosate.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Segment (sethoxydim).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Fusilade II (fluazifop-P-butyl).
This publication discusses a number of options that are available to the greenhouse manager for controlling weeds such as creeping woodsorrel, hairy bittercress, spotted spurge, and others. Not only are these persistent problems in greenhouses but they detract from the perceived quality of plants produced, and also are known to harbor insects, such as whitefly and thrips, and other pests such as mites, slugs and snails.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the postemergent herbicide Acclaim Extra (fenoxaprop-p).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Dimension (dithiopyr).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the preemergence herbicide Barricade, Prodiamine or Regalkade G (prodiamine).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Casoron (dichlobenil).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Sureguard (flumioxazin).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Scythe (pelargonic acid) or Axxe (ammonium nonanoate).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Sedgehammer (halosulfuron).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Marengo (indaziflam).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the herbicide Dismiss (sulfentrazone).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Reward (diquat dibromide).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the herbicide Oxadiazon (oxadiazon).
Establishing and maintaining quality annual color beds requires a plan to prevent and control weeds. Weeds compete with ornamental plants for water, light, and nutrients, reducing aesthetic quality and plant growth. To minimize these problems, this publication presents a weed management program that should be developed and implemented prior to planting.
This publication covers the identification, distribution and control of mulberryweed, an erect, branching, summer annual weed of landscapes and container nurseries that resembles a mulberry tree (Morus spp.) seedling. A native of eastern Asia, it was introduced into North America in the latter half of the 20th century.
This publication details how to achieve accurate and uniform application of herbicides using hand-held applicators in container nursery settings.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Snapshot TG (isoxaben +trifluralin).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Basagran T/O (bentazon).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Tower (dimethenamid-p).
Supplemental hand weeding accounts for the majority of landscape bed maintenance costs. When used exclusively, it can cost 10 to 100 times as much as an effective herbicide or mulching program. However, many of the costly and unsightly weed problems can be avoided or at least minimized with a little planning. Developing a landscape weed management plan involves five basic steps.
When it comes to weeds, “start clean – stay clean” should be the moto of every nursery manager. This is especially true for producers of herbaceous perennials. Although we can control most grassy weeds with postemergence herbicide; otherwise, we have few herbicides to use when weeds get out of hand. Furthermore, the herbicides labeled for use in herbaceous ornamentals are either safe on many ornamentals and do not control many weeds, or control lots of weeds but are safe on only a few ornamentals. Consequently, to manage weeds effectively a comprehensive nursery weed management program including exclusion, sanitation, preemergence herbicides, some postemergence herbicides and hand weeding will be needed.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Lontrel (clopyralid).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the preemergent herbicide Princep, Simazine (simazine).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Gemini (isoxaben + prodiamine).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Ornamental Herbicide II (oxyfluorfen + pendimethalin).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Goal and GoalTender (oxyfluorfen).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Pendulum, Aquacap, Corral (pendimethalin).
Color guide to identification of weeds common in container nursery crop production. Also includes a table of preemergence herbicide efficacy on these species.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Envoy Plus (clethodim).
This publication discusses best practices for managing and controlling weeds in container nurseries and greenhouses, focusing on woody plant propagation and containerized liner production.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Surflan (oryzalin).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Pennant Magnum (S-metolachlor).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Broadstar (flumioxazin).
Preemergence herbicide efficacy summary chart, Ranking the efficacy of preemergence herbicides on most weeds of nursery and landscape plantings.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Finale XL or Cheetah Pro (glufosinate).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Regal O-O (oxyfluorfen + oxadiazon).
This table presents information on preemergence herbicides for herbaceous ornamentals.
How often are you weeding? Is it frequently enough to prevent the next generation of weeds? Many of the most common weeds of container nurseries flower and produce seeds within 30 days. Our research suggests that you should be removing emerged weeds every 2 to 3 weeks. This publication offers information on some common container weeds.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of the herbicide Fortress (isoxaben + dithiopyr).
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Biathlon (oxyfluorfen + prodiamine).
In container nurseries -- frequent hand weeding reduces cumulative weeding costs by an average of ~ 36% compared to weeding only before herbicide reapplications. Based on research conducted at North Carolina State University.
This pesticide factsheet covers the use and characteristics of Fuerte (fumioxazin + prodiamine).
This publication covers the identification and control of Florida betony, an aggressive, rhizomatous perennial in the mint family categorized as a category B noxious weed in North Carolina.
Weeds reduce the aesthetic qualities of landscape plantings and compete with nursery crops for nutrients, water, and light. Root systems compete for nitrogen and water. Even seemingly non-competitive weeds like bittercress (Cardamine spp.) have been shown to reduce growth of container-grown plants. Tall weeds and vines shade crops, reducing photosynthesis and growth. Vining weeds such as morningglory (Ipomoea spp.) are particularly damaging because they disfigure stems and new growth. In landscape plantings, weeds must be controlled or removed to maintain quality aesthetics. Weeds may also need to be removed for health and safety reasons
Sanitation is an under-utilized component of container nursery weed management. Nursery sanitation is a commitment to weed prevention and management throughout the nursery and throughout the production cycle. This publication describes strategies to prevent weeds from spreading into and within container nurseries.
This chart presents the grams of herbicide needed for circular landscape beds of various diameters.
Phoma macrostoma, a potential biocontrol agent for turfgrass weeds, was isolated from Cirsium arvense plants in Canada and is being tested in other regions of North America for control of broadleaf weeds in turf. This research was conducted to investigate the effects of varying temperature conditions on Phoma macrostoma control of seedling broadleaf weeds. Experiments were conducted in growth chambers to compare the efficacy of three doses of Phoma macrostoma on two species, Senecio vulgaris and Lamium amplexicaule grown in 4 temperature regimes – 15/20, 20/25, 25/30 and 30/35°C (dark / light period) temperatures. These data suggest that high temperatures common in the southeastern United States should not be an impediment to activity of Phoma macrostoma efficacy, and may actually improve the control of some broadleaf weed species.
This table presents information on preemergence herbicides registered for use on woody ornamentals.
