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I’m assuming you probably have St Augustine grass, if that’s the case you can use some atrazine to kill the sandspurs without killing the whole lawn.
I think it's the worst grass that grows in Florida - maybe Bahia? Would the Atrazine work for Bahia also?
I think that plucking with roots is best way to remove weeds, but its time consuming
Very difficult with some weeds that spread by roots. One tiny root piece left behind can be a whole new plant. Others have tap roots. But yes, some pull easily.
I think I've got every type of weed that has ever lived! Okay, maybe it's not THAT bad, but maybe every weed that's ever lived in SC!?! I have learned the names of weeds like never before. I've gotten quite good at knowing what weeds I happen to own.
I have a 3/4 acre lot. I've lived in this house about 7 years. When I first moved in there was 2 gangly looking rose plants and some ugly mature trees. It amazed me that for a house that was built in the last 60's there was no foliage to speak of. But boy, was there weeds, and poison ivy. LOTS and LOTS of poison ivy on this lot! That was one of my first tasks, getting rid of the PI. It took 3-4 years, but I am happy to say, I don't have any PI in my yard. At least no at this time - I get it from time-to-time from some bird dropping seed in to my yard! But, gone is all the PI that once existed.
The weeds were the next thing to work on. One of the worse was the dandelions and cats tongue, which the later looks like dandelions, but are different. They were everywhere! I started pulling them by hand and tools, about 2 years ago, and this is the beginning 3rd year, and they are basically gone. I have found some small ones in the yard this summer, and get them while they are small - this is due to my neighbors who grow them like weeds in their yards and let them flower. If I find one but don't have my tool in my hand, I try to put some type of marker, like a close-by rock so I can go back and dig it out later. It has been nice not to have to cut the "grass" that I don't have to cut because of the yellow flowers!
Last year I ripped up a lot of chickweed. I had a good amount this year, but nothing like last year and I see progress, and that my efforts have paid off on helping reduce the amount I have.
This year, not that I had any plans for any particular weed to target, as they started coming out during the late winter/early spring I started focusing on weeds that I had learned, when mature, and seeded, could produce thousands more weeds! I won't know until next year how well I did, and it may take a couple years to really show, like the dandelions, but I started with the dead nettle and the henbit. I think I got the majority of it.
Then, I was noticing a weed that I found out was wild geranium. I started pulling this one late, so I have no idea how good my efforts will be on this one, I know there was a lot that matured and had black seed. I also started half-butt pulling the yellow wood sorrel. There is wayyyy to many of these to pull up, but I've pulled up a lot, and surely, have lessened what will return due to seeding itself for next years crop.
I still have a lot of weeds in my yard, my goodness, it's 3/4 of an acre. I will never rid my yard of all the weeds, or junk grass I have. One may ask why I just don't spray the weeds...I really can't spray too much of my yard, I have too many desirable plants, and edibles. If I want to at least lessen the weeds, I have to try and be somewhat diligent when the time is available, and pull what I can by hand.
So, as the summer progresses, and as I have time, and as weeds continue to grow, I will continue my quest. Come next year, it will be interesting to see what weeds return in mass, what new weeds I will have to conquer, and what efforts were not worth taking the time to do. As one weed seems to be gone, new ones such as nutsedge comes up in masses and gives me a new egg to fry, so to speak. I KNOW this weed will be back next year.
Just thought I'd share my experience of my war on weeds. I don't think I will ever win this battle, but I will keep trying to conquer.
And yes, I do have a lot of time to spend in the garden. Besides a 3/4 lot with a lot of weeds, I've planted over 1000 plants in on this land. That part makes me happy - the weeds, do not.
I should have known you had a thread! LMAO!
I have every weed you mentioned as well as what others mentioned plus a few more. What's really gotten me this year are light purple violets someone gave me from Garden Web 10 years ago. They're actually really pretty because you don't normally see light purple violets here but not next to my prized roses.
I've started pulling them and planting them in the wooded lot next door all the way around the corner on the main drag. They'll look pretty under every maple and oak tree and will help hold the soil together.
We are behind in the weed war right now. I have a new knee and Mr Gentle has a bum shoulder. If you could mix us together, you might have one able bodied person. We will most likely pull as much as we are able, and then hit it hard in early spring. I will put down Preen, although it’s not the magic cure, I think it helps.
I think it's the worst grass that grows in Florida - maybe Bahia? Would the Atrazine work for Bahia also?
Yeah Bahia is the worst IMO, the stuff is very tough to mow and often takes two passes. Atrazine will help suppress it, but may not completely kill it.
Another recent weed to show up here is Doveweed, and it usually wetter areas. It looks like grass at first but it’s not. It will spread rapidly and completely choke out a lawn.
Yeah Bahia is the worst IMO, the stuff is very tough to mow and often takes two passes. Atrazine will help suppress it, but may not completely kill it.
Another recent weed to show up here is Doveweed, and it usually wetter areas. It looks like grass at first but it’s not. It will spread rapidly and completely choke out a lawn.
While St. Augustine makes a thick, green lawn, it requires a lot of fertilizer, pesticides and water to stay looking nice. We replaced an area of Bermuda grass, which is nasty stuff with runners, with Bahia which reseeds itself (those seed spikes do require mower blades to be kept sharp). It goes dormant in the winter and greens up when the rain season starts. It’s the lesser evil of the grass options here. We also have pusley, aka Florida snow, on the other side of our driveway. It’s a low growing ground cover with flowers the bees love. It crowds out grass.
With Red Tide affecting our coasts this year, there is even more awareness about nitrogen from fertilizers in the run off going into the water and feeding the Red Tide blooms. I hope the love of sterile lawns start to tank in popularity here when people realize what the cost of maintaining grass lawns in Florida is costing our environment.
While St. Augustine makes a thick, green lawn, it requires a lot of fertilizer, pesticides and water to stay looking nice. We replaced an area of Bermuda grass, which is nasty stuff with runners, with Bahia which reseeds itself (those seed spikes do require mower blades to be kept sharp). It goes dormant in the winter and greens up when the rain season starts. It’s the lesser evil of the grass options here. We also have pusley, aka Florida snow, on the other side of our driveway. It’s a low growing ground cover with flowers the bees love. It crowds out grass.
With Red Tide affecting our coasts this year, there is even more awareness about nitrogen from fertilizers in the run off going into the water and feeding the Red Tide blooms. I hope the love of sterile lawns start to tank in popularity here when people realize what the cost of maintaining grass lawns in Florida is costing our environment.
I never fertilize or water my St Augustine, and it’s nice and healthy, same with the centipede. I’m 50 miles inland though, so my soil isn’t sandy like it is near the coast.
I never fertilize or water my St Augustine, and it’s nice and healthy, same with the centipede. I’m 50 miles inland though, so my soil isn’t sandy like it is near the coast.
Ditto. We have centipede and it thrives on neglect here in coastal GA. DH does fertilize it in the spring, but that’s more about his Yankee need to do it, than it really needing it. We never water it either.
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Okay, maybe it's not THAT bad, but maybe every weed that's ever lived in SC!?!
I have learned the names of weeds like never before. I've gotten quite good at knowing what weeds I happen to own.
I have found some small ones in the yard this summer, and get them while they are small - this is due to my neighbors who grow them like weeds in their yards
and let them flower. 
I won't know until next year how well I did, and it may take a couple years to really show, like the dandelions, but I started with the dead nettle and the henbit. I think I got the majority of it. 
I will never rid my yard of all the weeds, or junk grass I have. One may ask why I just don't spray the weeds...I really can't spray too much of my yard, I have too many desirable plants, and edibles. If I want to at least lessen the weeds, I have to try and be somewhat diligent when the time is available, and pull what I can by hand. 
