When to use weed killer? (landscape, grow, grass, jasmine)

[teatime]

OK, my groundcover is planted! Yay!!! I used my gas-powered cultivator to dig up the weeds and grasses before planting but without applying weed killer at some point, they'll likely return. When is it safe to put down weed killer and what type would you suggest? The groundcover I planted is Asian Jasmine and Creeping Phlox.

[wit-nit]

Weed killers are non-selective, they'll kill everything it touches.

[southernnaturelover]

I wouldn't spray any weed killer now that your new plants are in the ground. You could use RoundUp on weeds that pop up, but it's just as easy to pull them IMO. If you do spray weed killer, just don't let any get on your new plant's foliage. Have you thought about using some landscape fabric?

[teatime]

Originally Posted by southernnaturelover

I wouldn't spray any weed killer now that your new plants are in the ground. You could use RoundUp on weeds that pop up, but it's just as easy to pull them IMO. If you do spray weed killer, just don't let any get on your new plant's foliage. Have you thought about using some landscape fabric?

It's so windy here that landscape fabric is hard to keep secured. I haven't had much luck with it in the past. But, you're right -- I can just nuke the odd weed that pops up instead of applying weed killer to the whole area! Good idea!!!!

Hopefully, the groundcover plants will grow and spread fairly quickly and that will keep down most of the weed re-emergence.

[Ohiogirl81]

I'd recommend a good hand trowel. Weed killer is unnecessary and will also harm your newly planted groundcover if even a drop or two splashes on it.

Pull the weeds by hand, and be vigilant. You will be rewarded.

[teatime]

Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81

I'd recommend a good hand trowel. Weed killer is unnecessary and will also harm your newly planted groundcover if even a drop or two splashes on it.

Pull the weeds by hand, and be vigilant. You will be rewarded.

Heh, I broke my trowel yesterday planting the groundcover!!! I need to buy a new one pronto! It's tough for me to use, though, because I have Lupus and my hands are quite swollen and painful. (I have to take steroids and painkillers when I do moderate gardening.) However, whenever we get a good rain, I go right out and pull up weeds because they come out so easily then! I guess I'll have to be especially vigilant and keep at it, huh?!

[Art123]

Originally Posted by teatime

Heh, I broke my trowel yesterday planting the groundcover!!! I need to buy a new one pronto! It's tough for me to use, though, because I have Lupus and my hands are quite swollen and painful. (I have to take steroids and painkillers when I do moderate gardening.) However, whenever we get a good rain, I go right out and pull up weeds because they come out so easily then! I guess I'll have to be especially vigilant and keep at it, huh?!

These tools are a little easier on the hands and wrists.

[Rtom45]

Avoid any suggestions for landscape fabric, they're almost always more trouble than they're worth. Depending upon how aggressive the weeds are, they will grow thru the fabric at some point. Its really tough to remove a weed rooting thru the fabric. Some landscape contractors will use the fabric if they do an installation but will not be responsible for maintenance later on. It makes them look good up front, but becomes a problem sometime after they're gone. We make sure that any specifications for new plantings on campus exclude the option to use fabrics.

[teatime]

I agree, Rtom45. My next-door neighbor used landscape fabric and it performed abyssmally, due in part to the nearly constant wind we have down here on the South Plains. She had put a lot of mulch on top of the fabric, but when you have frequent, gusty winds, it doesn't take much to blow the mulch around and then wear away at the fabric.

However, I did pick up some Preen for gardens. I used this last year around my tiny, newly planted vegetable plants and it didn't harm the plants but did a good job of keeping the weeds away. I'm going to test it on one small section to make sure, but I think it will be fine around my groundcover.