[Arid_gardener] Gardening question

[Dick Gross]

Christine, the paragraph that follows is the fastest most efficient method I know of for either Bermuda or Nutgrass unless your beds are huge. I have used it in three locations and found it to be effective.

If, however, you have only small patches, use Roundup at the smallest dosage recommended on the container that is three tablespoons, or ounces?--read the directions, per gallon. The chemical is most effective on vigorously growing plants. The kill in some cases might be more complete if the grass is irrigated and fertilized before applying Roundup. It is not as effecient, I find, on grasses already half dead.
I determined to my own satisfaction some years ago that Roundup used as directed is safe and I have without qualm applied it on random Bermuda in public places.

If you decide to dig the grass, build yourself a 15" by 30" box from 1"x4" lumber and tack a piece of 1/2" galvanized screen on one side. It is an apparatis you will use in your yard for ever if you are anything like me.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In the Subtroical Demonstration Garden at the Extension planted in what had been a thirty year old Bermuda/wire/develgrass lawn, we excavated the top 4 inches of sod in tiles, sifted every square inch through half inch screen to separate soil and micro-organisms from stolens that we dumped. We ridded the area of about 90% of the stolens and dealt with an ocassional blade of grass with a trowel for a year after. The area has been grass free for five years with virtually no maintenance. The sifting was a little labor intensive but much faster and we saved every ounce of rich loam it grew in. Roundup is not as efficient in my experience and mechanical removal satisfied the whims of some of the environmentalists, none of whom offered to wield a shovel to preserve an ecology long since compromised. 

Nutgrass can be dispatched by excavation and sifting in the same way if the area can be excavated about 3 or 4 inches deep--below the stolens. There is, however, a selective nutgrass killer if you would rather go that way. Ask your nurseryman.

Dick Gross, Master Gardener Volunteer
University of Arizona Maricopa County
Cooperative Extension


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Christine Davis" <cdavis at dessaules.com>

Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 9:50 AM
Subject: [Arid_gardener] Gardening question


> Hello, I'm a new gardener, just trying to maintain a couple of flower beds.
> But I am being inundated with what I'm told is "nutgrass."  Is there an
> effective way to deal with it, short of covering the beds with plastic for a
> couple of seasons?  I hate to forego my flowers.
> 
> Thanks,
> Christine
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Arid_gardener mailing list
> Arid_gardener at CALS.arizona.edu
> http://CALS.arizona.edu/mailman2/listinfo/arid_gardener
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://CALS.arizona.edu/pipermail/arid_gardener/attachments/20061031/295151c8/attachment.html