Kill the weeds, save your back

Liquid (herbicide) "edgers" can eliminate the need for weed-eating along fences, streets, drives, walls, and sidewalk cracks. Often providing easier and longer lasting results than mechanical means.

Liquid edgers always require careful use for the safety of nearby plants. Some products rarely cause accidental damage, meaning they have to be sprayed directly on a wanted plants leaves, including glyphosate (Roundup) and glufosinate (Finale).

While, others are soil sterilants. Meaning, they have a long residual life in the soil and remaining active for months to years. They also are highly toxic to trees and shrubs, causing leaf yellowing, marginal leaf scorching, branch dieback, and sometimes tree or shrub death. Once the damage has occurred there is no correcting it.

Therefore it is important to remember that tree roots extend well beyond the so-called "drip line" -- the soil under the leaf canopy's edge. Roots are often found under walks and drives so much precaution must be taken.

Bermudagrass is much more drought and heat tolerant than any cool-season turf, resulting in the fact that it can and will crowd out tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass. Bermuda is also so aggressive that it often invaded nearby flowerbeds, gardens and neighbors' yards.

Unfortunately, once it has invaded a cool- season lawn, the only way to control it is to kill everything and start over. Two rounds of control, once in July and once in August, are necessary while the grass is actively growing. Fescue or bluegrass can be planted two weeks after the last spray application.

K-State researchers have had good results in killing an established bermudagrass plot with a 2 percent glyphosate solution (e.g., Round-up, Kleen-up Killzall, and Kleeraway). Following label directions, they applied the herbicide on July 15 and Aug. 15. More than a year later, the plot exhibited no regrowth.

Under certain circumstances, Bermudagrass has its place. Since it is heat and drought tolerant, it is great for ball fields or play grounds. Its invasiveness allows it to recovery quickly from damage, and it can be mowed short because of its creeping nature.

More information, on liquid edgers, weed control, managing tall fescue or Kentucky bluegrass -- or even bermudagrass lawns -- is available from the Bourbon Extension offices, as well as the Web (http://www.oznet.ksu.edu) .Editor's Note: Delta George is a K-State Research and Extension agriculture and 4-H extension agent assigned to Bourbon County. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720.