My yard is being overun, please help

I purchased my home in NJ during last November

Almost my entire backyard is being overrun by this plant. It is spreading like wildfire. Can anybody tell me what it is and how to get rid of it?

In most places it is packed in pretty tight in bunches

Thanks
Mike

 

They are Violets.

You need Confront.

 

Thanks. I have them all over the place. I am thinking about not get rid of them because there is so many it is choking the grass out.

Are these violets, as in the flower? Will they flower at come point?

 

Yes, Violetts the flower, but not the variety you would buy at the nursery. Those are wild Violets. They SPREAD like wildfire.

Kill them now with Confront.

Use a spreader sticker.

Keep some on hand for later this year and next spring/summer, some will be back.

 

They do spread like wildfire. At this point I probably have more of them than grass. In some areas that is all that I.

Can I buy Confront and a spread sticker at Home Depot type of store? Is there any draw backs to using it?

I have also just planted new grass seed in some areas. It is ok to use with the new grass seed?

 

I don't think so, but then again I don't shop for chemicals at H.D. I get Confront and S.S. at Lesco. I doubt you can get Confront at H.D. You can probably get something with similar active ingredients, but it will be less effective as it's probably not as concentrated.

Probably not, but it's OK cuz the seed you just planted most likely won't make it through this summer anyway. Unless you're watering every day, the soil is perfect and you don't cut it below 3" high.

You'll probably end up having to visit Lesco or some other Turf supply house, kill the violets and then just deal with the patches till fall which is the best time to seed again.

Feel free to ask more questions, we're here to help. Just remember to look out for us and our pocketbooks when you need us.

Come to think of it. It may be more cost effective for you to hire somebody to spray for you. The smallest bottle of Confront I've ever seen is 1 gallon and it was ?$65? give or take a few $$, I really don't remember and the spreader sticker was in gallon jugs as well and that was like $14. You only use an ounce or two per gallon of water. So a gallon would be a lifetime supply for you.

Check with some local landscapers and have them come out and give you an estimate in writing and ask them what they will use. If you don't hear them say Confront and that they use a spreader sticker, don't hire them.

Whatever you do, don't use Trugreen/Chemlawn.

 

Thanks for the info. I really do appreciate it. I was able to find Confront over the internet at http://www.carrollgardens.com/productlink.asp?product_id=420-20-13357 in granular form. Do I want it in this form or in a liquid form?

As far as the new grass seed, I planted it about 5 weeks back in two spots and 2 weeks ago in another. I have been watering it religiously 2-3 times a day. I hope it holds. It has been growing pretty good in most places. Weird thing is I planted one side of my house and it grew in very spottty with alot of bald patches. After 4 weeks the bald patches started to fill in.

Let me ask an off topic question also if I could. I put in a patio and 2 weeks back I seed around the 4 sides of the patio. One side of the patio the grass is growing great, the 2 other sides so-so, and the 4th side it is very slow. All the sides get sun and water. I did nothing different. What is up with that? Am I missing something?

Also, it is probably 6-12 inches on each sided that I seeded. It seems like the grass grows faster in the center. So if If the section is 12 inches wide, it is growing great in the middle 3 inches but very slow on the edges. Is that normal?

Thanks for the help

 

I always prefer to do week control with a liquid. Except with pre-emergent. Try to find it in a liquid. You must use a S.S. with it though.

Could be lots of things. Drainage, something just under the surface like excess concrete, construction trash, etc. I've had "dead spots" in customers lawns that no matter what I did could not get grass to stay there. Dug up the area eventually and found a half full tube of silicon based caulk! I assume it was dumped by the window contractor who put the windows in the new house.

Yes, lot's of reasons as well. Shade from the surrounding grass, heat from the nearby patio, blah, blah.

 

As far as cutting the new grass.....I was planning on cutting it over the weekend and seeding any bald spots. Sounds like I should make sure it is 3 inches long. Why is that?

BTW, thanks for all of the help. I appreciate it.

 

Grass (fescue type) should never be cut under 3", especially in the summer months. I never cut it less than 2 1/2" and only then in the fall when I'm doing leaf clean up.

It develops a better root system if allowed to grow to 3" tall. It shades the ground, keeping the soil temperature lower, I've seen grass roots that have literally been fried. It obviously kills the plant to have fried roots.

Scratch up the bare spots with a rake or something to get the seed INTO the soil, NOT laying on top of the soil. Better contact with the soil means quicker and higher percentage of germination.

Then water every morning for like 2-3 weeks.