RE: CULT: Weed Control

From: "Greg McCullough" <icity@email.msn.com>

We also have several acres in iris and have found that a granular
pre-emergent is much more easily applied to such a large area. We use a
product called SNAPSHOT in the fall for winter weeds and the spring for
summer weeds. We still end up doing a lot of hand weeding, but not nearly as
much as we once did. I think the active ingredient is the same as is in
Preen.

Greg McCullough
Iris City Gardens




>
> From: HIPSource@aol.com
>
> << I have a large iris patch (about 5 acres) in New Jersey. I
> have tried the
>  product Preen to prevent weeds, with unsuccessful results. I have a
>  commercial herbicide/pesticide license. Is there any herbicide
> on the market
>  that would allow the irises to thrive while killing unwanted weeds? I am
> sure
>  large production iris growers use a form of weed
> control/herbicide. I have
>  contacted Rutgers University and the Hunterdon County Extension
> Center, but
>  they have not been able to give me much help because their knowledge of
>  irises is limited. >>
>
> Hello, Mr. Hartpence.
>
> As you know, the word 'weed' covers a lot of territory and
> apparently so do
> the weeds in North America, where they rarely respect iris beds. Weeds in
> iris beds are not only unattractive, they can harbor pests, sap
> nutrients,
> shade rhizomes and foster disease. So weed control is not only
> nice, it is
> necessary.
>
> We have had several long conversations on weed control here on
> the list and
> these maybe viewed by searching the Archives at
> http://www.mallorn.com/lists/iris-l/
>
> However, this is what I know on the subject, subject to the caveat that I
> have not done any research on the subject in a couple of years so
> what I tell
> you may be dated.
>
> Preen, sold in bulk as Treflan, has been used to great advantage by many
> irisarians but timing is said to be important in its application
> and one must
> avoid getting it on wet foliage. The newly divided and
> transplanted irises
> must have had time to get established before application. This
> caution holds
> for any pre-emergent germination inhibitor since they work on the
> meristem
> and can adversely affect new growth on the iris unless it is growing
> strongly. Many other people rely on Surflan, and the local
> Extension office
> here recommended Dacthal a couple of years ago when I did some
> research for a
> pests and problems presentation.  These are also pre-emergent germination
> inhibitors. They won't do anything much for anything which is invading
> stoloniferously, but they will cut down on the annual seed sown stuff. To
> some extent the stoloniferous stuff like clover and wiregrass can be
> discouraged by cutting a deep edging.
>
> For overspray of established irises to remove grasses and sedges
> one hears
> the products Vantage and Poast recommended, and I believe we
> determined they
> were the same chemical.
>
> Comprehensive herbicides such as Roundup can be used near irises,
> but great
> care must be taken to avoid drift. Use of a paint brush or wick
> spreader has
> been recommended.
>
> The best means of weed control is prevention, and the next best is hand
> pulling. It is also possible to use a hoe or cultivator, but
> remember that
> many iris roots run wide and shallow. When possible, the best
> course is to
> pull them young and keep on pulling as they appear.
>
> It maybe useful to bear in mind that when weeds get the upper
> hand in an iris
> bed it is probably about time to divide and reset the irises
> anyway. If they
> get totally out of control I think one has little choice in the
> matter. Once
> the irises are removed one can address the weeds as necessary as
> a part of
> refurbishing the bed for replant.
>
> Anner Whitehead
> HIPSource@aol.com
>
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