Ask The Expert
Our knowledgeable staff here at Garden-Ville are available to answer many of the questions you might have about gardens, landscaping, and trees. Many problems with plants, however, cannot be responsibly diagnosed other than in person. We're located in central Texas and may not be familiar with the details of gardening in very different climate or soil zones. One of the guiding principles of organic growing is adapting methods to the particularites of local soil and climate. With that in mind we'll do our best to answer your question, but if we can't we'll be happy to help you find the appropriate resources or professionals in your area.
Feel free to browse the topics below to see if we've already answered a question similar to yours. If you can't find the information you need, the question submission form is located at the bottom of the page.
How can I remove or kill Bermuda grass in the winter that is dormant. I want to expand my garden for this spring but would like to kill the bermuda grass rather than remove the top soil that contains the bermuda grass. Any suggestions?
12/6/200810:46:03 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
It's trickier to kill grass that's gone dormant. You could try our Natural Weed Killer, but it works best when the plant is active and transpiring. Probably your best bet is to either smother it with cardboard or tarps all winter or to cover it with black plastic and solarize it. You'll want to put a layer of mulch on top of the cardboard/tarps if that's the route you go.
I have a large bermuda lawn that is taken over with knot weed, spurge and some other grassy weeds. What can i use to kill these grassy weeds?
9/24/200810:47:40 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Most organic herbicides are non-selective, which means they'll kill any desireable grass you spray as well. You can use these to kill weeds in an established lawn only if you are very careful and don't mind some collateral damage. Our Natural Weed Control is the best product for this. It will probably take multiple applications, as most weeds have very resiliant root systems. We do have a product called Crabgrass Killer that kills crabgrasses, basketweed, chickweed, clover, and other related weeds and doesn't harm turf grasses. You can also mow areas overrun with weeds very close to the ground, then add fertilizer and compost and overseed them with bermuda grass seed. This will help to choke out the weeds.Hi Amy! We live on Lake Travis in Texas and have a terrible time with the burrs in our grass. They are so painful! Do you have any ideas how we can get our yard to be burr free? Where do they even come from? Thanks!
5/12/200812:35:01 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Burrs are generally a product of poor soil health, the first thing you need to do is get rid of the burrs in the grass. The best way to remove them is to get an old wool or woven blanket and drag it across the grass, the blanket should grab all of the burrs it comes in contact with. Next you will want to spread out a pre-emergent like corn gluten meal, this will prevent any future seeds from germinating. The next step is to build the health of your soil, the way to do that is core aeration followed by a half inch application of compost and a good organic fertilizer.
I have a thick covering of mugwort that has just about choked out my St. Augustine grass in my back yard. Would your 20% vinegar or your natural weed control be the best product to kill the mugwort so I can lay some new sod? Do you think one application will be enough and how long should I wait before resodding the yard? Thanks for you help.
5/12/200812:13:52 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Natural Weed Control, Weed Control
Since the mugwort is a woody stem plant you may have a hard time getting rid of them. One way to do it is to cut the mugwort down and spray the open wounds with the Natural Weed Control. Put out a pre-emergent to keep any other weed seeds from germinating before laying new sod.
I have an Oxalis problem in my juniper beds. Is there anything that I can put on the Oxalis to eradicate it without eradicating my junipers?
1/16/200810:10:25 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Don,You can direct apply our Natural Weed Control or our 20% Vinegar, they are both systemic weed killers that will attack the roots. Just try and avoid getting any overspray on the surrounding plants.If you have any other questions please let me know.AMY, I HAVE FLORATAM ST. AUGUSTINE GRASS. IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN PUT ON IT TO GREEN IT UP THIS WINTER. I LIVE IN ORLANDO FLORIDA NOT MUCH OF A WINTER THIS YEAR (75' TEMP). ALSO IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN PUT ON THE WEEDS OTHER THAN ATRAZINE? THANKS..
12/19/20079:44:51 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Atrazine is a very potent product. To control weeds you can use 20% vinegar mixed with orange oil, to green the grass up you can aerate, spread compost at 1/2" thick, and apply a well balanced organic fertilizer. I would stay away from the atrazine.
do you know of anything that will help keep armadillos out of your yard/flowerbeds?
6/15/20072:28:39 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
You can use blood meal to repel the armadillos and sometimes sulfur will do the job.
I live in east texas area and I was wondering if you have any suggestions on how to keep your vegetable garden from getting over run with weeds without harming the vegetables.
5/3/20073:32:00 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
20% Vinegar, Natural Weed Control, Weed Control
You can pull the weeds by hand and spot treat the weeds with our 20% Vinegar or Natural Weed Control. Just be careful that you do not get any over spray on the veggies as it will harm them too. I have heard customers tell me that they apply the vinegar with one of those sponge paint brushes to protect the surrounding plants. You can purchase the vinegar or the Natural Weed Control on our website or visit your local garden center to see if they carry our products.
Hi! I hope you can help me. We have been living in our home for three years now. When we moved here there was a small section (4 feet) of Cyperus Papyrus growing at the edge of our pond. It has now grown to about 20 feet in circumference and is taking over the pond. We have some fish remaining but have lost a lot more. We have tried to pull the papyrus out, and cut it down, but to no avail. What can we do to get rid of it. Thank you, Mary
4/27/20074:22:55 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Cut the top off of the plant and spray either the 20% Vinegar or the Natural Weed Control on the open wound and the plant will take the product into the root system and kill it completely.
HI AMY: WHAT TYPE OF WEED CONTROL CAN I USE ON MY LAWN THAT WILL NOT HURT MY DOG? I HAVE DANDYLIONS, AND WHAT LOOKS LIKE COLLARD GREENS. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP. OH, ALSO WHERE CAN I BUY WHAT YOU RECOMMENT HERE IN SOUTH CAROLINA. THANKS AGAIN............. KATHY CRAIG
4/27/20074:21:39 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
To control the weeds that are established in your yard I would recommend that you spot treat the areas with either the Garden-Ville 20% Vinegar or the Garden-Ville Natural Weed Control. When you apply either product you will need to make sure that you get the product directly on the weeds as they will both kill just about anything they come in contact with. I do not think we have any distributors in your area so you would probably need to purchase the product on our website and have it delivered to your home.
My house faces north to south. My back yard is on the north side of the house. Next to the house my grass does not grow very much, Right now it is mainly dandalyns and clover. I want to plant shrubes in that area since grass will not grow very well. What do I use to clear the dandalyns, clover and little bit of grass so I can plant shurbs in the same area? What shrubs would you recommend for this area since it does not see to much sun? I also want to put compost down on my yard but do not know how to disperce it.Do I use a faterlizer spreader? I have been using organic products in my yard for the past three years and it seem to do a good job. Your web site is a great help. Ben
4/17/200710:52:56 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
You can spray the 20% Vinegar or the Natural Weed Control. They are both an "organic" way to kill off the weeds and grass in the area so that you can plant your shrubs in the area. Spray the weed control or the vinegar over the entire area and wait a couple of days, after all of the plant life is dead in the area give it a deep watering so that you wash the rest of the weed control out of the soil. You will then want to incorporate about a 1-2" layer of compost into the soil to condition it and get it ready for planting. I do not know what city or state you live in so you might want to take a trip to your local garden center or nursery and talk to the people about what would grow best in your area, that way you can see the plants and get a good idea of what your area will look like once the plants are installed. As for spreading compost on the lawn you can use the back side of a metal rake (not a leaf rake) to spread out the compost without damaging the grass roots.
hi, i was wondering if you might have a suggestion for killing weeds on a baseball infield. we have been using "round-up" in the past but it seems that we are always trying to catch up to the weeds and it gets very costly and seem to take forever to make any progress. after winter we always have a weed (not sure what it is) already established and manually dig them out but it takes a long time, then the other spring weeds are coming and we just can't get ahead. any suggestions would be great.. thanks very much jason hanes west hants baseball association.
4/17/200710:52:18 AM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Lawn Questions, Product Questions, Weed Control
Jason,To kill the weeds you can use the 20% Vinegar, when applied during the heat of the day it will kill just about everything it touches. In the future you should probably spread a pre emergent out in the spring and fall to keep the weed seeds from germinating. A good organic pre emergent that you can use is called corn gluten meal. If you can not find that in your area check with you local garden center or nursery and they can tell you what brands of pre emergent you can choose from.I live in Austin, TX. My flower beds have been invaded by Cedar Elm sprouts. Is there any way to get rid of them other than pulling? Thanks, Ray
4/2/20073:01:51 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Ray,You could try using an organic weed killer or you could put down landscape fabric around the plants in your beds. The fabric will allow air and water to pass through but will not allow for weeds or grasses to grow.I was wondering what your thoughts were on "weed and feed" products. I have a problem with yard onions and I have to get rid of them.
3/26/20073:16:53 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
With organics there is really no weed and feed application, the organic way to rid your yard of weeds is to build up the health of the soil so that the grass will become stronger and choke out the weeds. One preventative measure that you can do is to apply corn gluten meal in the fall and spring to keep the dormant weed seeds from germinating, top dress the yard with a ½” layer of compost and follow up with an application of a good organic fertilizer like Garden-Ville’s Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2. In the meantime you can pull the weeds by hand or spot treat the areas with 20% vinegar, just remember to try and avoid overspray as it will kill any other grass it comes in contact with.We have St. Augustine grass in our backyard that was put in last August. There are a lot of weeds that have emerged in one side of our backyard(mostly chickweed, pig weed and crabgrass). We did not apply the pre emergent weed killer(corn meal gluten) which I regret not doing. I'm trying to hand pull the weeds but there are just too many. Is there any weed killer that I can use to spot treat these weeds and not damage the lawn? What should I be doing right now to keep the lawn healthy. I was planning on spreading compost through the lawn, do you think it is necessary to aerate before spreading compost? Also which fertilizer would you recommend. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
3/23/20073:27:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Uma,Aerating, spreading compost, and fertilizing with a good organic compost are 3 great ways to build up your turfgrass. As the grass becomes stronger it will choke out the weeds in the lawn. To kill off the existing weeds that are very dense you can get the 20% Vinegar and spray it directly on the weeds to kill them off, just watch the overspray because it will also kill the grass around it. You might also try getting a broad leaf weed killer like Image or Green Light's Wipe Out, they are safe for use in turfgrass lawns and should get rid of the problem. For a good fertilizer try Garden-Ville's Premium Lawn Fertilizer 7-2-2, it is a great fertilizer to get the beneficial microbes in your soil active to promote a healthy lawn. Garden-Ville has locations in the Austin, San Marcos, and San Antonio area to serve your needs. If you have any other questions let me know.I live in the Ingram Mall area and I would like to help my yard be healthy, since it suffered a lot from the drought. It is a mix of St. Augustine and some Bermuda. Do I need compost or your 7-2-2 fertilizer or both? Also, I would like to get rid of the Bermuda, which is coming from my nekghbor's yard and trying to take over the St. Augustine. What are your suggestions for getting rid of it? Thanks
3/19/20074:28:08 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
It is going to be hard for you to get rid of the Bermuda since it is a weed by nature you can try spot treating the areas that are heavily infested with Garden-Ville’s Natural Weed Control, after the grass has died bring in compost and lay St. Augustine sod squares on the areas and keep them watered so they can establish root systems, don’t forget to fertilize with the 7-2-2 soil food . The compost will help break down the thatch in your yard and promote growth of the
I live in North Central Arkansas and I have trouble with what I call sand burs, in my yard. How can I get rid of these?
3/14/20075:06:50 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
You need to broadcast Corn gluten meal as a pre-emergent in the spring and add an organic fertilizer or dried molasses, the best way to keep the grass burrs out is to build the health of the soil by adding organic fertilizers and compost. Other than pulling the existing weeds you can try a product called Image that is safe for carpet grasses.
What is a quick effective way to kill my old lawn so that I can lay new sod down? Ideally I would like to do it in a environment-friendly manner but I do need to move quickly....thanks!
3/14/20074:52:22 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
20% vinegar will kill just about anything it touches and it is safe for the environment, you can purchase it online or at any Garden-Ville location here in south Texas.I have an old garden in my back yard that has been fallow for a number of years. About 8 years ago, the area was double-dug to a depth of about 2 feet, and since then, has the best thatch of grass in the yard. I want to get back to a vegetable garden - what's the best way to get rid of the current thatch on that plot?
3/14/20074:48:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
You can try spraying the Natural Weed Control or 20% Vinegar on the area and then till the ground up.
I have a 25'X50' vegetable garden that was invaded by all sorts of ants, including fire ants and by all sorts of grasses and burr producing/thorn producing weeds. I don't want to "poison" by garden with chemicals. What should I use to get rid of all these things in my garden and how much should I use? Planting season is almost here for the things I want to grow, so your timely response would be very much appreciated!
2/27/20075:21:31 PM Link 0 comments | Add comment
Lawn Questions, Product Questions, Weed Control
You should use the Garden-Ville Natural Weed Control, it is a mixture of 20% Vinegar and
Categories
- 20% Vinegar
- 6-2-2
- 7-2-2
- Anti Fuego
- Beneficial Nematodes
- Bermuda Grass
- Buffalo Grass
- Cedar Mulch
- Compost
- Container Planting
- Corn meal
- Fertilizer
- Garden-Ville Organic Insecticide
- Gardens
- Greensand
- Insect Control
- Landscape Questions
- Lawn Questions
- Liquid Seaweed
- Living Mulch
- Molasses
- mulch
- Natural Weed Control
- Neem Oil
- Plant Questions
- Potassium Bicarbonate
- Premium Compost
- Product Questions
- Rock phosphate
- Rocket Fuel
- Rose Food
- Rose Soil
- Sandy Loam
- Sea Tea
- Sick Tree Treatment
- Soil Questions
- St. Augustine
- Sulfur
- Tree Questions
- Tree Trunk Goop
- Turfmaster
- Weed Control
- Zoysia
