So I've still got some on the square and during or before , ideally before-renovation, I would like to try and eradicate it.
Ideas?
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
3rd and 4ths play on a "square" cut in a public playing field, which is council maintained, so you can imagine the weeds. The square was infested with all types of weed so I gave it an application of Elliots F W & Moss killer. Then 4 weeks later I did it again and the weeds have all but gone. Clover was particularly bad but after 2 app's it has gone!!
I always find Clover is a result of intermittent close mowing and lack of nutrients so doing the opposite gets rid!!
Maybe I am being a tad simplistic for some but it works for me!!
Chris
"He not busy being born is busy dying"
8 Aug 2011 by vid
Clover is a natural co companion of grass and is responsible for fixing large amounts of nitrogen back into the soil, so on an environmental outlook is extremely beneficial. However it is not condusive to good fine turf management - especially the creeping kinds. It readily responds to most turf herbicides and is very easily and quickly killed off.
It is not really an indicator of low nutrient levels - its absence is more an indicator of heavy artificial nitrate use. The enzyme that fixes nitrogen is nitrogenase and this is limited in its efficiency by the presence of nitrate in the soil. So if the nitrogen fixing bacteria in the root nodules are unable to flourish then their lack of symbiotic vigour restricts the ability of the clover plant to flourish. This is true of all nitrogenase using organisms - the use of artificial nitrogen fertilisers severely restricts the soils natural ability to fix nitrogen - therefore even heavier doses of nitrate are needed as a direct consequence. Dont you just love the unnatural and unenvironmental process we are obsessed with!!
Well call me a pig( as Pat would say) but I didn't understand any of thst last long paragraph but thanks for posting it all the same.
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
8 Aug 2011 by vid
And there was I thinking I had put it simply not a mention of endophytic diazotrophic bacteria, I try so hard Barry!!
Methinks he doth try too hard ( with apologies to the Bard)
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
Hands Barry a flute.
9 Aug 2011 by vid
I dont know guys!! You are always saying you want to know stuff. I'm in my 50s and 2 months ago I didnt know this bit about nitrogen fixing. But an article that I didnt understand had me looking things up in books and the internet and I went back to the article went through it sentance by sentance until I understood it. Then when it came up on here, like you do, I just tried to pass it on. I'm certainly no boffin but I really enjoy learning something new.
I'll put the last paragraph of my post another way.....
Nature generally works by keeping things in balance, therefore when it has a mechanism for making nitrogen usable in the plant it also creates a limiting factor so that the system doesnt over produce. So in this case the amount of nitrate already available restricts the ability of the organism to produce it.
A little like a rain guage on an irrigation system - it will produce water for your golf course/bowling green automatically until too much water becomes available in the form of rain and shuts down the system until it stops and the water has a while to disperse.
Clover fixes nitrogen from the air by bacteria nurtured in nodules on its roots, however there are several other organisms within the system that can also 'fix' nitrogen. When nitrate is present in reasonable amounts the process is such that the production shuts down until the nitrate is used up, hence the balance.
Therefore if nitrate is applied in the form of fertiliser the natural ability of the system to produce its own is shut down. Do that for long enough and it takes a long time for the mechanism to do it to re-establish. Because this ability to produce nitrogen usable to the plant has gone, more has to be applied to compensate. That means applying fertiliser actually increases the amount needed to satisfy the plant by decreasing natures ability to do it for us. Bad plan in my opinion.
So Vid
What would you do to get rid of it?
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
9 Aug 2011 by Pat Skires Last edited 9 Aug 2011
New Estermone Barry?
Has 2,4-D and Dicamba.
Our local weed sprayer loves it. When I've had him in to do our outfield for Plantains, Lions I've had him go over the square at the same time and it's dealt with the clover on there.
Re seed time is 6 weeks so if you are going to do it ... get it done now so you can reseed at end of season reno.
As stated above the clover produces NItrogen so actually lives quite well along grass so I never worry about the odd bit of clover. If it gets aggressive though it's a problem when you are shaving down and the stolons are visible and rip up with the scarifying rake.
How's the flute playing going buddy?
I've mastered the flute and onto the saxophone, piano, clarinet and trombone because I have a lot of wind.
Hmm, does this stuff leave bare patches where the clover was?
I think I am looking for a too perfect solution.
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
I've had good success removing clover with Headland Relay Turf this season. It shifted the vast majority in the first application.
Of course there's no bounce, bend your back and put some bloody effort in.
9 Aug 2011 by trubs
I don't know how much you have Barry, but I find it strangely therapeutic removing any that appears on my Square by hand.
"I've mastered the flute and onto the saxophone, piano, clarinet and trombone because I have a lot of wind."
Just where the **** do you blow into the piano?
The grass will be living in and amongst the clover fella so you won't get a bare area. The clover will just shrivel away.
It's the Amazonian nose piano
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
That is just pure Glynn, see him perform at a studio near you in the not too distant future.
Actually Pat, the clovers not excessive and I did spot spray the worst with dome verdone in early spring which helped a bit.
Actually just had dome liquid feet put down so may gave to give it a miss now and see what it's like next march
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
Was that sweaty feet by any chance Barry? If you have just fed the grass it is now an ideal time to treat the weed. Most herbicides suggest treatment when grass growth is strong. If you have just fed it then ideal.
On another point, no wonder most reports are a waste of time!!!!!!
Forgot to say, what ever it is your drinking tonight, i want some.
Reports. Barry more trouble ahead, our Horse Chestnuts have started shedding leaves.
We've had to have two Chesnuts taken down in last two years.
The remaining one is shedding already and trunk is looking a bit unhealthy
What do I do? I just cut the grass.
Back to Top - Go to Next Unread Message
This Message is closed, you may not post a reply at this time
