I have the natural Florida weed lawn. I don't fertilize or use anything on it. When it's mowed I don't feel it looks too bad but I hate the dollar weeds and they're really taking over. As well as the sandspurs, which I'm wanting to get rid of for obvious reasons. Anyone have any tips or tricks besides pulling them or buying expensive stuff from the garden store that can't be lagoon or environmentally friendly? Thanks!

Dollarweed typically thrives on lots of water--it's something of a wetland plant.  

Sandspurs are more like dry dune plants.  Being grasses, you probably can't kill them with herbicides without killing other grasses.  You can try to prevent seeds from germinating (it's an annual grass).  

 

yes, cut the sand spurs short and bag it so the seeds don't disperse. It takes a long time to get rid of them and doesn't help if the neighbors don't do anything about them either. I have seen lawns of all sandspur. It is kind of a unique look and keeps people from walking on your lawn. LOL. Pulling them like mentioned is an option also.

Odd that you have both. As ww said, they thrive under the exact opposites of the extremes (too much water vs. too little water). Sandspurs are an annual and as such die each winter and resprout from the seeds the next year. I won the battle (but it took several years) by digging them out every time I saw one and catching my yard when I mowed (which helped to collect the seeds/spurs). Using a non-selective herbicide probably won't work since you are not removing the seeds (the spurs) and they will just regenerate the next summer. Sorry, but, as with so many gardening issues, you have to get your hands dirty (but it is lagoon friendly!).

Dollarweed, learn to love it.  

It's not worth the herbicide / fertilizer cocktail

that you'll be dumping into the Lagoon

to try and get rid of it.

Sandspur, it's a pretty easily ID'd grass.  

Learn to recognize then dig it as previously suggested.  

As long as you're not getting reseeded from somewhere nearby

it's easy enough to get rid of.  

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Mansion turf herbicide is the best product I have found for dollar weed. Its a granular product you mix a very small amount in a pump up sprayer with a gallon of water and spray directly on the weeds. If used at the proper ratio it kills the dollar weeds and leaves the St. Augustine alone. Do it on a dry day during the active growing months and you get zero run-off. It dries on the leaves of the dollar weed and is absorbed into the plant. This minimizes any impact on the Lagoon. Takes about three weeks to work. You will notice a slight discoloration after the first week. By the second week they will be yellowing. Gone after about the third week. Go to Site-one, formerly John Deere Lesco and talk to the boys.

^that's responsible herbicide management right there

good stuff

 

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I have a mimosa strigillosa side lawn that has spread mightily to take over my neighbors whole lawn.
he doesn't water, just has it mowed. No dollar weed, little sandspurs


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"The truth is incontrovertible.
malice may attack it,
ignorance may deride it,
but in the end,
there it is." -Sir Winston Churchill

There are certain designs/methods to yards that work better on the beach than others. Specifically, shade usually significantly reduces dollar weed and spurs. Beds of bananas, palms, etc can eliminate them in the long run. How to build the beds? Layers of cardboard, layer of compost, mulch, and drip irrigation. Border your beds where they interface with grass sections. In particular, putting beds along the borders of your property where runoff can occur from your grass chemicals also serves to reduce runoff to the lagoon.

BTW, dollar weed is green, soft, and resilient. Why is it bad? Congratulations, you have been brainwashed.

Sand spurs? yeah, they suck because they poke. Dig them out and stay vigilant.

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If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate.

hey WG

does you mimosa die back in the winter?

mine was just getting established last fall

disappeared for winter and now I'm just seeing it again

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it does die back, but when once gets thick it doesn't go away entirely in winter
this is 3 or 4 years in now.


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"The truth is incontrovertible.
malice may attack it,
ignorance may deride it,
but in the end,
there it is." -Sir Winston Churchill

I just hate the look of he dollar weed and if there was an easy way to get rid of them, great. Guess I'll get to pulling the spurs. Should be a fun project isgust; oh well. Appreciate all the responses and insight

You have to stay on the sandspurs. Walk the yard and dig them out each time before you mow; it is not a once or twice a summer activity. Diligence is key, but, you will eliminate them over the course of a couple of years.

thanks for the info WG

and thanks for keeping a lagoon friendly yard TX

you're kind of comehere we need

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