I have damaged plants with 2-4d,soaking into soil,not conifers.
but I like roundup
ken's right get them mulched A S A P
any tree trimming co. will drop off a load of wood chips for free.
if they are fresh don't put down too thick.
green giants like cultivation second year in ground

ron

we are planning to do a soybean mulch. Fortunately we already have the experience with roundup application (corn/bean farmers), but with trees this tiny I wanted nice grass growing around them so the area doesn't look so barren. Watering also isn't really an issue, we have a good drip system. If cool ground is that big a deal then we will take your advice on the mulch and do it sooner rather than later.

We have 60+ trees in two rows, 8 feet between trees, 4 feet between rows. They are replacing a dead windbreak we took out last fall. Hoping for fast growth in a couple of years (understand that doesn't happen year 1). I am worried about the winter winds, later I'm sure I'll ask about burlap protection methods and whether they are necessary. We get 50 mph winter winds here sometimes and this is a windbreak so it's exposed on the west side.

I should also add, I've been following Ken's watering advice and doing the finger test instead of a fixed schedule. We have ph neutral ground that drains fairly well... good black dirt with clay underneath. We did not fertilize, also per Ken's advice. So thank you both for your responses, they are well received.

This post was edited by ruralhusker on Sat, May 31, 14 at 22:34

I carry a large posterboard 'shield' around with me when I feel the need to use herbicides, as well as simply being overcautious when applying it. It's always easy to go back and hit spots you might have missed.

Also, I know you want to be able to have grass and mow around there, but a good bed of mulch will seriously affect how quickly these grow. I'm going to link a study discussed on The Garden Professors' blog page that shows how much faster trees grow with mulch.

Here is a link that might be useful: Ferilizing/Mulching/Root teasing study

you call you 2 to 3 footers small .. i started with 6 inches.. on bare sand ... with drip irrigation ... 14 years later ... they are all over 20 feet ... [note: no mulch with drip]

you kinda left out the drip irrigation info ... you CAN figure out a schedule ... my point is.. no one else can figure it out for you ...

with my drip ... i would water.. until it is moist.. at least 6 inches down ... run the water ... dig a hole under an emitter ... run it more.. dig another hole .... etc ... FIGURE IT OUT .... [actually.. in my hosta beds.. i ran it.. until a hole dug between two emitters .. was damp at depth ...]

again.. with my system.. on my soil ... i found .... that if i ran the drip for 6 to 8 hours ... in my sand.. i could get the sand moist to the root depth ... dont ever forget.. its all about getting water to the roots ... not the soil surface ... and we really dont care.. if the surface gets dry ... keep digging holes .... [if it need be said.. dig hole not where trees are ... you should have plenty of drippers in between plants ... remove grass.. dig down.. make discovery ... replace soil.. put grass plug back in ...]

and barring drought.. or extreme heat... i might only water every 7 to 10 days... because it simply doenst dry.. AT DEPTH ... all that fast.. subject to your soil ...

and once you figure it out.. you can quit digging holes ...

the grass is irrelevant... with the drippers.. so make your own decision in that regard ...

and for those of you who dont knwo about engineered drippers... they may only put out 1/4 gal per hour ... so even thought the hours might sound extreme ... usage usually isnt ... also... very little is lost to evaporation ... as you arent making it airborne to begin with ... so dont go all horrified on these numbers ...

good luck .. sound like that guy you are relying on.. is brilliant.. if i may say so myself... lol

ken

ps: also.. getting it moist in the first place.. may take more hours.. than maintaining it ....

I don't know what grass species you are working with, but do be aware, 2-4D and related phenoxy herbicides can damage very young turf.

+oM