Hi everyone. I have found that the only conditions this wire-grass won't grow in aggresively (it would try to grow on the Moon if given the chance) is full shade, so I mulch very heavy, and regularly pull the runners that still come as I water. We never use any chemicals, so we accept that some weeds are going to happen. Once the fig tree spreads out to a nice bush it also helps to shade itself at its base and reduce weeds naturally. I've had far more trouble with weeds around the blueberries, because they don't naturally shade their base much, so we use land scape fabric and then heavy mulch (pine bark and pine needles) at the base of the blueberries. Best wishes to all. John North Georgia Piedmont

Sorry. This will be a long one. It always is with me. (blushing) I'm with the OP on this one. Even if no one but me ever saw my lawn, I would want it to be dark, rich green GRASS...and nothing else. (I'm known for wanting everything to be beautiful. I'm also a bit of a home body, and enjoy spending time in my yard. Many guests have remarked that, no matter where they look (on my property), there's always something beautiful. I'm always taken aback by those comments, since while that was MY goal, I never expected others to pick up on it.) Case in point about the intentional act of putting down grass, and not other (lower maintenance) plants. I own a small, remote island. I made the decision to create a lawn area and, once you include the slow-moving barge fees (3 days to get from its port to the island), labour, equipment, and materials, that lawn cost me $14,000. That obviously begs the question, why, on earth, would anyone spend a nickel putting in expensive, high-maintenance grass, only to let it be taken over by clover and other weeds??? My husband and I recently purchased a 19th century farmhouse in need of roof-to-foundation renovation. As such, I inherited a lawn that is EASILY 70% weeds, including clover so thoroughly interwoven, it would be impossible to pull by hand. I pride myself on my beautiful lawns and gardens, and can spend/have sent hours, each day, ensuring everything is healthy and how I want it. At my last home, I developed a bit of a reputation for being out weeding my lawn by hand for hours, plus how awesome my expansive lawn was. My point is, I want my lawn and gardens to be a certain way; plant the plants I want; pull the plants I don't want; unafraid to put-in the effort to achieve that. I prefer not to use any kinds of "chemicals", other than the ammonia and mild soap I include in my homemade fertilizer recipe. (My last home was a beach house. So, that only reinforced my desire to go chemical-free.) But this new-to-me house is demoralizing me...practically to the point of tears, much of it because of the state of the (laughing) "landscaping". Sure, mowing can cut off 60% of the sea of clover flowers that make my lawn look white (or dying...can't decide which). But there are still lower flowers that seem to sprout up to full height within the next 24hrs after a mow. These flowers last from late spring to fall. In short, I'm plagued by clover flowers throughout the entire season I want my lawn to look great. It's just such a shame the previous owners didn't nip the clover in the bud, when each plant was jut a little, round cluster. I love catching them early, knowing I've stopped additional infiltration. But I'm helpless, overall. Looks like I'll have to replace the entire lawn; start from scratch; do what the previous owners SHOULD have done, and pulled weeds when I first see them. I'm not really buying the whole "benefits of clover" thing, amidst a grass lawn. If I wanted a clover lawn, I would plant a clover lawn. Putting down and maintaining grass is an expense in time and resources. Clover is virtually free (since it shows up on the wind), and is seemingly mantenance-free. Since most sod and grass seed are sold with some guarantee of being weed- (and clover-) free, I just don't believe that most people who spend the money and effort to put in a grass lawn, are okay with losing any percentage of it to other, invasive, undesirable plants. I kind of liken it to suggesting that a Ferrari owner would be okay with someone switching it with a Cavalier, and just saying, 'They both get me from point A to point B, so I don't mind.' I can fully envision putting in other kinds of ground cover, and have considered it at past properties. Not being my first rodeo, I already have substantial plans to reduce the amount of lawn area, and increase planting beds. But much of this current property begs for a beautiful, thick, dark green lawn...of grass. No dandelions. No clover, but particularly no clover flowers. (I'd be more okay with clover, if not for the flowers.) The desperation was so great, I did something I thought I'd never do, and tried the iron-based WEED-B-GONE product. (Harsh, chemical herbicides have been banned in my area for years...resulting in public parks being taken over by weeds, for the most part. It's such a shame, in the sense that a healthy, well-maintained lawn is not only beautiful, but fantastic underfoot.) That is really my philosophy, beyond the aesthetic. A lawn should be cool, soft, and luxurious under bare feet. Weeds, even overgrown grass, also tend to make barefoot walking less than a joy. So far, I haven't found a way to get rid of mats of clover. The WEED-B-GONE did nothing I could notice. I'm at my rope's end on ths matter, and likely will have to pull up the entire lawn, to put down new, almost-weed-free sod, where I can physically manage pulling individual weeds as they appear. I guess I'd plead with people to pull unwanted clover plants when they're small... if not for yourself, then for the next property owner. Sure, it means time, every day, or every few days, combing the lawn, looking for weeds. Yes, it can be back-breaking and time-consuming. But that grass lawn didn't get there by accident. A grass lawn is intentional.

Dear Colleenny, Thank you very much for your inquiry. This is one of those cases where half-truths abound. Zoysiagrass is a turf species, and a beautiful one at that. By definition of a weed (a plant out of place), it can also be unwanted in a yard. (Half-truth number one.) A"weed killer", an herbicide designed to kill weeds, is classified as selective or non-selective. If it is selective, it will remove weeds from an area with no or minimal damage to the desired species, in our case grass. A good example of this is 2,4 D or Trimec. If it is non-selective, it will kill anything green. Glyphosate or Roundup is a good example of this type of herbicide. So, if a nonselective herbicide is sprayed to kill weeds in a zoysiagrass lawn, the zoysiagrass will die. (Half-truth number two.) However, most selective herbicides will do little to no damage to zoysiagrass lawns. Again, thanks for the question and let me know if you have more. Respectfully Trey Rogers The Yard Doctor

Sounds like something my helpful husband would do-- obviously I would hope he just sprayed the weeds and grasses in the beds and the toms got a 'little' drift and as they are VERY susceptible to many weed killers they reacted by turning yellow. I presume a lawn weed killer would contain a contact and systemic formulation but I just don't know how much (if any) would have translocated to the fruit as he really did not spray the plants directly. You know conventional growers use all sorts of weeds killers on tomatoes (not to mention all the pesticides and fungicides) but I for one don't know what I would do after I was through screaming at my husband. Commercial growers use pre-emergent (systemics) and post-emergent sprays, probably more than one application. I am not saying this makes it "OK" though- they are using chemicals teemed 'safe' for tomatoes. A true worrisome risk is based on an unacceptable level of exposure --maybe this doesn't rise to that level of concern but I can't make that judgement. Certainly the side-effects of chronic exposure or acute exposure to any of these chemicals are very scary to read and makes one think twice even though we are not talking about the same levels of exposure. I presume if you called Ortho they would (and should) tell you that you have to follow the label quidelines and that leaves you back where you started.