What can I do to get rid of the crabgrass that is growing around my palm tree? It seems that it's choking the tree. I have tried soaking & pulling them, but the roots don't easily come out. how can I get rid of the crabgrass w/out killing the palm tree? thanks so much in advance.  heather |
| It can be difficult to control crabgrass that's growing near palms because the palms can be sensitive to herbicides. It is possible, though, if you are careful and if you are persistent (weed seeds in the soil can pop up without much encouragement). Here's what I do. Glyphosate (Round Up and other products) will kill the crabgrass down to the roots. The problem is that it's a contact killer so any product that drift or splashes on your palm will affect the palm tree. Glyphosate travels down the stem of the weed to the root but it biodegrades rather quickly and it does not move in the soil so your palm should be safe. I'd pull the weeds away from the trunk of the palm and place cardboard between the crabgrass and the palm. Then very carefully paint the herbicide on the individual stems of the crabgrass. I never spray really close to a plant I want to keep healthy but if you're bold enough, you can. Just keep the nozzle low and don't use a lot of product at one time. You can always go back and respray or repaint but you can undo any damage that your palm might suffer. Once the crabgrass is dead you can pull it out of the ground. You can then apply a pre emergent to keep the weed seed from sprouting. Best wishes with your project! |
