How To Kill Weeds In Buffalo Lawns

The Problem of Weeds In Buffalo Lawns

Buffalo lawns have always proven a difficult challenge when weeds become established. Most of the herbicides which have been available to kill lawn weeds can often damage or kill Buffalo grass.

The main reason that weed killers damage Buffalo lawns is due to the broad leaf of this grass variety. Most herbicides will selectively attach themselves only to the broad leaves of plants which many weeds have. unfortunately for us, the broad leaf of Buffalo also "grabs" this poison and the lawn will take it in, with the result of damaging or killing the lawn in turn.

Herbicides To Avoid Using On Buffalo

There are many different types of weed killers for lawns, and choosing the wrong one for Buffalo will obviously have damaging effects.

The main weed killer herbicides to avoid using on Buffalo lawns are most of the Weed and Feed type of poisons which are either applied in granular form or most often attached to a garden hose and sprayed on.

The next and most effective herbicides are those which come in a concentrated liquid form, which are then mixed up in a pressure spraying device and sprayed onto the lawns. These weed killers can have different active ingredients, some of these active ingredients are safe for use on Buffalo, while others are not.

Choosing A Herbicide For Buffalo Grass

The easiest way to choose a herbicide is to first look on the label. With the risk that some herbicides can damage Buffalo grass, most herbicide manufacturers will clearly label their products as such. Herbicides should be marked as either Safe, or Not To Be Used on Buffalo lawns.

With the increasing popularity of the Soft Leaf Buffaloes, there are also new herbicide formulations being marketed specifically for these grass types. Companies such as the one which markets the Sir Walter strain now also sell herbicides to be used on this grass.

Sir Walter versus Other Soft Buffaloes

Sir Walter and Original are widely known as the most resistant strains of Buffaloes when it comes to herbicide resistance. If your lawn is another strain such as Palmetto, it may be wise to first test a small area of the lawn with a diluted mix of a suitable Buffalo safe herbicide prior to treating the entire lawn. If the lawn take the herbicide well, then it should be safe for use on the entire lawn.