Spring 96 v7#1 single page

Weed pressure in 1995 was incredible! What happened to produce such a glorious crop of weeds? The answer: drought! The Drought of 1995 and Weeds and Weed Control in 1996 Weed pressure in 1995 was, in a word, incredible! I toured many areas — golf courses, lawns, athletic fields, and institutional grounds — that were solid crabgrass, knotweed, clover, etc. In many of these areas, if there weren’t weeds, there would have been no vegetation at all. In a year like that, the weeds are probably providing a valuable service by preventing erosion and providing some ground cover; but this is small consolation for the grounds manager or superintendent trying to explain why the weed treatments apparently failed. What happened to produce such a glorious crop of weeds? The answer: DROUGHT! The record drought in much of New York did many things which encouraged weed growth including: reduced competition from the turfgrass, increased turf damage from insect and disease pests, poor preemergent herbicide performance, poor postemergent herbicide performance, and last (but not least) heavy seed set for weeds resulting in secondary infestations and virtually ensuring weedy fields in 1996. There was little anyone could have done about the weeds, but understanding what happened and the implications on future weed management will help in developing a more effective plan for 1996.