Weed management in container nursery crops can be costly! Some research estimates overall costs, including herbicides, labor for application, and hand weeding, can be over $4000 per acre. Growers in the Southeastern U.S. utilize multiple (up to 6) applications of PRE herbicides each year, yet labor to hand weed pots continues to be a significant expense. Several strategies have been investigated to try to reduce overall weed control costs. A summary of this information presented at the 2016 Nursery Crop Weed Management Field Days is available in the field day handout. More detailed information is available at the following links.

• Select the most effective herbicide
• Apply herbicides at the right time
• Apply herbicides uniformly (easier said than done)
• Calibrate your spreader
• Can’t use herbicides? Mulches can be effective and cost-effective.
• Sanitation — keep the weeds from spreading to your crops
• Hand-weed frequently to reduce seed production and spread