Row pine and wildlife shrubs… Weed control???

What can be used to control weeds and grasses in and around habitat plantings? Specifically, I plan on planting Prairie crab apple and White spruce.

I know mowing and light cultivation can be effective… And there are many different herbicides on the market. Are there any herbicides than can be applied directly to the all of the plants in the area, but that won’t kill the pines or crab apples?

I know POAST will kill grass, but not other weeds or trees. Glyphosate will kill most anything, but if I time the spraying prior to the break of dormancy, will the pines/apples be ok?

Anyone know much about this subject?

Thanks!

Mike

How about using a roll of heavy black plastic or landscape fabric then covering it with woodchips? After the trees get established, just tear up the plastic/fabric and throw it away. No chemicals that way. I’ve seen it done this way before.

Probably very effective, but might be unrealistic with 1000 trees… ???? (800 spruce, 200 crabs)…

I saw a TV show the other day where the guy sprayed the herbicide in the fall. He waited until the trees and shrubs had lost their leaves, then waited for a warmup in temperature so the weeds/grass became active then hit them with the spray. I think this is fine for dogwoods and other deciduous shrubs but would not be good for pine/conifers.

Thats sort of what I’m wondering about… If I can spray things like Roundup during dormancy in the fall/spring (before budswell)… And what I can use on the evergreens, if anything. POAST will kill grasses, but its very pricey and it still leaves me with other non-grass weeds to control…