Sumac Here, Sumac There, Sumac EVERYWHERE!

[webbmeister]

We have loads of sumac (non-poison) growing among the grass, and while they become invisible for a few days after each mow, they grow faster and bigger than the grass. It only takes a week for it to look like a mow is in order, but if we just had to contend with the grass, we could go two weeks or more between mows.

Any way to get rid of the sumac without damaging the grass?

Thanks,

Jim

 

[beenthere]

My experience has been that the sumac will not stand up to the continuous mowing. You will have grass if you continue to mow. However, if you don't want to wait for that to happen, spray the area with brush killer (2-4-d) and it will do the job for you.

 

[webbmeister]

2-4-D? Where can I get it? Will it harm the grass? Or just the sumac?

Thanks!

Jim

 

[RichZ]

To expand on the question, is there a non-herbicide method to get rid of summacs in non-lawn areas? I keep cutting them down, and they keep growing back. I figured after cutting them a few times they'd die, but they keep coming back. It's like a science fiction movie!!!!

 

[webbmeister]

Rich:

That's it exactly! Even in bad horror films, the villain is limited to coming back to life three times before finally dying for good. This sumac is amazingly resiliant!

Jim

 

[beenthere]

Weed-b-gon is one product name, but any of the broadleaf herbicides should work. I usually go to a farm store and get brush killer, or something called Amine 400. Read the label and apply the suggested amounts. Sumac should be one of the easier broadleaves to kill. 2-4-d shouldl not harm (if applied according to the directions) grasses.

 

[techman]

My experience with sumac is that they are very shallow rooted. Even the 10' tall ones can easily be pulled out by hand, and small "saplings" are among the easiest weed to pull. I have also have very good sucess with a broad-leaf weed killer. I found that they are sensitive to these herbicides. The most important trick is to get the sumacs before the berrys fruit out and the birds spread them far and wide on your property.

paul

 

[webbmeister]

"The most important trick is to get the sumacs before the berrys fruit out and the birds spread them far and wide on your property."

Ummm ... too late.

Paul, these are coming back after the property was cleared last year. Before that, the birds had decades to spread the seeds. There are, I estimate, well over 1000 sproutlets, and shallow roots or not, I would rather not pull them up by hand.

There is a place called Grayslake Feed and Grain down the road a ways, but I went there and all they sell now is machinery. I'll have to find a farm store - there's gotta be at least one, since there are farms everywhere!

Thanks,

Jim

 

[chim]

I'd vote for the Amine 400 too. I bought some at the (now closed) Central Tractor store we had in Lancaster. It is very grass-friendly while it does a decent job on the broadleaf weeds.................chim

 

[Molerj]

Well funny the sumac's are being talked about. As for them being shallow rooted, I can
attest to that. That later. Where I grew up we had alot of sumacs in the woods. When I
bought the property to build our house there was one loan sumac growing in the field near
the woods by itself. My dad (since deceased) asked me why I am leaving that ugly Sumac
tree growing? Well, that's the only one I have & I don't think it looks so bad, was my
answer. Now, jump ahead about 13 yrs. I am cutting the grass in the field with my JD 955,
& am going around my now big Sumac tree. I clear the tree with the 72" deck & proceed
to make a quick turn around it to get as close as I can. I feel this whack on my back
& see branches coming down on top of me. What the heck (or something like that) is going
on, only to realize that the ROPS caught the tree & pulled it right down on top of me. I
thought I had some broken body parts at first, then started to move my shoulders & neck
around & found I was okay. Now, I take a good look at the hood to make sure I didn't bust
it up. Ok, too. Push the branches up, & back out. Noone else is home, I know I'm pretty
scraped up, but I'm pretty PO'd because the reason I'm on the tractor is that I cut a gash
in my leg with a chainsaw a few days earlier that needed 15 stitches & now this. It could
have been worse, I guess.