Controlling Weeds 101 & What You Need to Know

Weeds in flowerbeds can be manually pulled out or sprayed with products like fast-acting Weed Weapon Rapid Action or Weed Weapon Extra Strength. These herbicides are systemic and short acting in the soil, which means they kill the plant by travelling down from the leaves to the roots, killing the plant as it goes, they then breakdown in the soil to cause no further harm. Weeds may be removed and/or planting can occur in the treated area just 5 days after spraying.

Manually weeding is effective where all the roots can be removed. For larger weeds or where the weeds are difficult to remove completely due to tricky root systems then using systemic weed killers from our Weed Weapon range is a good way to go because killing the root system prevents weeds from resprouting. It is important not get any of the spray onto desirable plants as these are not selective herbicides, meaning that they will damage all plants that they come in contact with.

For more difficult to control weeds like ivy, and woody weeds, Weed Weapon Invade Gel can be used. Invade Gel can be used without risk to neighbouring plants as it is painted onto the weed directly and not sprayed.

Click the button below to view the Top 20 Worst Garden Weeds in NZ and how best to treat them.

Weeds that grow between pavers or in gaps in driveways can be unsightly and may cause damage to the surfaces. Weed Weapon Long Term is ideal for control of weeds in these situations. Not only does it kill weeds of most sorts, it then prevents germination of weed seeds for up to a year (depending on the conditions), keeping your paths and driveways clear of weeds and reducing the need to use more herbicide. Another option is to spot treat weeds in paths and other places with Weed Weapon Rapid Action or Weed Weapon Invade Gel, these products however do not prevent weeds in the long term.

Cutting down a tree or dealing with a woody weed is seldom as simple as it first appears. Typically if you are leaving behind a stump or anything attached to a root system it will continue to sprout new growth as the plant tries to re-establish itself. The use of Weed Weapon Stump Stop Gel will prevent re-growth and leave the roots to rot into the soil without harm to surrounding plants. This provides the added benefit that once the roots are dead, it’s significantly easier to remove a stump. Unlike other gel herbicides Weed Weapon Stump Stop Gel contains a bright red colour to make it easy to see treated stems and leaves and to ensure that none are missed. The brush applicator makes it easy to apply the gel to leaves and cut stems or stumps.

Weed Weapon Invade Gel can also be used to control difficult to kill creeping and vine weeds like old man's beard, convolvulus, ivy and wandering willie. In this case, cut the weeds and vines back, but leave several leaves at the bottom of the bottom of the plant. Immediately apply Weed Weapon Invade Gel to the cut ends of the vines as well as the leaves left at the base of the plant.

If you have weeds in your lawn they are surrounded by grass, so its important to use a selective herbicide that controls broadleaf weeds without harming the grass. Kiwicare's LawnPro brand has a range of specialist lawn products like LawnPro Turfclean Ultra that kills a wide variety of lawn weeds, through to multi-action products like LawnPro All-in-One or LawnPro Turfclean & Green Rapid that both kill weeds and fertilise lawns. LawnPro also has a range of lawn fertilisers that encourage healthy lawn growth as well as change the pH of soil making it less hospitable to weeds. Whatever issue you’re up against there is a simple solution.

Click the button below to view the Top 20 Worst Lawn Weeds in NZ and how best to treat them.

• To prevent drift, avoid spraying on windy days.
• It's best to control weeds before they have a chance to flower. 'One year's seeds can become seven years' weeds'.
• A deep layer of sterile mulch is a great way to keep weeds at bay in your garden. Sterile mulch has been treated, and it's typically marked on the packaging or by the nursery. Non-sterile mulch on the other hand is untreated and may come with weed seeds ready to sprout once the reach perfect conditions.
• Always read label instructions for herbicides before use.
• Use Kiwicare's DYE & STICK if treating particularly difficult weeds like agapanthus, or treating large areas. DYE & STICK helps herbicides stick to the leaves of weeds and spread further, improving their performance. It also has adds temporary colour to treated areas, helping you to keep track of what has been sprayed and what hasn't.