Expert: Kenneth Joergensen - 1/10/2005

Question
Hi. Thanks for volunteering! Can you please advise on Pine Cone Ginger bulbs? I planted them last summer and didn't poison the grass around them first. They are so hardy i thought they would eat the St. Augustine grass (north Fl). They are just dead stalks now since the freeze, but I know they will come back 2 fold in about 2 months! My question is, while they're dormant under the soil, can I spray weed killer in the grass that's there where they will come up without hurting the bulbs? Please let me know what you think- it's time for cleaning and getting ready for our Spring plantings!
Thanks,
Lisa
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Answer
If the grass is still green and growing, you can spray it with Round-Up which will not translocate in the soil and is safe to use. It will only affect green vegetation currently growing (taken in through the grass leaves and not through the roots in the soil).

However, if the st. augustine is dormant (brown/yellow) then you can not use this. In that case, I recommend removing the dormant sod by using a sod cutter or a spade. Set the setting shallow and remove the sod to a dept of a few inches. That should not be low enough to hurt the bulbs. Any grass which is left in spring can easily be hand pulled.

I do not recommend using herbicides which stays in the soil, such as premergent herbicides, around the ginger.