Weed prevention/pre-emergents

I did some searching and didn't find any relevant posts. I also hope this is the right forum as I'd say that weeds are indeed pests, but apologies if that's not the case.

I've been researching pre-emergents for weed prevention and there don't seem to be many out there. There's http://www.preen.com/ and http://everris.us.com/product/herbicides, but Oh2 is a bit scary and may not be safe for all trees. Does anyone have experience with either product, any other products or useful techniques?

I know the common answer may be "just pull out the weeds" but here in central Florida the weeds are fierce, grow quickly and when you pull them they 'pop' and multiply. They parachute in from other yards so it's a constant battle.

I would never, ever use a herbicide around my trees. Besides, the pre-emergence herbicides I am familiar with attack broad-leafed weeds, and our trees fit that category.

Use vinegar if you must do it with a chemical. I'd always recommend pulling them, though, as my first choice. Just pull 'em as you see 'em.

Florida or not, if you use a reasonably sterile bonsai soil, your weed level should be low enough for pulling to keep up with.

JimLewis wrote:Besides, the pre-emergence herbicides I am familiar with attack broad-leafed weeds, and our trees fit that category.    

That's my concern. I have friends who've used Preen, as have I, with nothing 'bad' happening but I've still gotten weeds. We have a one year old boy, so it's sometimes a couple weeks before I can get out and pull weeds. That's enough time for them to fill up all the pots again. Until he's old enough to get outside and help pull, it feels like a losing battle.

We have a one year old boy, so it's sometimes a couple weeks before I can get out and pull weeds.

My sympathies(and also congratulations).

I might suggest, however, that you could hold your bonsai "career" in abeyance until the lad is 4 or 5. You can't do bonsai justice if you can only perform maintenance (much less styling) once every 2 weeks. Plant the trees out in the yard and let 'em grow.

round up works for me on the pots,vinegar or any organic acid on the tree trunks that you dont want moss on. spray early morning, no wind, usual stuff - works perfectly and never had a tree react badly

JimLewis wrote:I might suggest, however, that you could hold your bonsai "career" in abeyance until the lad is 4 or 5.  You can't do bonsai justice if you can only perform maintenance (much less styling) once every 2 weeks.  Plant the trees out in the yard and let 'em grow.

So far this season I've managed to repot a few trees, pull weeds, etc. Planting the trees in the yard isn't an option. Most of my trees are fortunately in stages where longer periods of growth are more welcome than a hinderance... thickening trunks, branches, etc. I'll do some mid season chops and will refine things in the next few years. So the main goal is to not have to pull weeds constantly.

I picked up a bag of OH2 (not cheap) and will apply after the next weed pulling session.

Spraying Round Up sounds... scary.

'picked up a bag of OH2 (not cheap)'...

Something must be missing in translation across the big pond, OH2 = H2O = water, in a bag?   

Thanks, makes sense now - not available in the UK.

It seems like sketchy stuff, the white label has a long list of 'tested' trees, but many of the species used locally as bonsai aren't listed. I conferred with a few local artists and they both use it with no ill effects on their trees. Once the cycle is established - pull weeds, apply, pull 2nd cycle of weeds - life should get better. The weeds in Florida are beastly.

It is better to avoid heavy poison application to your environment (especially since there is a little kid).
Imagine that when you apply something that hard, it stays in your ground for more than you think.
You could cover your pots with black plastic, the weeds cannot grow without sun.
Please try to consider as many non poisonous solutions as possible. Thanks!