Table 25. Herbicide Efficacy Against Common Weeds in Strawberries

E=90% control or better; G=75-90% control; F=50-75% control; P=5-50% control; N=less than 5% control.
¹Scythe (pelargonic acid); non-selective contact herbicide. See information on rates and timings earlier in this section.
²Gramoxone (paraquat); Restricted use material; pesticide applicators license required. A contact burndown herbicide with no soil activity. May be fatal if swallowed or inhaled. Complete training found at: https://www.epa.gov/persticide-worker-safety/paraquat-dichloride-trainin.... Training must be completed a minimum of every 3 years. Excellent for use on emerged vegetation. Use between rows, with directed spray; use shields to prevent contact with non-target plants; extremely toxic to birds and wildlife.
³Formula 40 (2,4-D); systemic broadleaf herbicide. Typically used just before renovation; allow 5 days before mowing; also can be used when strawberries are dormant on winter annuals and perennial broadleaf weeds. Never use an ester or low-volatile ester formulation.
⁴Poast (sethoxydim); systemic grass herbicide; use on actively growing grasses; will not kill old established grasses. Use with crop oil, avoid applying on hot humid days.
Select (clethodim); systemic grass herbicide; use on actively growing grasses; will not kill old established grasses; improved activity over Poast on sool season and pereennial grasses. Use with crop oil; avoid spraying on hot humic days.
⁵Devrinol (napropamide); preemergent selective herbicide, must be activated with water or cultivation. Application after renovation for summer annual weed control or in late summer for winter annual weed control. Application before mulching will control volunteer grain from mulch. Heavy rates can inhibit daughter plant rooting.
⁶Dacthal (DCPA); preemergent selective herbicide, use after mulch removal in spring or in late fall; water or cultivation after application improves control. May be ineffective on cool heavy soils. Do not apply between bloom and harvest. Safe on new plantings.
⁷Sinbar (terbacil); selective preemergent herbicide. Moisture is required to activate the chemical; also provides early postemergence control.
⁸Goal (oxyfluorfen): selective preplant herbicide. Must be applied at least 30 days prior to transplanting. The soil must be worked to a depth of at least 2.5 inches prior to transplanting the crop. The use of a preemergence herbicide after transplanting is also recommended.
⁹Roundup Ultra (glyphosate); non-selective preplant herbicide. Must be applied at least 30 days prior to transplanting. Provides control of most annual and perennial weeds. Application to perennial weeds should take place the fall prior to transplanting for best control.
¹⁰Chateau (flumioxazin); preemergent and postemergent selective herbicide. Primarily used in the late fall, after strawberry plants become dormant.  Used as an alternative at this time to Sinbar.

¹¹Spur (clopyralid); selective postemergent broadleaf herbicide. Use after harvest to control Canada thistle and other broadleaf perennials and some annuals.  Only one application per season. 

¹²Spartan (sulfentrazone); preemergent selective herbicide. Use before or just after planting, but before new growth emerges.  Will damage new growth.  Use to control broadleaf weeds and nutsedge.