the state forest has northern white cedar bare root trees for delivery in the spring of 2012. i need to know a safe herbicide to control weeds and grass so they have a better chance for survival. they will be 6" - 12" tall when planted. thank you

Greetings Richard:

My suggestion would be to treat a 48" band of vegetation with 41% glyphosate prior to planting the trees. After a good burn-down with the glyphosate, I would then plant the trees into the 48" herbicide-treated band you strategically designed and layed out.

Then, simply monitor the planting site throughout the growing season to determine whether or not supplemental vegetation control is warranted, and if so, what kind of competing vegetation is out there, such as perennial cool season grasses, annual cool season grasses; annual broadleaves, perennial broadleaves, etc.

Generalized herbicide recommendations are useless if you don't know what you are attempting to treat and kill :-)