Are Herbicides Safe to Use on Strawberry Plants?

The use of herbicides can greatly increase overall plant yields.  Selective herbicides, when timed and applied correctly, are safe to use on existing strawberry plants. This form of herbicide will target only certain types of weeds, leaving strawberry fruit unharmed. Selective herbicides are an effective type of weed control; however, in order to effectively eradicate weeds, you must be able to correctly identify which weeds are present.  On the other hand, non-selective herbicides, such as Roundup, will kill weeds as well as crops. Non-selective herbicides should only be considered as a means of eliminating perennial weeds before crops are planted.

Be advised, herbicides are just one component of a good weed-management system. Heavy reliance on any one form of weed control is likely to encourage the development of resistant weeds. Continue to manually hoe and pull escape weeds, rotate crops and herbicides.

Preemergence vs. Postemergence Selective Herbicide Treatments - Preemergent herbicides are preventative weed treatments that should be applied before weed seedlings develop. Strawberry plants are grown in nearly every part of the United States, and specific types of preemergent treatments may vary regionally. Devrinol, Dathal and Sinbar are three of the more common brands. In general, preemergent herbicides are more effective treating annual weeds. Postemergent selective herbicides are applied after weeds emerge following crop planting. Similar to preemergent treatments, types of postemergent treatments may vary depending on the location of the planting. In general, this form of herbicide is better able to treat pesky, pervasive, perennial weeds. Select, Poast and  2,4-D, are three of the more familiar forms of postemergent strawberry herbicides.

Herbicide Timing and Considerations - Regardless of the method of weed removal, timely removal of weeds is essential to ensure the short- and long-term success of strawberry plantings. Avoid using herbicides while strawberry plants are in bloom, when fruit buds are forming and when runner plants are taking root. Also, limit use of herbicides on newly planted fields until the summer or fall of the first year of planting. Most commercial fields are fumigated at herbicidal rates prior to planting, so additional treatment is typically not necessary until this later date.

References:

Ohio State University: Weed Management in Strawberries
Washington State University Extension; Weed Control in Strawberry; Kassim Al-Khatib; September 1995
University of California Davis; Strawberry Integrated Weed Management; June 2008
North Dakota State University Extension Service; Questions on Strawberries; Ron Smith
Is There a Herbicide That Does Not Kill Strawberries?