Thank You for any help you can give me.

First, the herbicides we have listed in our WEED CONTROL ARTICLE won't pose a hazard to people or pets when used properly. We have some SAFETY VIDEOS that cover everything you need to know regarding the safe use, mixing and storage of these products. One of the most important things you can do is keep the pet away when treating the yard and then keep them away till the area dries. This is usually no longer than 2 hours. Once dry there is no danger to people or pets and everyone can walk over these surfaces like they did before.

Second, there are only a few products which can be safely used over beneficial plants. One that should do the job is GRASS KILLER. On it's label Grass Killer cites it's Okay for use on hibiscus but I wasn't able to find anything on the Clematis. Just to be safe, I suggest spraying around those plants and if you limit your application to just the weeds, I'm fairly confident you won't bother them if they are a broadleaf. To be sure just test a small section by spraying it and letting it sit for 3-5 days to see if anything happens.

In summary, there are products that can be safely used around your sensitive plants. The key is knowing the label and in some cases "testing" to be sure. I also advise mixing accurately to be sure you don't "overdose" it.

Here are direct links to the information and products mentioned above:

http://www.lawn-weeds.com/weed-control

http://www.lawn-weeds.com/product-safety

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page2004.html

Thanks for your help, L.

MSMA can safely be used in the yard where people and pets are active. Like most of our products, you should keep people and pets off the treated area during the application and for a few hours following the treatment. This will both insure the treatment has a chance to be effective as well as ensure no one comes in contact with wet spray which can lead to exposure. Once the area has dried you can go back to using it as always.

For more information on safe application methods including proper mixing and storing of our products, view the first video on this page:

http://www.bugspray.net/product-safety

And if you have further questions or concerns, give our office a call at 1-800-877-7290.