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mranchovy

Weeds or not? Irregardless, how to control...

MrAnchovy
12 years ago

Recently moved to a new home and am trying to DIY the bermuda lawn.

Downloaded and am using OSU Extension's bermuda maintenance calendar.

In an attempt to pre-emerge (knowing the mild winter might have rendered it moot) mid-Feb I applied Spectracide Weed Stop Granules per directions;

2, 4-D (CAS 94-75-7)...................... 0.64%

Mecoprop-p (CAS 16484-77-8)....... 0.14%

Dicamba (CAS 1918-00-9) ............. 0.06%

Dithiopyr (CAS 97886-45-8)............ 0.16%

Couple weeks later, around March 1, I was getting a lot of non-bermuda growth. So, I applied of Ortho Weed-B-Gon MAX Ready-Spray

Quinclorac: 2.13%

2,4-D: 6.42%

Dicamba: 0.60%

Between these two applications, I've gotten rid of the obvious weeds... but I still have two suspected grass varieties currently thriving. One had signs of stress, but looks to be recovering. Don't want to apply anything more via the guessing game. So here I am for advice... What are these two, and how do I control them? Thanks in advance.

#1 - Has shown no visible signs of stress, damage, etc from the above applications;


Before mowing
{{gwi:82723}}


After mowing
{{gwi:82724}}


After mowing
{{gwi:82725}}

#2 - Some browning after the above applications, but still growing relatively strong.

{{gwi:82726}}

Thanks in advance for the help.

Comments (10)

  • Billl
    12 years ago

    Looks like some fescue and some grassy weeds. 2-4D does not kill grass weeds. If the bermuda is still dormant, you can hit the problem spots with a little roundup. If not, mowing short (1") twice a week through summer will kill off most of the non-bermuda growth.

  • apundt-tx
    12 years ago

    you have poa annua there. I see that you also have St. Ausgustine grass too. I would cut short and try to bag those poa seeds and trash them. Once you St. Augustine is going raise the mower on the highest setting and keep it there. The heat and long growth of St. Aug will eventually clear out the poa for now. Next fall you need to apply a pre-emergent or you will be in this cycle every year.

  • MrAnchovy
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I assure any St Aug pictured is limited in the lawn & not worthy of consideration.
    This is overwhelmingly Bermuda.

    Either way...

    Would I just be wasting my time applying IMAGE Kills Nutsedge at this time, with the heat around the corner?? It's a selective herbicide that kills the annual bluegrass/Poa annua, and tall fescue, but is listed safe for Bermuda (& St. Aug). Seems like it's right up my alley. Or do I avoid the chems till fall and just let the Bermuda & heat do their thing.

    Thanks again!

  • texas_weed
    12 years ago

    I see that you also have St. Ausgustine grass too

    You are mistaken, that is not SA.

    The 2 weeds you have are not really weeds, they are grasses.

    The fine bladed grass with the little white seed heads is Poa Annua aka as annual Blue Grass. Ignore it as it will go away when the temps warm up.

    The other is a serious issue and is Dallisgrass. It is extremely difficult to control. Like Bermuda it propagates via rhizomes and seeds. It grows very fast, much faster than Bermuda. You can mow it, and three days latter it will be tall with seed heads

    The best control is digging it up, especially while it is young before it develops seed heads and sends out rhizomes.

    Chemical control is only mediocre at best. It will take 3 to 5 treatments. MSMA and Dicomba are the most effective.

    Do your self a favor. Get a bucket and something to dig it out. A Weed Hound works pretty good and easy on the back and arms.

  • apundt-tx
    12 years ago

    my bad. the top inch of the 3rd picture looked like runners of st augustine and not a round clumping that dallisgrass shows.

  • texas_weed
    12 years ago

    my bad. the top inch of the 3rd picture looked like runners of st augustine and not a round clumping that dallisgrass shows.

    No worries there friend, I just know in Oklahoma, SA will not grow because winters are just too cold. Only places in OK you can grow SA is South East OK along the Red River Valley from Durant east to Idabel. Once you get north and west of there winters are just too cold.

    I do not know of any sod farms in OK that even sell SA. They would have to go to TX to get it. I know because I use to get Okies at my farm in TX looking for SA. Only varieties that might work there are Texas Common and Raleigh.

  • JoeFriedeggs
    12 years ago

    "...annual Blue Grass. Ignore it as it will go away when the temps warm up."

    This always kills me. My poa does not go away until June. So, for 3-4 months, I have to look at this ugly stuff in my yard. Why is it acceptable until June? I just wish my neighbors would quit ignoring it :)

    As for the Dallisgrass, MSMA does a good job (per texas-weed), but you have to be careful with that stuff. It is best used with temps in the 80's, but above that, it kills everything. Can you trust your weather man?

  • texas_weed
    12 years ago

    This always kills me. My poa does not go away until June. So, for 3-4 months, I have to look at this ugly stuff in my yard. Why is it acceptable until June? I just wish my neighbors would quit ignoring it :)

    Well the problem is your analogy. It is the exact same as quitting smoking after you have been diagnosed with COPD. At that point the problem will fix itself. You will die soon and it will no longer be a problem.

    Try preventative measures, works a lot better if the problem never happens to start with.

  • JoeFriedeggs
    12 years ago

    What analogy?

  • john_in_sc
    12 years ago

    Poa annua sprouts up in the fall and is usually green all winter long - when the Bermuda is dormant... Why not Slather it with Glyphosphate sometime between December and February when the Bermuda is still fully brown and dormant...

    Then, follow along with a Pre-emergent spring and fall..

    Poa annua control isn't nearly as difficult in Bermuda like it is with Cool Season grasses - which follow the same growth/green up/dormancy cycle as Poa...

    Thanks