Q. We have Buffalograss for a lawn which we overseed
every winter with ryegrass. We applied the ryegrass late this fall and it
didn’t come up, but weeds did. Now our Buffalograss
lawn is covered in weeds. Is it possible to apply a “Weed and Feed” product to
kill all the weeds and not hurt the Buffalograss? If so, what would you recommend and when
should this be applied?
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| Weeds growing in Bufflograss not overseeded. |
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| Closeup of the weeds. Many very early spring weeds are winter annuals like the mustards. They are easily killed but don’t let them go to flower and seed! |
A. Buffalograss, like Bermudagrass, is considered a “warm
season grass”. It is native to the Great Plains of the US has a reputation for
low water use. All warm season grasses are brown in the winter because they are
dormant due to cold weather. As their name suggests, warm season grasses prefer
growing in warm or hot climates. Besides Bermudagrass and Buffalograss, other
warm season grasses include zoysia, Paspalum, and St. Augustine grass among others.
These grasses are sometimes called “southern grasses” because they are used
primarily in southern states.
season grass”. It is native to the Great Plains of the US has a reputation for
low water use. All warm season grasses are brown in the winter because they are
dormant due to cold weather. As their name suggests, warm season grasses prefer
growing in warm or hot climates. Besides Bermudagrass and Buffalograss, other
warm season grasses include zoysia, Paspalum, and St. Augustine grass among others.
These grasses are sometimes called “southern grasses” because they are used
primarily in southern states.
Warm
season grasses start turning brown in the cool fall months sometime in November
and are totally brown here by December. Seeding a “cool season grass” like
ryegrass into a “warm season grass” as its transition to dormancy is happening,
creates a green winter lawn. You have two lawns in one during the winter; a
green lawn actively growing in a brown lawn that is “sleeping”. The key for
successful “winter overseeding” is good timing. A winter lawn of cool season
grass is seeded as weather begins cooling off in the fall but you can’t wait
until it’s cold.
season grasses start turning brown in the cool fall months sometime in November
and are totally brown here by December. Seeding a “cool season grass” like
ryegrass into a “warm season grass” as its transition to dormancy is happening,
creates a green winter lawn. You have two lawns in one during the winter; a
green lawn actively growing in a brown lawn that is “sleeping”. The key for
successful “winter overseeding” is good timing. A winter lawn of cool season
grass is seeded as weather begins cooling off in the fall but you can’t wait
until it’s cold.
The time
for winter overseeding in this climate is between the end of September and
mid-October. Your November timing was too late. If you have a warm November
it’s possible to make it but that’s not what happened. Last November was a cold
month with unusually freezing temperatures around midmonth. It was too cold for
successful overseeding.
for winter overseeding in this climate is between the end of September and
mid-October. Your November timing was too late. If you have a warm November
it’s possible to make it but that’s not what happened. Last November was a cold
month with unusually freezing temperatures around midmonth. It was too cold for
successful overseeding.
Estimating
when to overseed a lawn is like estimating when to put out tomatoes in the
spring only in reverse. Pay attention to the current weather and weather
predictions for the coming two weeks. If it’s unusually warm, delay overseeding
a couple weeks. If a cold front is coming in then you better get busy and
overseed.
when to overseed a lawn is like estimating when to put out tomatoes in the
spring only in reverse. Pay attention to the current weather and weather
predictions for the coming two weeks. If it’s unusually warm, delay overseeding
a couple weeks. If a cold front is coming in then you better get busy and
overseed.
Warm
season lawns like Buffalograss start to “wake up” and grow when it gets warm;
March or early April here. Since the Buffalograss is dormant now (brown) any
weed killer that kills green growth will not harm the dormant lawn. The usual
weed killer used for this purpose is glyphosate. Mow these weeds but apply the
weed killer in early March. A week or so after this weedkiller has been
sprayed, mow the lawn short, fertilize and water it to encourage faster green
up.
season lawns like Buffalograss start to “wake up” and grow when it gets warm;
March or early April here. Since the Buffalograss is dormant now (brown) any
weed killer that kills green growth will not harm the dormant lawn. The usual
weed killer used for this purpose is glyphosate. Mow these weeds but apply the
weed killer in early March. A week or so after this weedkiller has been
sprayed, mow the lawn short, fertilize and water it to encourage faster green
up.