Q. We are doing a lawn conversion to desert landscaping
in the front. Our lawn has a lot of Bermudagrass along with the fescue. Our contractor
told us to wait until May before spraying the lawn and killing the grass
otherwise the Bermudagrass will grow back. Is that accurate?
 |
| Common Bermudagrass and how it spreads from place to place with horizontal grow called stolons. In common Bermudagrass this kind of growth is extremely aggressive and invasive. When selecting Bermudagrass as a lawn grass, common Bermuda grass is not used unless you are nuts or cheapskate. It’s going to cause nothing but problems. Common Bermuda grass is a pasture grass for feeding cows and horses during the summer months. |
A. I need to do a podcast on controlling Bermudagrass, particularly which chemicals to use and why Roundup sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t seem to work and alternatives to Roundup.
Your contractor timing is right. Bermudagrass “wakes
up” around the end of March or early April. Spraying a weed killer for Bermudagrass
before that has limited success, if it kills it at all. Bermudagrass should be
growing happily to get the best control. The worst control comes by spraying it
when it is first waking up or when it is under stress. So, don’t stress it with
a lack of water or fertilizer for spraying.
up” around the end of March or early April. Spraying a weed killer for Bermudagrass
before that has limited success, if it kills it at all. Bermudagrass should be
growing happily to get the best control. The worst control comes by spraying it
when it is first waking up or when it is under stress. So, don’t stress it with
a lack of water or fertilizer for spraying.
The
second part is wishful thinking and maybe a little bit of sales. Don’t expect 100% control of Bermudagrass
after it is sprayed. It will never happen. You might get 75% or more but not
100%. The only way of getting it under control is with repeat killing, pulling
or hoeing of anything green as it pops out of the ground.
second part is wishful thinking and maybe a little bit of sales. Don’t expect 100% control of Bermudagrass
after it is sprayed. It will never happen. You might get 75% or more but not
100%. The only way of getting it under control is with repeat killing, pulling
or hoeing of anything green as it pops out of the ground.
If you
stay on top of controlling it the first year, you will probably get about 95%
control by the end of the season. If you let its new growth get out of control,
you will probably be fighting it for years and never get rid of it. It is
important to get rid of new growth as soon as you see it.
stay on top of controlling it the first year, you will probably get about 95%
control by the end of the season. If you let its new growth get out of control,
you will probably be fighting it for years and never get rid of it. It is
important to get rid of new growth as soon as you see it.
The
safest weed killer to spray around landscape plants is a product called
Fusilade. Yes, I have actually used it around fruit trees and it works. Have some around after the landscape has been installed. Roundup is
usually used for the first kill by a contractor. But Fusilade, unlike Roundup,
only kills grasses.
safest weed killer to spray around landscape plants is a product called
Fusilade. Yes, I have actually used it around fruit trees and it works. Have some around after the landscape has been installed. Roundup is
usually used for the first kill by a contractor. But Fusilade, unlike Roundup,
only kills grasses.
Another similar product to Fusilade is Poast. It just works slower. So, both can be sprayed near flowers, trees or shrubs
that have Bermudagrass invading their spaces. If you accidentally spray
landscape plants, it won’t harm them. If you are really careful and know how to apply a spray evenly and the proper amount, it can kill bermudagrass growing in a fescue lawn. But if you are not careful and damage your lawn, don’t blame me!
that have Bermudagrass invading their spaces. If you accidentally spray
landscape plants, it won’t harm them. If you are really careful and know how to apply a spray evenly and the proper amount, it can kill bermudagrass growing in a fescue lawn. But if you are not careful and damage your lawn, don’t blame me!
Have been looking for something else to use besides roundup. Can these products be purchased locally?
K
Fusilade and Poast have been around for 50 years. Both are effective and give you an alternative to Roundup but only for controlling grasses. Fusilade is easier to find than Poast. You should be able to find it at a local nursery. If not, you can buy it online. The active ingredient of Roundup is glyphosate.
The active ingredient in Fusilade II is Fluazifop-P-butyl
https://www.amazon.com/Fusilade-Ornamental-Herbicide-Quart-SYN1015/dp/B0149IBXCC
The active ingredient in Poast is Sethoxydim.
https://www.amazon.com/Hi-Yield-16-Grass-Killer/dp/B005XONP0U
The names can vary thats why you look at the active ingredients of either product. The Poast product I listed is called Hi Yield Grass Killer…no mention of the trade name Poast because is is copyrighted. The active ingredient cannot be copyrighted.
ALWAYS FOLLOW AND UNDERSTAND THE LABEL