# Question on Suppressing Common Bermuda in a Zoysia Lawn



## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

I've been having an issue with common bermuda invading my zoysia lawn pretty heavily. I started a treatment of Ornamec 170 combined with Turflon Ester back on 4/28. It seems to be doing a decent job of injuring the bermuda while not having a material impact to the health of the zoysia.

My question revolves around the timing of the next application. I know the herbicide is supposed to be applied every four weeks, into through the fall. However, I'm planning on scalping my zoysia down to the dirt as soon as the temps start getting consistently warmer (probably will do it in the next 10 days or so). How long should I wait until the next application of the Ornamec/Turflon? Should I wait until the lawn is fully greened up from the scalp or is it OK to go ahead and apply with the four week time frame? (that would only allow 10 days+/- for the grass to recover from the scalp).

Thanks in advance!


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## Tide (Aug 6, 2019)

If it were me, I would first wait until after the lawn recovered from the scalp to see how it was looking.

Have you tried Fusilade? It's supposed to do a decent job of fighting off Bermuda in zoysia, especially when combined with Turflon Ester.


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

Fusilade and Ornamec 170 are the same chemical. Just that it is easier to measure Ornamec 170 to treat small areas. I would wait until the Bermuda has recovered from the scalp. Yes, Bermuda will be the first grass to grow back after being scalped. But, as long as you are not overdosing/misapplying, the Zoysia will tolerate the application well.


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## Tide (Aug 6, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> Fusilade and Ornamec 170 are the same chemical. Just that it is easier to measure Ornamec 170 to treat small areas. I would wait until the Bermuda has recovered from the scalp. Yes, Bermuda will be the first grass to grow back after being scalped. But, as long as you are not overdosing/misapplying, the Zoysia will tolerate the application well.


Ah, thanks! I didn't realize that there was another chemical with the same active ingredient as Fusilade.


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## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

Thanks, guys. I have also previously tried the combination of Turflon and Acclaim Extra (Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl). It did an OK job suppressing the Bermuda. Jury is still out in regards to what combination is better. I'll wait until the lawn fully recovers before applying the next dose, even if that is > than the four week time frame.


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## zoysianut04 (May 10, 2020)

@kem5882 - I'm tackling the same Bermuda issue here in Austin on my Palisades Zoysia. Did you spot treat with a small pump sprayer? If so, what ratios did you use of the Ornamec and Ester? Did you use a non-ionic surfactant as well?

The labels say 2.6 fl oz of the Ornamec and .25-.33 fl oz of the Ester per 2 gallons of water for 1,000 sq feet. Should I mix a full batch even though I don't need nearly 2 gallons?

Any guidance would be helpful! Thanks!


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## Tide (Aug 6, 2019)

Greendoc said:


> But, as long as you are not overdosing/misapplying, the Zoysia will tolerate the application well.


I'm planning on trying an application of Fusilade II and Alligare Triclopyr 4 soon. I'd like to try a mild mixture and see what happens.

@Greendoc For this mix, what rates would you use for spot spraying the Bermuda patches in my zoysia?


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## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

zoysianut04 said:


> @kem5882 - I'm tackling the same Bermuda issue here in Austin on my Palisades Zoysia. Did you spot treat with a small pump sprayer? If so, what ratios did you use of the Ornamec and Ester? Did you use a non-ionic surfactant as well?
> 
> The labels say 2.6 fl oz of the Ornamec and .25-.33 fl oz of the Ester per 2 gallons of water for 1,000 sq feet. Should I mix a full batch even though I don't need nearly 2 gallons?
> 
> Any guidance would be helpful! Thanks!


@zoysianut04 , I did use a small pump sprayer but I did not spot treat. I sprayed the whole yard. Bermuda spreads so much and fast and it can be hard to see sometimes that it's best to go that route. I would definitely say that I sprayed a bit heavier on the areas that were clearly very infested with Bermuda.

For the mixing, I only used 1 gallon of water for a roughly 1,000 sq foot area. The correct amounts per the label for 1,000 sq ft is 1.3oz of the Ornamec 170 and 0.75oz of the Turflon Ester (not 0.25...maybe that is for the Turflon Ester Ultra?)

Also...this will just suppressit and you have to be patient. Takes some time to see results. After a few weeks the bermuda will definitely be feeling it. It says to reapply ever 4 weeks during the growing season. If your infestation is bad, and after the first application your zoysia is doing well, you can apply another application a little sooner. (say 3 weeks instead of 4).

It's been doing the trick on mine...you can see in this pic the Bermuda is shriveling up and clearly stressed (it's browned and purple stems) and the zoyisa is doing fine. I might have had some slight yellowing in some areas but that was the worst (and that could have been an iron deficiency after seeing my soil test results). I just scalped my lawn today so I will be curious to see how it comes back (assuming it will still come back faster than the zoysia). You definitely have to stay on top of it.


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## Movingshrub (Jun 12, 2017)

How large of any area are we talking? Maybe treat it like cancer, non selective spray, spray, spray, dig it up, and replace, or let it grow back in.


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## zoysianut04 (May 10, 2020)

kem5882 said:


> zoysianut04 said:
> 
> 
> > @kem5882 - I'm tackling the same Bermuda issue here in Austin on my Palisades Zoysia. Did you spot treat with a small pump sprayer? If so, what ratios did you use of the Ornamec and Ester? Did you use a non-ionic surfactant as well?
> ...


@kem5882 - Great, thanks for the guidance. You're correct on the Ester measurement. I was looking at the previous page in the instructions which references pump sprayer mix. I'll go with the .75 oz.

It doesn't sound like you used a surfactant, correct? Thanks again!


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## gkaneko (Dec 11, 2018)

I used Fusilade and it worked well. I followed instructions and cannot remember if I used a surfactant or not.

It was glorious to see the bermuda start to yellow and shrivel in between the zoysia.


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## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

@zoysianut04 sorry...yes, I did use a surfactant. It will still work without it but that seems to improve the effectiveness very slightly.

Good luck!


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## A to Zoysia (Apr 4, 2020)

I use Fluazifop and turflon ester with a surfactant.

Fusillade II @ 5.2oz/A or Ornemec @ 18.9 oz/A
Turflon Ester @ 28.6 oz/A


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## Tide (Aug 6, 2019)

A to Zoysia said:


> I use Fluazifop and turflon ester with a surfactant.
> 
> Fusillade II @ 5.2oz/A or Ornemec @ 18.9 oz/A
> Turflon Ester @ 28.6 oz/A


Do you have mixture recommendation for spot spraying Fusilade + triclopyr (I have Alligare Triclopyr 4)? I want to tackle the Bermuda using this mixture, but I don't need to cover a lot of ground.


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## hou8182 (Apr 9, 2020)

I have zeon zoysia and used the ornamec 170 combined with Turflon Ester, surfactant and a splash of blue dye. This is my first time trying to treat the bermuda in my lawn.

I mixed in my 1 gallon sprayer then used the end of the sprayer to fill an empty Ortho hand spray bottle that previously contained weed-b-gone. I was able to be more precise by spot treating even the smallest bermuda growing in between or on top of my zoysia. If I were to spot treat using my pump sprayer wand I would have covered a wider area and oversprayed more of my zoysia than I needed to. I was trying to be extra cautious because I wanted to avoid stunting /yellowing the zoysia in my front yard. I like the way that I was able to slow drip or use a partial spray using the hand spray bottle.

Now my question for everyone is if it's possible for me to save my leftover mixture that I didn't use and store it in a bottle or just refill the hand spray bottle and store it for use next month? I don't want to waste the product if I don't have to and it would save me time from mixing chemicals again next month. I just don't know if this mixture will loose its effectiveness or potency after a certain amount of time. I was going to save the leftover mixture of sedgehammer that I put down for a separate application for treating some nutsedge, but apparently that mixture has to be used within the same day. If I do need to dump it, what is the best method of disposal? Pour it on the street, grassless area of yard?


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## kem5882 (Apr 30, 2020)

@Greendoc my lawn is recovering nicely from the scalp. As you'd imagine, the bermurda is roaring back as well. I'd say I'm about 75% greened up and was going to go ahead and put down another application of oranmec/turflon this weekend.

I was also thinking about putting down about 1 pound of 20-20-20 fertilizer as it's due and it would help with the last bit of recovery of the zoysia from my scalp. My question is whether the fertilizer will help or hurt my quest to suppress the bermuda when applying the herbicides?

Thx!


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## Greendoc (Mar 24, 2018)

It will help in this case. Bermuda stimulated by Fertilizer is easier to kill.


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## raymond (May 4, 2018)

Movingshrub said:


> Maybe treat it like cancer, non selective spray, spray, spray, dig it up, and replace, or let it grow back in.


This is the approach I'm taking. :thumbup:

How deep would you dig it up? Like is 1 foot deep dirt replacement needed to get rid of Bermuda roots?


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