# Tenacity results



## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

Bit of a lurker, I flip flop between obsessing and ignoring my lawn, so results aren't great. I am irrigated and have an Automower, so if I do nothing it tends to look okay. But my colour has been very inconsistent -- it seems like when I apply fertilizer some grasses go darker and some grasses go lighter and it looks like camo. So last August I applied glyphosate, mowed very short, rented a slit seeder, and seeded pure KBG "rhythm" into the dead grass/dirt. I got probably 30% germination or less and had a pretty brown looking yard over the winter. This spring things started to fill in, then I sprayed Tenacity twice about a month ago, and I think what was filling in was all poa... basically 70% of my lawn is now yellow, but the KBG left behind is nice and dark. So I am hoping if I fertilize a lot, the KBG will spread and fill in. I will probably spray with 2,4-D when the weather warms up to control any weeds that have popped up. Maybe this August I will spray with Tenacity again and slit seed some more KBG on the sparse areas. Anyway, just thought I would share the pics! Comments and feedback welcome


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## 1028mountain (Oct 1, 2019)




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## Babameca (Jul 29, 2019)

@themorb That looks pretty spotty. I don't know the temps in BC a month ago but it maybe too early for Tenacity. I don't know if the lighter green stuff is KBG getting damaged by the app or it is Poa or weeds. Close up may help.
What you had to do IMO is to apply PreM and push your KBG with N through the season. If no big success, then over seed bold areas in fall. I would step back and reassess what I am dealing with before throwing any more herbicides...


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## LawnDetail (Apr 15, 2020)

1028mountain said:


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LMAO !!!!!


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## Scagfreedom48z+ (Oct 6, 2018)

LawnDetail said:


> 1028mountain said:
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My thoughts exactly. I was like holyyyyyy s$&T!


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## davegravy (Jul 25, 2019)

:shock: Looks like the yogurt I forgot in the back of my fridge for 2 years.

Subscribed. :nod:


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

1028mountain said:


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Ouch, did you use Tenacity at seeding?

FYI, Poa Annua germinates primarily in the fall, though it will also germinate in the spring. Prevention, therefore, is best done with pre-emergents in the fall rather than the spring. That is problematic if overseeding, but Tenacity comes to the rescue for new seedlings. I would work on a strong preventive plan if I were you.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

You might want to skip tenacity and move right to thermite


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## Bug pumper (Jul 2, 2018)

Don't be afraid to throw some seed down now. Our spring season is long out here on the BC coast. I (and other BC coast members) have great success with spring over seeds every year.

I personally don't believe it gets warm enough here for Poa to die off in the summer, especially if the lawn is cared for and watered. I also think it germinates through the seasons due to our mild climate. Last year my soil temps got over 70F only a couple days in the peak of summer.

Last year was my first year doing prodiamine. I got it down first app August 15 I believe and had great Poa suppression in the back. I waited a month later on the front due to a full renovation, and I have had bad Poa come in over winter just the front.


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## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

Lol thanks guys. Yes @Bug pumper I think you are right, I think my light green spots have been poa that survives all summer. And then die off and get sparse over the winter. I think with our coastal temperatures and my irrigation I should pretty much be able to germinate seed all summer.

Maybe it is the angle of my photos but I don't think it is actually that bad. It looks terrible, but as long as the KBG fills in eventually and I can keep everything else at bay in the meantime... I did already scuff up some of the bare spots with a rake and throw down some more KBG seed a couple weeks ago. I noticed today a spot where you can see parallel green lines filling in where the slit seeder dropped the seeds last fall. So there is some KBG there. But I am still worried there might be some large dead spots where I will have to overseed again.

Anyway I don't think it is a total failure. I will try to keep the good areas and maybe do mini renovations on any bad areas that don't fill in.


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

I think you will fing that there is more KBG than you think. With that much Poa Annua, I would consider keeping a pre-emergent down year long to supress new Poa from germinating which will also prevent seeding desireable grass. For large bare spots, you can grow KBG in small pots for plugging much like you would start annuals or vegetables inside for early spring planting.


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## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

Ok, question: Tenacity lists pre-em "suppression" (whatever that means) for poa annua, and it clearly seems to give post-em control despite not being listed as such. Why couldn't I leave Tenacity down "all year long" and that would still allow seeding KBG? Does Tenacity wash away faster than prodiamine? Maybe I would have to spray so much it will end up killing everything and costing a fortune? (I am new to and have never sprayed any pre-em -- can you tell? :lol: )


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## bernstem (Jan 16, 2018)

You would need to apply at least 4 Oz/Acre every 30 days. The maximum yearly dose is 16 Oz/Acre. You probably need it for more than 4 months and I am not sure how good your supression will be at 4 Oz/Acre every month with high pressure. Most of the studies with high pressure were trying to convert Poa Annua greens and used the 4 Oz/Acre rate apply every 2 weeks. You can certainly try it and see what happens.


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## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

What a difference a month makes! I did one more blanket spray after the last photo, and since then just some spot sprays on poa. I have also fertilized a lot! Anyway, moral of the story is Tenacity appears to effectively suppress (if not totally kill) poa and KBG will grow very well when it doesn't have to compete. I am very pleased with the results.

I have another section which I seeded this spring which is at the sprout and pout stage. There was a ton of poa starting, but Tenacity has controlled it. I don't know how successful it will be with pure KBG as it is more shady, but I figure I can always overseed with something more shade tolerant if I have to. Is there anything I can do (other than planting a different variety) to help KBG grow better in shade and moist soil? Water more/less? Fertilize more/less? Adjust soil pH?

I took the picture this morning with overcast skies and it looks a lot lighter. I should have taken one last night... it looked so dark and deep green. Oh well, I'm not a photographer.


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## Babaganoosh (Apr 21, 2019)

I wish I had irrigation, I'd have kbg. The cost to get irrigation installed on my 20k sf of grass is ridiculous. Plus the actual water.


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## john5246 (Jul 21, 2019)

do you really believe all of that is poa? Can you spray the recovered section again sometime in the future just so we can see. If you were right that's it was poa before then it won't light up this time. For science...


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## gatorguy (Mar 13, 2020)

@themorb Looks like it has come in really nice compared to what it was. Curious to see how the KBG does. Anybody I talk to says KBG doesn't do well out here. They say our climate is too moist(acid rain too)...maybe true. i did read that KBG doesn't tolerate acidic soil at all, and for us in the Lower mainland our soils seem naturally very acidic. However sopposing pH is kept on top of I wonder if it would do allright after all. Its beautiful grass.


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## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

Was looking good in the sunshine today with the mower set at 0.8" (lowest it will go.) I wish I could get my bare spots (not pictured :lol: ) to fill in faster. I seeded some and plugged others... KBG is so darn slow.

Interesting comment about acidic soil @gatorguy I know our soil is a bit acidic here too, and I tend to put on a fair amount of dolomite lime, usually a bag or two every time I fertilize. Maybe I will ramp that up. I am concerned the KBG might not fare well over our damp and dark winter. Seems to love full sun and heat.


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## g-man (Jun 15, 2017)

Doing lime without a soil test can lead to a high pH. You dont want that.


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## themorb (Mar 21, 2019)

john5246 said:


> do you really believe all of that is poa? Can you spray the recovered section again sometime in the future just so we can see. If you were right that's it was poa before then it won't light up this time. For science...


Your wish has been granted  We had a couple weeks of warmish damp weather and some light green spots appeared, so I sprayed more Tenacity last night. I didn't do a full blanket spray to save $$$ - just focused on areas where the poa is obvious by colour. Anyway I will wait for it to light up and post another photo. I am really hoping I can get the KBG thick enough all over this year that I can just do prodiamine in the future. I still have some shady areas where I overseeded and I'm not sure if the KBG has all sprouted yet.


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