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Poa - What to do?

11K views 29 replies 14 participants last post by  Saltdog  
#1 ·
So, I've got some (I think) Poa that has developed over the past couple of months and I'm wondering what you guys would do. A little background. We moved into this house in Sept of 2017 and I was able to do little more than fertilize, rake and seed that fall. Nothing much came up. I did no spring seeding in 2018. Sept of 2018, after hurricane Florence, I aerated (double pass), power raked, seeded with SSS SS1001, fertilized and started applying NeXT products. Everything was coming up great when we got hit by a tropical storm. Shortly thereafter, I noticed large amounts of fungus. I applied DiseaseX and Propicanizole, waited until conditions improved, and reseeded. Germination was much slower and I'm not sure how much is going to survive the winter. At any rate, here's the options I can think of:

-Apply glyphosate with a weed wick now and continue to hit it until it's dead
-Apply glyphosate with a weed wick early spring and continue to hit it until it's dead
-Do nothing now and and apply a preemergent this coming fall to the affected areas (Note there is only maybe 500 sqft total that has the Poa) after aerate/overseed and I have mowed a couple of times
-Pull it all by hand

Appreciate any feedback you guys have!






 
#2 ·
There are other options to just kill the poa annua without the use of glyphosate. Tenacity being one of them and I always misspell the other one (ethupha...)

I cant see how much you have. If it is too large, then you will have the problem of to do what will you do with the bare areas? Try to re-seed/grow fescue in the spring/summer?

I would leave it alone. The summer heat will kill it. Do prem in the spring and fall.
 
#4 ·
Yes, it is Poa. Since you are located in NC, Tenacity may be an option with the mild temps predicted for the next week. I checked the forecast for Clayton on Accuweather and day time temps are predicted to be in the mid to high 60's, but the nights are a bit cool. If you can get your hands on some, it might be an option, just check the label first.

If Tenacity is not an option, I would pull as many as you can, starting with the isolated clumps, as you want to remove as much of the Poa, before it goes to seed.

The weed wick is a good second choice, starting now. Good luck!
 
#6 ·
I sprayed tenacity heavy on area's that popped up in Sept/October. Its dying, the issue is now my back yard looks like garbage because there are giant area's of white grass that will probably be there until Spring. But i'm willing to deal with that issue, ill just throw down a bit of Bewitched in early Spring I have left over to help fill in those area's.

The Tenacity seems to be working because the POA continues to grow in the colder weather, but my PRG/KBG does not really grow much so its going to take a while (spring) for those white tips to go away. The POA is dying though i can see dirt peeking through many area's i sprayed that im expecting to be a blank area of dirt by spring as the poa dies and rots away.

One thing i will note, until you have this under control be careful aerating/dethatching/etc between contaminated area's and ones that arent.

I had 1 small patch of Poa pop up in my new renovation, and conveniently its right where i would have first entered that area with the aerator after doing my back yard that has poa problems. I assume one of the plugs from the back yard made it into that area and contaminated it, at least thats my best theory.
 
#12 ·
I've also got a thread going but here's a highlight :)

This winter, combat Poa annua with Quali-Pro's Negate 37WG (newly labeled for residential turf). This annual winter grassy weed (Poa annua) is one of the biggest thorns in the sides of lawn care companies, and homeowners. Negate 37WG provides superior control of Poa annua and other listed weeds on golf courses, sod farms, sports fields, industrial, commercial and residential lawns.
https://www.landscapemanagement.net/quali-pro-negate-37wg/

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7084
 
#13 ·
Smokindog said:
I've also got a thread going but here's a highlight :)

This winter, combat Poa annua with Quali-Pro's Negate 37WG (newly labeled for residential turf). This annual winter grassy weed (Poa annua) is one of the biggest thorns in the sides of lawn care companies, and homeowners. Negate 37WG provides superior control of Poa annua and other listed weeds on golf courses, sod farms, sports fields, industrial, commercial and residential lawns.
https://www.landscapemanagement.net/quali-pro-negate-37wg/

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7084
This (Rimsulfuron) is not something you want to apply to cool season grasses unless you want to kill them.
 
#14 ·
Good catch and my apologies. I only saw the POA and NC and didn't even notice this was in cool season lawns.

THANKS!!!!
high leverage said:
Smokindog said:
I've also got a thread going but here's a highlight :)

This winter, combat Poa annua with Quali-Pro's Negate 37WG (newly labeled for residential turf). This annual winter grassy weed (Poa annua) is one of the biggest thorns in the sides of lawn care companies, and homeowners. Negate 37WG provides superior control of Poa annua and other listed weeds on golf courses, sod farms, sports fields, industrial, commercial and residential lawns.
https://www.landscapemanagement.net/quali-pro-negate-37wg/

https://thelawnforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=7084
This (Rimsulfuron) is not something you want to apply to cool season grasses unless you want to kill them.
 
#15 ·
g-man said:
There are other options to just kill the poa annua without the use of glyphosate. Tenacity being one of them and I always misspell the other one (ethupha...)

I cant see how much you have. If it is too large, then you will have the problem of to do what will you do with the bare areas? Try to re-seed/grow fescue in the spring/summer?

I would leave it alone. The summer heat will kill it. Do prem in the spring and fall.
I believe the product you are referring to is Ethofumesate also known as Prograss or Poa Constrictor.
 
#16 ·
high leverage said:
g-man said:
There are other options to just kill the poa annua without the use of glyphosate. Tenacity being one of them and I always misspell the other one (ethupha...)

I cant see how much you have. If it is too large, then you will have the problem of to do what will you do with the bare areas? Try to re-seed/grow fescue in the spring/summer?

I would leave it alone. The summer heat will kill it. Do prem in the spring and fall.
I believe the product you are referring to is Ethofumesate also known as Prograss or Poa Constrictor.
Very touchy to get good results and requires fairly predictable winter weather.

Tenacity at low rates and short intervals is best.
 
#22 ·
Pemt13 said:
@Suburban Jungle Life Thanks! Are you using label rates for both when you do a combo app of Tenacity and Poa Constrictor? Trying to get a game plan for the fall ready because I am getting crushed with Poa right now. I plan on overseeding in the Fall too
I apply meso at 0.184floz/M and etho 1.5floz/M the day of seeding. I seed once summer heat breaks but not long after. If you seed late, poa will have germinated already. Etho is safe 2 weeks post germination so I reapply 4 weeks after seeding. Meso is safe 4 weeks after germinaton so I apply that 6 weeks after seeding. I usually don't have a long fall so I don't bother with Prodiamine but if you do, that is 2 months post germination. I do use Prodiamine in the spring though.

Seeding, meso, etho.
4 weeks post seeding, etho
6 weeks post seeding, meso
8 weeks post seeding, Prodiamine if needed.
Spring, Prodiamine before poa germinates.
 
#26 ·
440mag said:
Pemt13 said:
@Suburban Jungle Life this is extremely helpful. Thanks.
I agree! :thumbup: LOL, That regimen oughta be a sticky somewhere on here!!! :lol:
:D Thanks! I should note, Pemt13 has fescue and this timing of the products I posted is only for fescue. Rye and bluegrass have different requirements.