How to kill the weed "Annual Bluegrass" in lawn in Summer.?
Question:How to kill the weed "Annual Bluegrass" in lawn in Summer now? I am in NJ and have missed the season of using preemergent herbicide. I couldn't find any proper weed control in HomeDepot. Most of the herbicides are for broad-leaf weeds but not grassy weeds. Any suggestions?
Answers:
Poa annua (Annual Bluegrass) is a winter annual. It germinates in late summer, goes dormant in winter, revives in spring to set seed and dies in summer. It dies because it is an annual. That is its life cycle. You can control Poa annua with a preemergence applied in late summer, not spring like crabgrass. You have not missed your opportunity to control Annual Bluegrass with a preemergence.
Dimension can be applied as a late preemergence or as an early post emergence in late summer. It is a selective herbicide that can kill Poa annual in an established lawn.
Balan (avoid use on Bentgrass), Barracade (avoid use on Bentgrass), Bensumec, Lifeguard, Pendiflex (avoid use on Bentgrass), Pendulum (avoid use on Bentgrass), Pre-San, Pro-Pendi (avoid use on Bentgrass), Proclipse (avoid use on Bentgrass), Regal/Kade(avoid use on Bentgrass), Ronstar (avoid on red fescue, bentgrass and wet tur), Squelch, Stonewall (avoid use on Bentgrass), Team (avoid use on Bentgrass), Team Pro (avoid use on Bentgrass), and Weedgrass Preventer can all be used in late summer as a preemergence for Poa annua.
In the state of Illinois a homeowner can purchase the above herbicides without a Pesticide Applicator license. Only Restricted Use pesticides require a homeowner to acquire a private, not for hire Pesticide Applicator license and that only requires passing the General Standards test. The rules in your state may be different, so check with your state. I prefer using professional herbicides to gain control over a pest because I know that they are going to work. Once the pest is controlled, I prefer to alter my cultural practices, thereby reducing or eliminating the future need for further herbicide treatments.
The active ingredient (AI) in Scotts Halts Crabgrass Preventer is pendimethalin. This is the same AI in Barricade, Proclipse, Regal/Kade, & Stonewall. If you can't buy professional herbicides but you do your homework, you usually can find a consumer product with the same AI as the professional products. It's a federal offense to apply pesticides for pests not listed on the label. Follow all directions when using pesticides.
Culturally, you can disadvantage poa annual with deep, infrequent watering, avoiding applications of high N fertilizers in spring, mowing at least 3" high, and regular lawn aeration.
Here is an article on control by Purdue University: http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/pubs/agr...
See if you have a local garderner show on one of your radio stations. Here in Dallas/Ft. Worth, we have KRLD radion 1080 am, that on Saturday mornings we have Neil Sperry. He talks about Texas area weeds, grasses, landscaping and such. I've attached his link below, and he may have some ideas for you until you can locate someone in your area. There are products out there, don't get too frustrated & good luck!
052507 8:40
first of all you can go to Lowe's and then you can just buy a regular weed killer but make sure that is not too strong because then it will kill the grass itself.
I don't know of any herbicide that can selectively kill annual bluegrass and not harm or kill other cool season turf grasses. The species are just too closely related. However, 2-3 weeks of 80 plus heat should kill off the annual bluegrass. It really doesn't handle the heat very well.
Jon C is correct. The heat should knock out you poa annua. Try laying off the water as much as possible too.
Unfortunately, all the chemicals listed below can't be bought by a homeowner unless you are a licensed pesticide applicator.
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