What options do I have at this time of year to get rid of poa ann

14 years ago

I live in Dallas, TX and have a bermuda grass lawn. So far this year, I have layed down a crab grass pre-emergent (about 3 weeks ago) and then mowed for the first time (scalped) my yard last week. Before that initial mow, I had lots of dead broadleaf weeds which had been killed off by a spray herbacide I applied in February.

As of today, all the broadleaf weeds are dead. Unfortunately, I now have a pretty bad poa annua problem. I had noticed some of them before my scalping but now there are many more of them and they're already shooting back up in full force. My bermuda is just now beginning to green up.

I will do a preM in the fall but as of right now, what can I do to get rid of this junk?

Comments (4)

tiemco
14 years ago
Ah poa annua, seems like everyone has some, and everyone hates it with a passion. Unfortunately there are only 2 selective herbicides that kill it. Velocity, which is only for professional use, and ethofumasate (Prograss is one name) which you can get, although it is expensive. Both of these herbicides need to be applied when your Bermuda is dormant, so that rules out anything for a long time where you live. I think the best thing you can do now is physically remove as much as you can, let the Bermuda fill in the bare areas, and use preemergents religiously to prevent the germination of the poa annua.
coreman73
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks Tiemco. Sounds like I'm stuck with it at this time of year. Would spraying some Round-up on the stuff by worthwhile or should I just wait until fall and spread preM?

I have another question. I would like to go ahead and spread my first application of fertilizer for the year. Would doing this now simply assist the poa in growing and becoming even more of a problem?

Could someone please describe the method of spraying Round-up on a glove and using that to selectively kill weeds? Maybe this could be an option for me?
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tiemco
14 years ago
Round up will certainly kill poa a., but it will also kill your bermuda if you spray. If it's time to fertilize then go ahead and do it. The poa is there, and will be there if you fertilize or not. Sure the fertilizer will benefit the poa, but it's not going to take over your grass any faster. Plus you will be soon mowing your bermuda frequently which will keep its height in check, although it will still persist and produce seed till the summer heat takes care of it (or not, depends on the poa). The round up on the glove method is just as it sounds. Roundup is absorbed through the blades or leaves of whatever plant it contacts. So to kill just the poa you need to get Roundup on just the poa. If it is sufficiently longer than the Bermuda then you can just grab the poa with a glove wetted with Roundup, just don't touch the Bermuda. It's pretty time consuming, probably takes about the same amount of time as cutting the poa out of your lawn.
coreman73
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks again Tiemco. I will probably mow and then fertilize this weekend. Maybe next week after it's grown back in some, I will attempt the glove/Roundup method in a small area to see what happens.