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Herbicides: Blue Grass Tolerance

There are annual and perennial bluegrass plants. The perennial Kentucky bluegrass is a very common turfgrass that makes a green and lush lawn. The annual bluegrass is commonly called poa, and often takes up residence in a perennial lawn. It is considered a weed and has a rough clumping appearance that doesn't complement the smooth Kentucky bluegrass turf. This annual grass and many others can be controlled with herbicides, but due to the fact that they are all in the same family, Poaceae, the Kentucky bluegrass must be tolerant of the chemical used.

  1. Selective Herbicides

    • Selective herbicides are important to use in turf where there are grassy weeds. This selectivity will prevent as much injury as possible to the preferred grass species, namely the turf. The problem with selective herbicides is that they only treat a few weeds. Lawns may be invaded by a multitude of weed species. This generally requires the use of several different chemicals to encompass complete control. Chemical combinations that are most effective also must be safe to use on the perennial bluegrass and yet still kill invasive grasses such as poa and crabgrass.

    Preemergent Herbicides

    • Preemergent herbicides are applied before you have a weed problem. They are often part of a "weed and feed" lawn maintenance system. These are granules of fertilizer that have been inoculated with the herbicide. You need to apply these in the early spring before weeds get a chance to germinate. Bluegrass is tolerant of benefin, trifluralin, bensulide, oxidiazion, dithiopyr, prodiamine and pendimethalin. These chemicals should be reapplied in six weeks for control all summer long. These chemicals are all selective to crabgrass, foxtail and goosegrass.

    Postemergent Herbicides for Broadleaf Weeds

    • The weeds that you do see will require a postemergent herbicide. You can apply these either in the fall or in early spring. Two of the most commonly used chemicals for turfgrasses and especially perennial bluegrass are 2,4D and triclopyr. These are components of many turf herbicides and are often combined with another effective chemical. Dicamba and clopyralid are commonly mixed with 2,4D and triclopyr. These treatments do not harm Kentucky blue grass but will require spot treatments after a broadcast spray.

    Postemergent Herbicides for Grassy Weeds

    • The similarity between species of the turfgrass and the weedy grasses makes the type of chemical applied extremely important. There are many products for the management of weedy grasses, but they may impact the health of a turfgrass as well. The chemicals DSMA and MSMA are selective for crabgrass, foxtail, dallisgrass and goosegrass. These are applied in June or July and need three applications. Some single-application formulas will include quinclorac or fenoxaprop-ethyl. These two control the same weeds, with the exception of dallisgrass.

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Growing Grass
  1. Is Blue Fescue Grass Poisonous to Cats?
  2. Pre-Emergent Grass Herbicide Products
  3. Drought Tolerance of Pampas Grass
  4. Blue Fungus on Grass
  5. How to Identify Rye Grass & Kentucky Bluegrass
  6. Ornamental Grass: Blue Fescue
  7. Ornamental Blue Grass
  8. Heat & Drought Tolerant Kentucky Blue Grass
  9. Fescue Grass Vs. Kentucky Bluegrass
  10. How Long Before Kentucky Blue Grass Seed Germinates?
  11. No-Mow Desert Grass
  12. Ornamental Fescue Grass

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