Worth hitting POA in Spring with Tenacity

[redcoat]

I’ve heard mix reports of trying to hit Poa in the Spring, with some saying it’s growing too aggressively to be stopped by Tenacity.

I’d love to hear some recommendations!

[andy10917]

Let's see what the other options are:

(1) kill it in Summer (it's already dead)
(2) kill it in Fall (when it's so tiny you can't see it, and you forgot to put down Pre-M
(3) kill it in Winter (you're kidding, right?)

I opt for Tenacity in Spring

[mitten]

How soon in the Spring can you start? What signs should you look for? I have something nasty in my 2016 reno..

[andy10917]

If it's actually growing and you're mowing, then do it. Push the season and you'll be wasting your time - welcome to reality.

[redcoat]

Thanks, Andy. FWIW, what I was told by a local contractor was that it’s best to do with solid pre emergent on the Fall - not saying they are right.

I don’t have too much thankfully, so should be able to spot spray I think. I believe it’s 1 tsp Tenacity + 3 tsp surfactant to 2 gals water? As I understand it I reapply after 3 weeks? Can I keep unused in sprayer?

Thanks, as always, for the advice!

[andy10917]

I agree that Fall Pre-M is the best - no idea why "solid" would have any advantage (read: I think that's crap).

You have no idea how many well-intentioned people are just burned out and never get Fall Pre-M down.

[Green]

I agree that Fall Pre-M is the best - no idea why "solid" would have any advantage (read: I think that's crap).

You have no idea how many well-intentioned people are just burned out and never get Fall Pre-M down.

A solid pre-M? Isn't that like a piece of plywood?

Totally thankful I did "Fall" pre-M on Poa A areas the past few years, and Tenacity in the Spring. I keep doing it even when I don't see evidence of Poa A anymore (which was after a couple of years) because I bet there are still seeds there.

[Ric Clint]

Not trying to hijack this thread... but would the Tenacity that's in Scotts Granular fertilizer be as effective for POA as the Liquid Spray? Just wondering?


.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

Not trying to hijack this thread... but would the Tenacity that's in Scotts Granular fertilizer be as effective for POA as the Liquid Spray? Just wondering?


.

No. For more of a post-emergent control, you want the herbicide stuck on that foliage. Granules don't do that very well.

[HoosierLawnGnome]

I agree that Fall Pre-M is the best - no idea why "solid" would have any advantage (read: I think that's crap).

You have no idea how many well-intentioned people are just burned out and never get Fall Pre-M down.

A solid pre-M? Isn't that like a piece of plywood?

Totally thankful I did "Fall" pre-M on Poa A areas the past few years, and Tenacity in the Spring. I keep doing it even when I don't see evidence of Poa A anymore (which was after a couple of years) because I bet there are still seeds there.

Your program works - I agree - stick with it.

I've never understood the logic of "look! I've prevented my weeds satisfactorily! I'll do something else now because it's working!"

[northeastlawn]

Sorry to jump on this thread, but its part of this discussion.

How do you know when is a good time do the first Tenacity application in the spring?

Lawns with KBG might take a while to wake up and start their top growth, the POA wakes up much earlier and is getting a head start. Does the putting down Tenacity while say KBG hasn't started top growth yet, hurt anything?

I know the old Forsythia trick, but does that apply to POA also?

[Pway]

Hoosier, have to agree with you to stay with what works. Having said that there is a school of thought that you don’t need preM every year. I’m too chicken to give that a test, though!

[Casutherland]

Its 4oz per K correct? Or am I crazy..

[northeastlawn]

Its 4oz per K correct? Or am I crazy..

There are much more experienced people on here than me, but be careful. I believe 4oz is the rate, its NOT how much tenacity you mix into your sprayer per gallon. I would have to look at my notes or do a search to get the mix rate but its in tiny teaspoons not oz.

Tenacity can do a lot of harm, you have to be careful of how much add when you mix it, and very carefully at how much you put down when you apply it.

[ENVY23]

It’s 4oz per ACRE.

[j rockford]

I use half teaspoon in a two gallon jug on over 2k approx. my lawn is 7.5 k and three jugs does the job. I do two blankets a week to ten days apart when I am mowing regularly in spring, usually mid April. By the following week the offenders have revealed themselves and then it's either spot sprays at a teaspoon mixed in two gallons weekly or if the offender requires tryclopyr or a treatment like certainty then the adjustment is made. I don't remember what the oz per acre rate equivalents are with those measurements, I just wrote them down when someone did the measurements years ago. Minimal fading of the desired grass and poa is virtually non existent. Fall pre em also helps with the poa control. Quack fades and becomes an easier target too but tenacity is just a jab for that one and you need a counter punch.

[andy10917]

OK, JRockford got us off our butts. Half a teaspoon per gallon is the "traditional" rate, but that's often at a 14 day cycle. Smaller amounts more often are very cool if you can commit.

[redcoat]

Thanks all!

I'm actually dealing with grass that was overseeded in the Fall, but due to fungus hitting the first attempt, my 2nd attempt was very late. Much of the new seedlings struggled over the winter, and didn't reach much height at all. Thankfully it survived and is starting to grow - however, it still hasn't quite received its first mow!

I read on the Tenacity label that I should wait to use it on new seedlings til it has been mown twice, or 4 weeks, whichever is longer. My situation is probably pretty unique, and I'm likely being overly cautious, but any concerns with using Tenacity on it at this point? Should I wait a few more weeks until it has actually had 2 mows? The last thing I want at this point is to hurt the fescue itself...

cheers,

WorryWart Dave

[Bearded4Glory]

Thanks all!

I'm actually dealing with grass that was overseeded in the Fall, but due to fungus hitting the first attempt, my 2nd attempt was very late. Much of the new seedlings struggled over the winter, and didn't reach much height at all. Thankfully it survived and is starting to grow - however, it still hasn't quite received its first mow!

I read on the Tenacity label that I should wait to use it on new seedlings til it has been mown twice, or 4 weeks, whichever is longer. My situation is probably pretty unique, and I'm likely being overly cautious, but any concerns with using Tenacity on it at this point? Should I wait a few more weeks until it has actually had 2 mows? The last thing I want at this point is to hurt the fescue itself...

cheers,

WorryWart Dave

What type of fescue? It did a number on my fine fescue (the directions do caution this) after it was fairly well established. I probably lost 50% of the fine fescue although the bluegrass didn't care at all.