Tenacity and Seeding - Timing Question

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Casutherland
Posts: 364
Joined: July 4th, 2016, 8:33 pm
Location: Cane Ridge, TN
Grass Type: TTTF
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Some Experience

Tenacity and Seeding - Timing Question

Post by Casutherland » October 10th, 2019, 9:51 am

Good Morning All,

Sunday, I put down TTTF/Starter Fertilizer on a neighbor's yard. I knew that it was supposed to rain within a few hours of putting it down, so I held off on the Tenacity application. Now that it is Thursday, I am assuming there has probably already been a little germination starting on the yard.

Is it too late to apply the Tenacity? I am concerned that I may damage the new seedlings, but the client continues to insist that I do so. Thoughts on this?

TimmyG
Posts: 2244
Joined: May 15th, 2012, 6:04 pm
Location: Dracut, MA
Grass Type: Northern Mix
Lawn Size: 20000-1 acre
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Re: Tenacity and Seeding - Timing Question

Post by TimmyG » October 10th, 2019, 10:41 am

If the purpose of the Tenacity is as a pre-M, you should have just applied it before the rain (unless torrential). After all, Tenacity used as pre-M is a soil application requiring sufficient water to penetrate. The label even clearly states, "Dry conditions following application may reduce the preemergence activity. If rainfall (0.15 inches) has not occurred within 10 days after a preemergence application, activate with 0.15 inches of irrigation."

That said, I doubt you have a time machine. Yes, if you apply now, any germinated seedlings will take a hit, so it's up to you to decide the risk you're willing to take. That's not to say that the already germinated seedlings will die from the Tenacity. They may very well just bleach (and/or turn purple) and then recover. If you had time on your side, you could research past members' observations of bleached seedlings being able to recover from Tenacity (although I only recall posts about KBG) in order to ease your concern.

If germination is currently minimal, you may consider the risk of seedling loss acceptable, with the expectation that the vast majority of seeds have yet to germinate. It's your call.

Casutherland
Posts: 364
Joined: July 4th, 2016, 8:33 pm
Location: Cane Ridge, TN
Grass Type: TTTF
Lawn Size: 1000-3000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Tenacity and Seeding - Timing Question

Post by Casutherland » October 10th, 2019, 10:57 am

TimmyG wrote:
October 10th, 2019, 10:41 am
If the purpose of the Tenacity is as a pre-M, you should have just applied it before the rain (unless torrential). After all, Tenacity used as pre-M is a soil application requiring sufficient water to penetrate. The label even clearly states, "Dry conditions following application may reduce the preemergence activity. If rainfall (0.15 inches) has not occurred within 10 days after a preemergence application, activate with 0.15 inches of irrigation."

That said, I doubt you have a time machine. Yes, if you apply now, any germinated seedlings will take a hit, so it's up to you to decide the risk you're willing to take. That's not to say that the already germinated seedlings will die from the Tenacity. They may very well just bleach (and/or turn purple) and then recover. If you had time on your side, you could research past members' observations of bleached seedlings being able to recover from Tenacity (although I only recall posts about KBG) in order to ease your concern.

If germination is currently minimal, you may consider the risk of seedling loss acceptable, with the expectation that the vast majority of seeds have yet to germinate. It's your call.
This is incredibly helpful. The rainfall that we received was torrential (roughly 2-4 inches within a few hours). I could have possibly been OK, but just was a little nervous. The application was supposed to serve as somewhat a Pre-M and Post-M as this individual has a pretty heavy presence of weeds. However, they differed the option to allow me to renovate it completed. At this point, I think my best option may be to just wait and hit his weeds in the spring. Thoughts?

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