Winter Pre-M

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Setzer1994
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Winter Pre-M

Post by Setzer1994 » September 12th, 2020, 3:05 pm

Nice and cool today in CT with highs around 70, a nice breeze and low humidity. I'm waiting on my soil test from Logan on the new lawn, but had a random question. How important is fall pre-M for winter weeds?

As I posted recently, I inherited a new lawn that needs a bunch of work. I've taken the approach of spraying and amending this year, pre-M next year and seeding/reno'ing next fall. Seemed like a more prudent approach instead of rushing everything through this year.

To that end and since I'm not seeding or repairing any spots, I was thinking there's no harm to putting down a fall pre-M. How much benefit am I looking at should I put it down and how much will it help in the spring?

northeastlawn
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Re: Winter Pre-M

Post by northeastlawn » September 12th, 2020, 3:13 pm

For the fall, actually some time around august you put down your 1st pre-m app for poa-a. Then around right now you put down a second app for the rest of the fall. Some people might even drop some late October.

The spring pre-m is mostly for crab grass
The late august / early fall apps are for poa-a

They do have to be watered in. With absolutely no rain in my area pre-m apps have been impossible w/o irrigation.

You might be late to the party, but better late than never, you might prevent some poa-a.

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MorpheusPA
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Re: Winter Pre-M

Post by MorpheusPA » September 12th, 2020, 3:27 pm

It depends on your weed pressure. If you have a lot of P. annua and spring-sprouting weeds, it's fairly important.

That's the crop I'm actually looking to confound. I have, essentially, zip in terms of summer weeds. The only thing I care about stopping are the incidental Poa species.

If crabgrass is your major issue, then fall pre-emergent isn't critical for you. Do it in mid-spring to cover into summer. but if you're trying to stop grassy weeds, fall pre-emergent is more important.

If you're not sure? Do both. Just make sure the pre-emergent layer drops long before seeding time, or skip any summer pre-em and plan on keeping after weeds during summer.

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