Sprig Question

[gtnike]

Are any of you warm season folks familiar with sprigging? I am considering sprigging some zoysia next spring, but would like to put out my pre-emergent in March to stave off the crabgrass. Will this have any effect on the sprigs that I will plant (probably 1 month later)? Here's my plan:

Mid- March: Put down pre-m with fertilizer

late April: Sprig Zoysia at 1 sprig / 4 sq. ft (yes, pretty big)

mid-May: put down dimension (pre-m).

Thoughts? Am I risking the new sprigs?

[gtnike]

I'm guessing based on the no response I have yet again come across something that no one has ever tried to do. Don't most folks with warm-season grass sprig or sod? Would you not also typically put down a pre-m with sprigs or sod or are most warm season grasses hearty enough that crabgrass is not a problem?

Since nobody on here knows I'll try a few other message boards and post the answer back here if I find some help.

[Bra]

I thought for sure this would get some answers.
Pre-emergent only blocks seeds from sprouting and some will kill very young seedlings. But springs you should have no problem with. Atleast that's my understanding, I'm almost certain I've read something similar here on the boards.

[cactus]

I don't have a specific answer, but in general, you'd be risking the sprigs. Many pre-m's act by disrupting cellular division in the root structure and forming weak roots, not by keeping the seed from sprouting. Your sprigs need root development, so there's a conflict. Whether there's enough time between you applications and spriging I could only guess.

You might read Gary's article on Pre-M's for some insight: Pre-Emergents. And if you learn some more in your research, definitely please report back.

[gtnike]

Well, I called a local zoysia sod farm here in Lawrenceburg Tennessee and talked to the owner. I explained my situation to him and he he said you can't kill this stuff, so he wouldn't worry about the pre-m causing problems (that said, I agree it's probably tough to kill off Zoysia since what I planted 4 years ago essentially disappeared for 3 years before coming back!), but killing vs damaging are two totally different animals.

He said they sell Zoysia year round, dormant or growing. His suggestion was to do it over the winter, that way it will be ready as soon as the ground gets warm enough. They only sell it by the pallett ($150) and they can cut it, but I'm not sure if I want to be dealing with a pallett of sod when it's 30 degrees outside...