I have a yard service that sprays like 6-8 times a year. I had a problem with Poa Annua this year and they tell me they can't do anything about it....says there is no pre-emergent and it will die in the summer. I pay them a good bit but i've been on enough golf courses to think this is bullshit. They should at least be able to spot spray that crap imo... What y'all think?

Not an expert by any means, but that is definitely bullshit, except they may mean that they don't use the materials required (maybe they use organic, or nontoxic chemicals, or something that doesn't work) or they just don't use herbicides at all (just fertilizer).

I had a service that did a pretty good job. They fertilized and did pre/post emergent treatments occasionally, but they just got too expensive. Last year, I switched to Sunday (mail order), which is only a fertilizer treatment, but also have some kind of spot treatment for weeds that doesn't seem to do shit. This year, for the first time, I've got some poa annua popping up in two small areas. I've pulled a lot of it with a weed puller, but I think I'm going to supplement with a post emergent treatment from home depot that I have yet to buy.

(03-12-2024, 02:25 PM)Replying to WarnerRobinsDawg

By no means an "expert", but have gotten into wanting my bermuda lawn to look good the last few years.  Went down the rabbit hole on a youtube channel called How to with Doc.  His recommendation has been good for me.  

Put down a pre-emergent in late October, he uses Anderson's barricade (I have a few times and with good results), but it's a little pricey because of the shipping.  Then a few weeks later put down a spray pre-emergent.  This does a good job on the winter weeds, and you can put down killer if they pop up while the grass is dormant.  

I just put down the spring application a week ago and let the rain water it in.  I'll put down a spray pre-emergent in a couple of weeks.  That's it for weed control.  My front yard has looked great the last few years, the back is still a work in progress, but I'm gonna be pushing it this year.  I finally got the PH right last year, but was going through some personal shit and didn't have the time to dedicate to it.

(03-12-2024, 02:44 PM)Replying to dncdawg

Thanks dnc... need to goggleize Weed Puller, never heard of such besides my hand

Image will kill it in a few weeks.

(03-12-2024, 03:17 PM)Replying to WarnerRobinsDawg

Thanks dnc... need to goggleize Weed Puller, never heard of such besides my hand
[/quote]

This is like the one I got.  There's a technique to using it, but once you figure it out, it's awesome.  You stab it onto the weed with your foot on the "pedal" then you take your foot off and tilt the whole thing in the direction of the pedal, which closes down the jaws on the weed and pulls the whole thing up. I ran over mine with my mower because I forgot I laid it down in the driveway, and it messed it up a little the first time I used it (no shit), but it still works, so it's tough as hell too.

(03-12-2024, 03:38 PM)Replying to dncdawg

Thanks dnc... need to goggleize Weed Puller, never heard of such besides my hand
[/quote]

This is like the one I got.  There's a technique to using it, but once you figure it out, it's awesome.  You stab it onto the weed with your foot on the "pedal" then you take your foot off and tilt the whole thing in the direction of the pedal, which closes down the jaws on the weed and pulls the whole thing up. I ran over mine with my mower because I forgot I laid it down in the driveway, and it messed it up a little the first time I used it (no shit), but it still works, so it's tough as hell too.
[/quote]

Gotta $50 Amazon gift card...might check it out...

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(03-12-2024, 03:01 PM)Replying to viper2369

By no means an "expert", but have gotten into wanting my bermuda lawn to look good the last few years.  Went down the rabbit hole on a youtube channel called How to with Doc.  His recommendation has been good for me.  

Put down a pre-emergent in late October, he uses Anderson's barricade (I have a few times and with good results), but it's a little pricey because of the shipping.  Then a few weeks later put down a spray pre-emergent.  This does a good job on the winter weeds, and you can put down killer if they pop up while the grass is dormant.  

I just put down the spring application a week ago and let the rain water it in.  I'll put down a spray pre-emergent in a couple of weeks.  That's it for weed control.  My front yard has looked great the last few years, the back is still a work in progress, but I'm gonna be pushing it this year.  I finally got the PH right last year, but was going through some personal shit and didn't have the time to dedicate to it.
[/quote]

Thanks Viper

I’m in the same boat with the poa annua.  Gets worse every year and I have thick zoysia grass.

I DIY and try to follow Walter Reeves recommendation to put out pre emergent every 9/15 and 2/15 but it doesn’t seem to stop the poa annua any more…so I’ve asked a couple of the yard service companies around here and they said that in the pre emergents most of them use, the main ingredient is “prodiamine” which used to be effective on poa annua but they said the poa annua has built up a resistance to it and is no longer recommended for poa annua and to look for a pre emergent that contains a new chemical called “Dimension 2EW” which contains the active ingredient “dithiopyr” which they said is much more expensive now than prodiamine but effective on poa annua.

The other thing they said is that since poa annua germinates in the fall, with the warming trend, 9/15 may be too late to prevent poa annua and to try putting the fall pre emergent out a couple weeks earlier.

And like McDonoughDawg said, Image is an effective post emergent…just takes some time to see results and your friendly neighborhood Home Depot or Lowe’s sells it for about $21/bottle. Good Luck!

(03-12-2024, 02:25 PM)Replying to WarnerRobinsDawg

Got a buddy that has worked with Turf Masters a long time. It is incredibly hard to get rid of, it dies out in the summer. 
Golf courses that have it on the greens and courses just leave it alone. They can't get rid of it either. Look up POA greens on golf courses.

(03-12-2024, 06:31 PM)Replying to E.CobbDawg

Good info…thanks

A few years ago I hired a lawn service company for the first time ever. My front yard had been quite a debacle .. forever, I guess. There were two monster trees in it that kept a good 80% of the front yard under 100% shade. Plus, the trees being so large they had enormous root systems that sapped up any and all nutrients in the soil, and no matter what I tried, I could not get grass to consistently grow there. I had one summer where I got it in pretty well, but it very quickly died out.

I had the two massive trees cut down (the tree guy told me he was sure both were 100-year-old trees) and removed. My front yard literally took off in growth.

Problem was, though, in the beginning there were no telling how many variety of weeds growing there. I wouldn't be surprised if weeds made up 75% or more of anything and everything growing. Several people in the subdivision had been using King Green to service their lawns, and they looked pretty good. So, I hired them.

It took probably two years to really eradicate all of the weeds in the front yard, but they did it. I have Bermuda grass growing there, and I didn't even plant it. It was there the entire time, just couldn't grow. It kaboomed when the trees were removed. Now, the Bermuda is ridiculously thick and lush, and not one single weed nor broadleaf grass is growing there.

King Green comes out 8 times per year. They went up in price this year, and each treatment costs $59. But the difference it has made is worth it (in my opinion).