OT: Help Me Turf Guys!

[Awwhellnaw]

Need some advice on a few things..

I have centipede grass. I’m getting ready to hit it with a herbicide to knock back some broadleafs. To get the best results, should it be applied immediately after cutting or should the yard be allowed grow up some before spraying?

Second question. What (if anything) can be done about crabgrass in centipede this time of year?

Third. For future reference, would you say bermuda is more manageable than centipede from a weed control standpoint?

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

I've forgotten most of my turf knowledge but I do know Bermuda is much easier to manage than centipede in every aspect. Unless the chemistry and varieties have changed in the last several years, think of Bermuda as an M1 tank and centipede as a ford ranger. Any idea what variety of Bermuda you have? 419?

ETA: I'd hit it after you mow...centipede grows very slow but your broad and grassy weeds don't. Add a spray surfactant in with your herbicide too. That will move the herbicide into the plant faster. Will give you a better knock down.

 

[randystewart]

Bermuda is definitely more manageable. Quicker to repair itself and you can kill every weed in it by mixing MSMA and 24D.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

You need to spray the broadleafs when they have maximum foliage so I would do it before mowing.

 

[turfdawg]

I typically like to mow the turf and let it get a days worth of growth before I spray. It makes sure that the weeds are actively growing again. As far as what chemical to use for crabgrass in centipede, Sethoxydim (Poast) seems to work pretty well with two applications at 14 day intervals. Always put a pre-emerge (Barricade) down in late February to early March to prevent the crabgrass and other weeds before they germinate.

 

[idog]

Can’t you treat zoysia the same as Bermuda?

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Bermuda is definitely more manageable. Quicker to repair itself and you can kill every weed in it by mixing MSMA and 24D.

I've had bad luck with centipede. Bermuda is very easy to manage and very to get look good. It grows fast and recovers from injury well. The guy that sprays my yard says centipede is his biggest PITA.

 

[BonzoGoesToCollege]

The guy that sprays my yard says centipede is his biggest PITA.

Where do you live and who sprays your yard? Had a guy spraying our yard on the side but he moved. Been doing it myself but yard is big and I’m tired of doing it.

 

[Dawg1976]

This is what I use on my centipede and have had great success in getting rid of all weeds. May take a couple of seasons if you have lots of weeds. And I have used the liquid spray version too. I've got a little bermuda in my backyard from a golf course. I hate it as it's tough to mow. I'm not a turfgrass expert btw so ymmv.

https://www.amazon.com/Spectracide-...n-garden&sprefix=spectr,lawngarden,234&sr=1-4

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Need some advice on a few things..

I have centipede grass. I’m getting ready to hit it with a herbicide to knock back some broadleafs. To get the best results, should it be applied immediately after cutting or should the yard be allowed grow up some before spraying?

Second question. What (if anything) can be done about crabgrass in centipede this time of year?

Third. For future reference, would you say bermuda is more manageable than centipede from a weed control standpoint?

Centipede is much better once it takes hold - it will choke the weeds out much better once it's thick. And it's a very low maintenance grass.

As far as handling spraying, which is an unnatural thing anyway, maybe bermuda is better. Bermuda is fast....just not as strong, as centipede.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

When I had centipede, i aerated it and then it really grew thick and chocked out weeds. Had the best yard on the street. I also didn’t have kids and worked less… I wonder if there was any correlation.

 

[Russ Wheeler]

When I had centipede, i aerated it and then it really grew thick and chocked out weeds. Had the best yard on the street. I also didn’t have kids and worked less… I wonder if there was any correlation.

Yeah I really need to aerate mine at the moment. It works wonders.

 

[harrybollocks]

Anyone have luck killing Dallisgrass in centipede? Round Up kills it and everything else and tenacity wounds it. Even after I pull it out it seems to return.

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Anyone have luck killing Dallisgrass in centipede? Round Up kills it and everything else and tenacity wounds it. Even after I pull it out it seems to return.

Spot treat. Just accept that you'll kill a small amount of grass around it. Then let the surrounding grass grow into the dead area.

 

[PBRME]

Thread hijack. Have a few oak trees in my yard. Bermuda won’t grow under them. Would fescue or zoysia be better?

 

[randystewart]

If you are in the deep south, Fescue will look like crap in the summer. Zoysia, Bahiagrass, or Centipede do OK in shade

 

[PBRME]

North Ms. Trying to get the Bahia out of my yard. Was learning towards zoysia but fescue seed is all I can find in the stores.

 

[40 acres and a mule]

Thread hijack. Have a few oak trees in my yard. Bermuda won’t grow under them. Would fescue or zoysia be better?

Palisades Zoysia. Has to be sodded or plugged, but worth it. I am no lawn expert, but I have it in my yard. Much, much easier to deal with than bermuda.

 

[NTDawg]

No expert but I have made very lawn mistake known to man. I would be very careful spraying when it's this hot. One of the best things to limit weeds is to have healthy grass and anything that you do to hurt the grass will cause even more weeds. It takes time to limit the amount of weeds and one of the best strategies is spray pre emergent in the fall and early spring. Pre emergent wont help now it takes time nut it will pay off over time.

If you must spray now I would do it late in the evening right before dark in the coolest part of the day.

 

[Russ Wheeler]

Thread hijack. Have a few oak trees in my yard. Bermuda won’t grow under them. Would fescue or zoysia be better?

Get you some dense shade mix, which is different types of fescue. And just know that it's going to be high maintenance, just is what it is when under trees. I had a house a few years ago covered in oaks (would have 3' of leaves every year), and I successfully got a fescue lawn going. I did the soil test, and had the co-op tell me the amount of lime and fertilizer. Plus, you have to overseed it in the fall and spring. But it worked. You'll need to aerate too. And water regularly.

 

[idog]

you can seed zoysia

Palisades Zoysia. Has to be sodded or plugged, but worth it. I am no lawn expert, but I have it in my yard. Much, much easier to deal with than bermuda.

but it is expensive seed. we built a house on a two lot parcel and moved in a year ago. instead of paying 16-18k to put zoysia sod down on the second lot i paid 1200 to put sand and level it and put another $800 into seed. it's going pretty good but i had to seed it in early fall. you have to prep well. if i had to go back i would look into hydroseeding with bermuda but that's still way more expensive than 2k of prep/seed for about 10,000 sf of lawn.

pro tip: put your turkey decoys out to scare off the doves after you seed.

 

[RocketDawg]

If you have full shade, creeping red fescue will work. Some of the other fescues might work also. Zoysia needs less sun that Bermuda, but still needs quite a bit.

 

[RocketDawg]

I got tired of it several years ago as well so I use a lawn service now. It's well worth the small amount I pay (about $50 5 or 6 times a year).

 

[40 acres and a mule]

I spent $6000 to sod and plug my 1/2 acre yard with Palisade. Took it 2 years to cover and choke out the weeds, with a little help from MSMA. I got mine directly from a grass farm, so that may have helped with the price. When I bought it they "guaranteed" it would live in the shade.

 

[turkish]

Thread hijack. Have a few oak trees in my yard. Bermuda won’t grow under them. Would fescue or zoysia be better?

Couple things. You may need to pay an arborist to shape up your trees to help with this. You may also be fighting a water problem as much as a sunlight problem. Oak trees steal a ton of ground moisture from the grass.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

Where do you live and who sprays your yard? Had a guy spraying our yard on the side but he moved. Been doing it myself but yard is big and I’m tired of doing it.

Brad's Green Machine in Central MS. I think it is $50/6 x year. I only do the front yard.

 

[thatsbaseball]

If you want to do some sodding...go here

www.oasissod.com

and get some Empire Zoysia. You won't be sorry.