Seeding Fescue while combatting Poa Annua

12 years ago

As most of you are aware, I'm suffering from Poa Annua. Allow me to ramble and spit out my logic. Please correct/interrupt/give any advice.

I'm trying to overseed with fescue in spring and fall to help thinned out summer spots. Fescue like to be planted when soil temperatures are dropping into the 65-60's.

Poa Annua starts it's unforgivable emergence when soil temperatures start dropping past 70 degrees. This overlaps with the prime time to plant fescue in the fall. I also don't fully understand the emergence of Poa Annua in the spring time. I suspect the colder winter temps don't provide an optimal temperature for it, but the spring warmth brings the soil back to 60-70 degrees for the Poa therefore letting it germinate.

In an article I read: http://www.golfdom.com/business/turfgrass-management/spring-and-poa-annua-is-air , it explains how Poa does NOT need light to germinate and will still grow under the canopy of other grasses. Is that true? I'm growing my TTTF out up to 5 inches to help compete.

My question is, is there a way to keep planting fescue, while using a pre-emergent against Poa Annua? I bet it would be a VERY small window of time. Are there pre-emergents that only prevent Poa from germination and will allow grass seed to go? I would assume the best shot I would have, based on my fescue coming up now, would be as follow-

1. Apply fall Poa Annua pre-emergent control. This would hinder fall Poa germination.

2. Apply early spring Poa Annua pre-emergent control at around 55 degrees in the soil.

3. When soil temps rise past 65, seed fescue.

4. Pray the fescue gets deep enough roots for the Oklahoma heat.

Let me know what you think. Thanks in advance!

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Comments (4)

jos14h
12 years ago
Your seeding of TTTF will not germinate after the pre emergent. Barricade pre emergent lasts 6 months and dimension last 4 months.

Your best bet is to use tenacity in the fall and overseed at the same time. Tenacity will allow the seed to germinate while also acting as a pre and post emergent on the poa
JHazzardB
Original Author
12 years ago
Jos14h, thank you for the quick reply! I've spent a little time this morning looking up Tenacity. It does seem like a great solution (no pun intended) to my problem. However, I have a question.

Does Tenacity not effect 90+% TTTF? Most instances I read said that it was used successfully in cool season turfs Thank you very much for the option!
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Okay, we'll I suck at waiting. I took action and I'm letting people know what I did so they can either learn from my triumph or failure. 1. Hand dug out all of the intermixed Poa that was not in the main group. This entailed grabbing a seed head with the left hand, and then following it down with an eating fork until I found the base of the plant. Upon finding the middle, I pried up the little plant while at the same time saying "I kill you". If I happened to accidentally pull up some fescue, I separated it from the Poa, washed it in a bucket of water, and shoved it back in the hole in hopes it would grow. 2. When I forked up the Poa outliers, I was left with maybe a 4x8 square foot area. I decided to dig it out and remove 3 inches from the surface which I would reseed and be done with. 3. 3 square feet in, i felt like I was pushing a car uphill. 4. I grabbed the lawnmower and set it to the lowest setting, which turned out around 1/2 inch. I proceeded to mow all of the Poa infested area to collect the valuable seeds. 5. After visually check anywhere for Poa seeds, I roundup'd the entire area. 6. I washed the mower and bag down as well as my flip flops incase those darn seeds tried to hop a ride somewhere else. I appreciate the time you take to read this. I'm off now to find out how long I'll have to wait before I apply more fescue in hopes it'll be tough enough to fight pre-m in the fall for the Battle of the Poa.
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jos14h
12 years ago
It does stun it a little (blades turn white/bleach) but it comes back ok in my experience.
garycinchicago
12 years ago
>"it explains how Poa does NOT need light to germinate and will still grow under the canopy of other grasses. Is that true?"

Absolutely. Want to have some fun? Google "poa annua + antarctic"

You do not state where you live, but here in the Midwest, we can cheat mother nature a little sometimes. Most early to mid Augusts, day time temperature remain warm, but the nights are starting to get cooler. It is this time that here we can cheat and drop seeds.

One needs to baby it very closely, to get germination and growth from the new seedlings with watering, but it can be done.

Then 2 weeks after germination (around Labor Day +/-) drop Dimension, to prevent poa annua from germinating as soil temps drop into poa's preferred range.

*Once again - cheating. Most say wait until 2 mows of the new seedlings before applying preM's, however Zach Reicher of Prudue / now Unv Of Neb studies shows cheating can be done. See link here
http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/3988908?uid=3739656&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=70&uid=4&uid=3739256&sid=55906481363

Tenacity can be used anytime during this period, including seed drop day, and should be applied regularly during the fall for best results.

Then at last cut of the year, apply Dimension again when you winterize with nitrogen - to prevent that "poa annua + antarctic"

Seeding Fescue while combatting Poa Annua

Comments (4)

jos14h

JHazzardB
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garycinchicago

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Seeding Fescue while combatting Poa Annua

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jos14h

JHazzardBOriginal Author

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garycinchicago

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JHazzardB
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