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how soon can I step on newly seeded lawn to pull weeds?

15 years ago

I seeded Tall Fescue on April 15th. It started germinating 7 days later. Its around 2 inches tall now. I'm beginning to see little broadleaf weedlings springing up now. I can pull up the ones I can reach from the sidewalk and border areas, but how soon is it safe to step on the grass, stand in one place for a minute or two to pull some weeds, move to another place and stand there for a minute or two to pull some more weeds, etc?

Or is it better to hit the weeds with a post emergent spray like Drive, then when the grass has been mowed a few times, use a pre emergent like Dimension?

I know pre or post emergent chemicals will slow the grass growth. But it seems like standing still all over the place on the little Tall Fescue seedlings in order to pull weeds isn't good either.

I did use the Scotts starter fertilizer with Siduron to control the crabgrass like weeds.

Comments (3)

bestlawn
15 years ago
No herbicides - pre-m nor post-m - right now. Deal with the weeds. It was your implied contract when deciding to sow seeds. There will be plenty of time later. Plus, the longer the grass is allowed to grow and tiller, the less incidents of weeds you'll have. It's best to stay off the grass as much as possible, but right now is time to mow. Two inches in a great height for the first mowing to promote tillering. Cut off 1/3. Let it grow to 3 inches and remove 1/3. Allow it to grow to 4 inches, and cut it down to 3 inches. Maintain it there. If yours is a low growing variety, then maintain at 2-2.5 inches.

When you're able to use herbicides, their labels will tell you when application is allowed after seeding. Normally, they say not to apply until after the grass has been mowed 3 or 4 times. Read the labels of whatever you are considering to know for certain. Besides that, there is no point in using pre-m to prevent crabgrass by that time. None will be germinating. If you have a Poa problem, pre-m can be applied in the fall for that.

I know pre or post emergent chemicals will slow the grass growth. But it seems like standing still all over the place on the little Tall Fescue seedlings in order to pull weeds isn't good either.

There is nothing you want to consider that might slow grass growth. I know it is difficult to have to look at the weeds, but the grass being allowed to grow healthy, tiller well, and maturing into its own ability to crowd weeds is much more important. Or, you will deal with a weeds problem forever. Patience is the key word when establishing a new lawn. Exercise patience and you won't regret it later.
segask
Original Author
15 years ago
thanks for the reply :)

So you are saying that for right now I should just leave the weeds? Don't spray them, don't pull them, just leave 'em for now?
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morpheuspa (6B/7A, E. PA)
15 years ago
So you are saying that for right now I should just leave the weeds? Don't spray them, don't pull them, just leave 'em for now?

Bestlawn's suggesting that it's time for the first cut--which will kill off some of them. The second cut will kill more, and by the third cut, when you can use an herbicide (I wouldn't do that until a few more mows, though), the numbers will be way down.

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