Controling Bermuda in El Toro Zoysia

sdwood – posted 02 August 2001 12:13

I was mowing my yard last night when I spotted some uncharacteristic runners popping out of my El Toro Zoysia. Further investigation revealed these to be Bermuda runners.

Having no desire to see the Bermuda take over my yard I started doing research which lead me here. I have read several of the offerings and now have a question.

Has anyone had any luck using either Fusilade II or Ornamec to controll Bermuda in their Zoysia?

The makers of Fusilade II actually mention this explicit application on their web site. The Ornamec makers do not and it doesn’t appear on the label anywhere. The Fusilade II is significantly more expensive, but if it will work were the Ornamec will not then I am willing to give it a try.

Any other suggestions for getting rid of the Bermuda?

Thanks for the help.Sean

Bobby Boyd – posted 03 August 2001 09:51

I have used fusilade II with great successthis summer. Be careful with the amount ofmix. I use 8 drops from an eye dropper/ galof h2o. I mean tiny drops and not a dropperfull. Big difference.

The bermuda will not die but will becomesurpressed and let the zoysia take over.The zoysia also gets surpressed somewhatbut recovers nicely.

-bobby

I have grown meyer zoysia since 1972, sohave some experience. The best advice I could give would be to lay off the nitrogen.Bermuda loves it and so does the zoysia butmy experience has shown the bermuda benefits the most. Also cut back on watering.

I use liquid iron to keep my zoysia greenwith just enough nitrogen to carry it throughthe blades and roots.

I also use “bolster” a couple a times a summer.

Hope this helps.

Thanks to phil for putting me on to fusiladeII earlier this summer.

-bobby

seed – posted 03 August 2001 17:26

You’re welcome, Bobby.

Phil

Phil Gross – posted 08 August 2003 05:09

Where can you get the Fusilade II. I am in Delaware. Thanks for any help. Phil

Lex – posted 24 August 2003 07:27

Fusilade II is the Trade Name of fluazifop-p-butyl. Just look for a weedkiller with fluazifop. Make sure it does not have other weedkillers like diquat in it. All you want is fluazifop.

Question for Phil: Have you seen any research using fluazifop and atrazine combined to control bermuda in Zoysia? Seems the fluazifop is mainly leaf/stem absorbed and atrazine is root absorbed. Would attacking bermuda with both be better or do they interfere with any other? Thanks.

seed – posted 24 August 2003 16:00

Lex, I’m on the road right now and can’t access my files to determine if this has ever been tried. In general, atrazine injures bermudagrass but is not effective in controlling it. Atrazine has been suggested in mixture with Prograss (ethofumesate) for “control or suppression” of bermudagrass in St. Augustinegrass. But even in this combination I have observed that atrazine increases rather than decreases the amount of bermudagrass. This was a summertime experiment, therefore it was likely that the slowing down of St. Augustinegrass by atrazine actually favored the zoysiagrass. Can this failure of atrazine to enhance Prograss control of bermudagrass in St. Augustinegrass be used to predict a failure of atrazine to enhance Fusilade II control of bermudagrass in zoysia? No. But, it shows that one cannot easily predict the results of mixtures and combined treatments, as the use of mixtures and combined treatments raise multiple questions. Even when a mixture is alleged to work well, it should be tried under different conditions to gain confidence? And when a mixture is ineffective, was it because of direct interference among the chemical components? Or because their rates were not carefully matched? And is the mixture truly more selective than the individual components, if each could be applied at the optimum rate? So, try it and be wary.

Phil

Lex – posted 08 October 2003 15:28

Phil:

I can’t find any data on combing fluazifop and atrazine either. Guess I’ll try spraying atrazine, water in it, wait 3-4 days then spray fluazifop. The old one two–hit it low (roots) then high (foliage) and see what happens. May just hit it with fluazifop now then wait until spring to try the one/two punch.

By the way, do you know anything about killing Cogon Grass? Looks like fluazifop and Roundup are all that kill it.