How to get rid of Annual Bluegrass in SA?

by Legacy post · 2016-05-11

Augustine – posted 12 June 2007 09:35

Help! I have well established St Augustine in central Alabama and have learned a lot from this forum. I follow the Scotts program and have had mostly great results.

The problem: Last year I had some type of weed starting to show up in the shady (i.e. weaker) parts of my lawn. I continued to treat with usual Scotts program (Super Bonus S). It has now taken over this shady portion of my yard. I am now on my second treatment of Image – no result yet.

I originally thought this weed was nutsedge but now I think that it is Annual Bluegrass – any ideas what it is and how to get rid of it with out damaging my lawn? As soon as I learn how to post an image I will put one up of this SA Murderer (weed) and the healthy portion of my lawn.

Here is a link – the weed (non wanted grass) in my lawn is the very bottom one: POA Annua (Annual Bluegrass). http://www.topturf.net/lawnweeds.htm http://www.topturf.net/poaannua.jpg

[This message has been edited by Augustine (edited 12 June 2007).]

hankhill – posted 13 June 2007 16:31

You may wish to do your own research rather than just following’Scotts Program’. Their products have uses, but I wouldn’t limitmyself to them.

I have two observations:

1. You may want to use a pre-emergent in the spring to combat the poa(if indeed that’s what it is). In general, post emergent options aremore limited and less effective. (I use Bonus S/atrazine in somecases, but it’s not my only weapon.)

2. The pictures you posted are stock images from a weed database.Post pictures of your actual lawn, so we can confirm the ID of theweed. If you get the ID wrong, you may never kill it or may destroyyour lawn in the process.

What I’ve read on poa also indicates that control may result fromwatering deeper and more infrequently, since its roots are shallowerthan SA. This may work for you since water requirements are less inthe shade (where you have the problem), however if your target area isweakened to grubs, etc., you may not want to do it.

[This message has been edited by hankhill (edited 13 June 2007).]