Image herbacide

JohnF – posted 16 June 2004 13:46

A lawn service sprayed Image/MSMA mix on my bermuda just as it was getting pretty green after dormancy almost four weeks ago. It turned brown within four days and is still brown. Is the grass dead or will it likely recover? I am thinking about threatening the lawn service with a lawsuit to make them plug or re-sod. I have been keeping it well watered. There are a few spots of green left in random patterns. Advice?

ted – posted 16 June 2004 20:26

really need a lot more specifics- where do you live, what’s your temps been, was it pro strength msma? need info on watering- how much, how often- don’t recommend the mixing of two herbicides into a single mix this time of year, although a few on this board have had experience doing so.

JohnF – posted 16 June 2004 21:34

Ted-NW Arkansas, temps have been 60’s to high 80’s, plenty of rain and water. Pro strength MSMA and Image. I never asked this lawn service to come, but they say I did. At least I didn’t have to pay for this destruction. They offered today to re-sod the lawn, but I would be responsible for the water to get it going, maybe up to 400 dollars worth, depending on the weather. I had a plant pathologist look at it today also. He thinks it will mostly recover in about three months. I think I am going to hold off on the “free” resodding. I am certain they will do a poor job anyway. The Image was applied just as the grass was fully emerging from dormancy. It is the common species type of bermuda that emerges late. It seems that most people around here have some type of hybrid. I am trying to obtain some turf paint to keep the POA off my back.

buck – posted 17 August 2004 07:27

I do not think that Common Bermuda is as agressive as some of the hybrids. But I do know, from experience, that if you blast it with fert, and the Lesco product is likely a good one, it will come back. May take a month, but it should pull through. The Image sent it into dormancy, the fert will wake it back up.