When to spray image?

volabroad – posted 26 June 2004 16:48

Will image hurt a new/less developed lawn? My lawn is fairly new, but has yellow nutsedge popping up everywhere. . .wondering if I should try to get rid of it now, or wait until next season.

JohnF – posted 26 June 2004 22:17

I hope you haven’t already used Image. A lawn service used it on my lawn over five weeks ago and it is still nearly all brown, with a few green sprigs here and there in the brown areas. I think that Image would completely kill a new lawn.

volabroad – posted 26 June 2004 23:24

Not yet. Waiting to here what people recommend

cohiba – posted 27 June 2004 09:32

I Prefer to use Manage as a spot spray. We did some of the initial testing on this product in the early 90’s and it performed well on our Perennial Ryegrass fairways. Many warm season turfgrasses are tolerant. The spot spray technique saves chemical and spares the new turf any unessasary exposure to herbicides. Another treatment we used in the past is using a wick applicator, we applied Roundup to the nutsedge only. We were able to do this because the nutsedge grows at such a faster rate it was about 1-2″ taller then the turf it was infesting. This technique is not for the faint of heart though and the margin for error is greater with Roundup than that of Manage.

All in all it seems like a nutsedge/clover/crabgrass year……

Good Luck………..

ted – posted 27 June 2004 16:33

folks, we have to be very careful! if i’m not mistaken, manage is for yellow nutsedge ( northern and transition zone lawns), and image is for purple nutsedge ( southern lawns.) This is a continual problem on this board, folks assume that what works in Maine will automatically work in FLorida! And believe me, your local big box hardware store will be glad to sell the wrong product to you. Cohiba is correct in the technique and product to use, providing that it is yellow nutsedge. Weed ID is crucial!

volabroad – posted 27 June 2004 17:22

I am certain it is Yellow Nutsedge. . . I have been pluckin it by hand for awhile, and found photos on one of the extension service websites that show exactly the plant I’m looking at.

Ted — I’m in GA, in ATL (so N GA). The lawn is centipede, and the infestation is severe. . .

I’m hoping in the long run centipede will strangle it out. Wondering if I should do anything now to give that process a boost?

Trying to get all the plants 1 at atime would literally take a full day.

ted – posted 30 June 2004 13:59

quit plucking! just need to spray it with the correct product, and use normal maintenance techniques. not that familiar with centipede.

certified_in_florida – posted 02 July 2004 21:03

Hello,

Personally, I would use the manage to control sedge. It is less stressful on most turfgrasses. Upon double checking a label, BOTH purple and yellow nutsedge are listed, so it should control either.

Make sure to read, UNDERSTAND, and follow all label directions.

Good luck.

Alex_in_FL – posted 04 July 2004 20:23

Manage for yellow sedge (days}.Image for purple (weeks)MSMA works marginally (control)Roundup does top burn but overall is minimally effective. It does not kill the tuber (or nut). With multiple treatments you can exhaust the tuber. Miss or skip a treatment and it regenerates.

Based upon personal experience…buy manager and mix what you need (and use all the same day).

Alex

roskilan – posted 14 July 2004 12:30

I live in SC and have a ST Augustine lawn that is being invaded by purple nutsedge. Unfortunately, Ive been plucking, but am learning from sources that this actually makes the matter worse! (spread faster) Is this true?

My local store told me to use Image, but that I can’t apply it until mid-Sept when temps drop. Is there anything I can do in the interim to atleast slow the spreading?

Help!

Thanks

Andrew

Alex_in_FL – posted 05 August 2004 18:28

I have spot sprayed with both Image and Manage in mid summer with moderate success. Key is to spot spray the weed only — not the entire yard. You might try spraying a few spots and see what happens.

I have heard that pulling one sedge (can’t remember which) makes the problem worse but I am unsure if it is true. You pull the plant you break roots and wound it. Then it uses its stored food to regrow. Thus you deplete the plant’s energy. Depleting the plant’s stored energy is good as it weakens the plant. Maybe it causes the plant to feel threatened and thus stimulates the plant????

Alex

ted – posted 05 August 2004 20:03

nutsedge works on an underground “nutlet” system. if you pull one, three will come back in it’s place.- don’t pull it.

Alex_in_FL – posted 08 August 2004 15:20

Ted:

We are fighting Cogon Grass where I work. It has a large, deep rhizome.

Seems the same strategy would work in attacking sedge. Pull it to stimulate its growth and cause it to use the energy stored in the nuts/tubers. Then hit it with a weed killer while it has re-emerged and is actively growing. Thus you deplete the stored energy in the nut and poison while it is weaker.

Alex

ted – posted 08 August 2004 18:13

interesting. never heard of that particular weed, but then again i’m not from florida. everyone seems to think that you can spray nutsedge and it will magically disappear. manage and image are designed to act like a growth regulator. when you spray the nutsedge, it will not grow any higher than your next mowing cut, thus blending in with the turf better. roundup won’t touch it because of it’s waxy leaf. alot of folks on this board talk about different products working on various weeds. there’s a big difference between “burning” and “controling.”

ted – posted 08 August 2004 18:14

if i could only spell “controlling”….