When spring hits and soil temperatures climb to 15°C, turf managers face the significant challenge of dealing with common and hard-to-control weeds like Summer Grass and Crowsfoot Grass.
Summer Grass begins to germinate when soil temperatures reach 12°C to 15°C and is problematic for sports fields, as it competes for space in the sward and prevents turf grass species such as Kikuyu and Couch from covering the surface over summer. When the weeds die in autumn, the field is then left with bare areas, causing unsightly holes and erosion that requires expensive remediate action the following spring – all before a single game of soccer or rugby is played.
Crowsfoot Grass poses a similar challenge to Summer Grass, but also creates the headache of trip hazards. It begins to germinate when soil temperatures reach 15°C to 18°C and as a weed it’s incredibly efficient, growing twice as fast as turf grass. If left uncontrolled, Crowsfoot plants can reach up to 20 centimeters in height and produce a large amount of seeds. Turf managers are then forced to engage in a high rotation of mowing to stay on top of uncontrolled weeds, which creates additional expense and increased labour.
Furthermore control of these weeds with post-emergent herbicides is difficult with very few products registered for selective control of these weeds in turfgrass.
So how are these weeds best dealt with? The best option is a programmed approach that focuses on pre-emergent control before grass weeds get out of hand. One way to achieve this is combining BARRICADE with PENNMAG.
PENNMAG delivers up to eight weeks of residual control when applied prior to weed emergence. The advantage of PENNMAG is that it doesn’t interfere with the turf grass root system, making it suitable to use on grass that is in recovery. This makes it the perfect herbicide to partner with BARRICADE – just ensure you apply BARRICADE six weeks after using PENNMAG to provide season-long coverage. The best time to do this is before any aeration and renovation of the turf occurs, as this will provide control for weeds that will inevitably germinate through the combination of fertilizer, aeration and top dressing.
Ultimately, the most efficient way to deal with Summer Grass and Crowsfoot Grass is through a pre-emptive, programmed approach. Both PENNMAG and BARRICADE, when used in rotation with each other, can offer the coverage needed to keep weeds at bay.
WHY PENNMAG
- Apply early spring for recovering turf before renovation
- Shoot absorption rather than root uptake
- No root pruning effect
- 6 to 8 weeks control
- An excellent rotational partner for BARRICADE as a Group K Herbicide
WHY BARRICADE
- Long lasting - up to 6 months control
- Exempt from poison scheduling
- Non-staining formulation
- Broadspectrum weed control
- Flexibility to be used in garden beds