Lawn gurus please opine...
 

Recently resodded my front yard with Tifway 419. The sod is coming in very nicely, is probably 99% greened up and starting to really cover the few areas that didn't survive in the sod. Overall I'm very happy.

So far I have fertilized twice, once with Fertilome 18-0-6 and a month later with Scotts Turfbuilder Plus 2.

There was some St. Augustine sprinkled through the turf on arrival and there are some other small grassy weeds scattered about, a few areas of annual bluegrass, a few dallis grass and something that looks like deer-tongue...at least from what I can see on the internet.

I got a quote from a lawn fertilizer/weed control company and they want $50 a month for an 8 month program which seems a little steep to me.

Is there something simple I can apply to the lawn to try and control this myself? I have read that MSMA will control the St. Augustine while not harming the bermuda, but I think that MSMA is restricted to people who hold a license to apply it.

Anything I might buy at Home Depot or Lowe's?

You might be able to find MSMA at Lowe's and HD. Check the products labeled for post-emerge crabgrass control. Try your local Lesco, although they may only have it in 2.5 gallon jugs. Also, try local farm supply stores. As far as I know, MSMA and archaic herbicides like 2,4-D are not controlled products, and you don't have to have a license to buy. You would need a license to apply for hire. Every state is different.

If your lawn is small, you may opt to just pull the weeds. It can be as effective or more effective than spraying, because you can get rid of the seeds. The annual bluegrass is probably already showing seeds. Gotta get that stuff out of there. Make certain to apply a pre-emerge fertilizer in early fall, late summer to fight the annual bluegrass.

Hell, if you really need something and can't get it, send me a PM. I can send you a small bottle of most common herbicides.
jurgen

Turbo, is MSMA what I want to apply here? I want a general herbicide that will kill the other stuff but not harm the 419...

I have a company that sprays my yard. Weed control, fertilizer, insectiside, etc. The lawn, the bushes, the whole enchilada. It's usually 50-60 bucks every time they come out. They have their own schedule and they sort of keep an eye on things so they know about what point in the year to do what needs to be done.

Bottom line: I have no weeds to speak of. I have no more problems with bugs in the shrubs. Life is good.

Some things are worth paying for.

JR

I like St. Agustine. It generally is its own weed killer. Put enough fertilizer down and it grows and chokes everything else.

If your Tifway has enough water and isn't stressed, the MSMA will indeed handle the dallis grass and st. augustine, while not harming the bermuda. It may take a second application, but it will work. Unfortunately, the MSMA will not kill the poa annua. There are a few herbicides that will kill annual bluegrass, but I'd handle that with pre-emerge. jurgen

I would be concerned that your grass is not mature enough to handle MSMA. My brother (lives in Mansfield) put it on his bermuda lawn to knock out the weeds and it turned the grass brown, deathly brown. His lawn is mature though and can handle the shock.

That may be worth considering. I ponder, though, if your brother has calibrated his sprayer. If you don't calibrate, you don't know your application rate. MSMA will certainly damage turf, especially in combination with heat and lack of moisture. Adding iron will help the bermuda from looking stressed.

You can also use Drive-75, but I'd have to check the label for specific control and usage after sodding. When was the lawn resodded?

I use MSMA first. It's cheap. It works. It all depends on what you're trying to kill and the square footage.
jurgen

The lawn was initially sodded 8 weeks ago. It is growing well and very green.

Safe for MSMA or wait another few weeks?

If you've mowed several times, you're OK. Use lower concentration of MSMA and hit the weeds again in 10-14 days. The dallisgrass and St. Augustine will be gone for good. Jurgen

I use a product called turflon ester to get rid of unwanted grasses, but in my case that includes St. Augustine AND bermuda.

I have fescue and turflon ester kills everything except for the fescue.

My point? Maybe they make a similar product that would leave the bermuda alone.
Might be worth a check.

Went to my local Lesco store today and bought some Trimec Plus which has MSMA and a few other things in there. They had Trimec for southern lawns, but it was rated safe for both bermuda and St. Augustine...so kinda ruins the whole idea.

Anyhow, the guy at the Lesco store didn't recommend putting any herbicide down until August to let the grass really get going. I bought a small container of it and will apply in a few months. Guess in the meantime I will just weed by hand...yuck.

I checked PBI Gordon's website, the manufacturer of Trimec, and they recommend waiting at least 3 mowings before treating with any MSMA product. Certainly the longer you wait, the lower the probability of turf damage. The converse, though, of spraying in August, is you will be fighting the intense heat. You will need to make absolutely certain the lawn is irrigated well before and after spraying. Do not water 24 hours before or after MSMA is applied.

Nothing wrong with hand-pulled weeds. You get immediate results and reduced seeds. good luck, jurgen

I know there's nothing wrong with it...I just hate doing it!!

:p

BTW, per your advice I pulled out most of the annual bluegrass I saw this morning before mowing. There were a few I missed, but I'll get em next time!

Technically, all grasses are weeds. We choose what weeds we desire and call them a lawn. ;)