How to Convert a Mostly Weedy Bermuda Lawn to 100% Turf in one Season D.I.Y.
A lot of money is spent on weed control for lawns provided by companies that provide temporary, or negative results, and the main reason for this is because the practice of Integrated Pest Management is left out:
“For every detrimental action that is taken towards eradicating the weeds, a number of positive actions must be taken to promote your turf”
This being said, if a lawn service company is being paid to spray your weeds out of the lawn, it will do very little good if your turf is so weak it can not grow and fill in the area the dead weeds previously occupied. Usually these companies don’t care if your lawn is ready for a spray or not, they are paid to spray, so they spray. Many times killing or severely injuring what they are trying to promote and eventually inviting more weeds to come in by the bare spots these injuries provide.
The first task is to identify your weeds to get the correct chemicals, 2,4-D for the broadleaves, MSMA for the grassy weeds, Image for nutsedges, and in the deep winter glyphosphates can be used for volunteer ryes and fescues and are safe while turf is in dormant. No Glyphosphates in the growing season, don’t even spot spay in the lawn. With good agitation or shaking up your hand-held sprayer often, these chemicals can all be mixed together for a solution spray. But spraying is not the first physical step, only the identification of the weeds to choose the proper chemicals.
The first step to do is to get your lawn as healthy as possible in the early spring, and since MSMA requires 80 degree temperature or better to work, start spring off with a good balanced fertilizer at 1lb. Nitrogen per 1000 sq. ft. and water in heavy, then infrequently, and heavy for a couple of weeks. The reason you want the lawn in healthy condition is because these chemicals set your turf back, and the weaker the turf, the longer the set-back. Never treat an un-healthy lawn with chemicals or fertilizers if it is dry, or if you have sprinkler problems.
Ok now that your lawn and weeds are green and healthy, and you have your chemicals selected. Get the lawn watered up to sustain a couple days of no watering and turn off the sprinkler system, Make your first application of selected chemicals at rates suggested in a complete over-the-top application being careful not to over, or under lap. Dye indicators really help as a tracker, and liquid detergent in small amounts serve as a good surfactant, sticker to prevent chemical run-off. Spot spraying usually will not work because you will miss a lot of very young weeds coming up. Mark this date on your calendar.
Allow the chemicals to set for at least 24 hrs. Your turf will be set back in growth and you might even skip a mowing or two but don’t be alarmed. The weeds will begin to start to curl up in a week or so depending on temps and type of weeds and age. Resume watering within 24-48 hours or so, because what you want is a quick return of growth from your turf while your weeds are in a weakened state. Don’t forget the Bold Typing above!
Then within 2 weeks of your last application you will want to make your second application. Now, sometimes broadleaf weeds are taken out the first time around, and sometimes not. So give the turf a walk-thru and if you see any signs of green in the weeds, hit them again. Grassy weeds like Dallas Grass, and especially Nut sedge almost always take several applications to gain control. But with 2,4-D you are limited to two applications a year per site, so make them count. More times than not I will save my second 2,4-D application for a possible fall return of broadleaved weeds and just hammer away at the grassy weeds from here. Competition for the weeds with the Bermuda will be overwhelming and they usually give up.
Make your second application making sure no water or rain will wash off your product, and this time after the chemicals have set for 24-48 hrs, you will need to follow up with your second application of fertilizer with your watering. It is this second application of fertilizer that will really wake up your turf to begin growing, and since the weeds are in such a weakened state by now, most all of them will not be able to withstand the competition coming at them from all directions and will dye. If a third application of chemicals is necessary, do so within a two week time frame and sometimes spot-spraying now will be sufficient as all the little seedling have been hit. Dallis grass has overlapping leaves that shields the bottom leaves from spray, requiring multiple applications, and nutsedges have rhizomes underground that are soon to come up, but protected from earth at the time of spraying.
There are many, many techniques, and tricks of the trade to know in turf management and every step is important. Mow as often as possible to prevent scalping and keep your mower blades sharp. Water only as needed and actually try to dry out before watering very deep. All these steps are important because chemical applications should not be a annual, regularly scheduled event. Chemicals should only be used with a program designed to take out all your weeds in one season, from there you should just rely on a good watering practices, thick turf, fertilizer and pre-emergent to control weeds.
“For every detrimental action that is taken towards eradicating the weeds, a number of positive actions must be taken to promote your turf”
Steve's Pressure Wash and Landscape
2/20/09
Read my article on The Best Ways to Save on Your Sprinkler Systems Water Bill
