Re: roundup and grass

Well, Donna, I'm sure no expert on herbicides nor weed grass, but if
the grass you have is Poa annua, no herbicide that normal people can
get their hands on works on it.  There are only one or two that are
effective and only at certain stages in its growth and you have to be
a certified something or other to be able to buy them
anyway...besides being a bane of my existence in gravel, it's one
that drives golf course superintendents nuts because it gets in the
greens and dies back in mid summer and looks ratty.

Here are a few pix so you can see if it's what you've got.

mature plant in flower (and simultaneously setting seed)
http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/teaching/NRES300/weed photo3/poa annua
mature.gif
http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/cropprot/weedguid/images/40a.jpg

seedling
http://www.turf.uiuc.edu/teaching/NRES300/weed photo3/poa annua
seedling.gif

If this is what you have, the only recourse is pulling/digging to get
the crown; best done as soon as you see it and easier during or
immediately after a soaking rain.  

This stuff flowers and sets seed at minute sizes; seed is spread by
walking or driving over it - gets carried on tires and boots.  It
enjoys compacted soil.

I HATE this grass.  It's a cool season annual; sometimes perennial. 
Starts germinating as soon as weather cools and the rains come in
fall; keeps it up during mild winter spells and goes to town as soon
as spring hits.  Starts flowering almost immediately and setting
seed.  Literally, it can NOT be there one day and flowering and
setting seed in a couple of weeks.  If left alone, it will yellow off
and die by July...having done its dirty work for the season.

Supposedly there are some pre-emergent herbicides that work on it,
but I don't know which nor whether you can buy them if you're not a
golf course super. or some other type of green industry professional.

Marge Talt, zone 7 Maryland
mtalt@hort.net
Editor:  Gardening in Shade
-----------------------------------------------
Current Article: Wild, Wonderful Aroids Part 5 - Pinellia
http://www.suite101.com/welcome.cfm/shade_gardening
------------------------------------------------
Complete Index of Articles by Category and Date
http://mtalt.hort.net/article-index.html
------------------------------------------------
All Suite101.com garden topics :
http://www.suite101.com/topics.cfm/635

----------
> From: Donna  <justme@prairieinet.net>
> I am not one who normally uses roundup.... so
> 
> Why is it not working on the grass in the gravel sections here?
Took the
> broadleaf weeds out, but not the grass. Anyone got another product
that
> works with minimal effort? 
> 
> 
> Seem to be overrun with items in the walk ways, and other areas
that are
> not planted areas. Would like to get rid of that quickly, rather
than
> spending the time doing it by hand.
> 
> Donna

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To sign-off this list, send email to majordomo@hort.net with the
message text UNSUBSCRIBE GARDENCHAT
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index