I've got a growing infestation of annual bluegrass and bermuda grass. I believe the time to apply a pre-emergent is soon here in SE PA. Or am I wrong? Is there a pre-emergent available without the fertilizer? I don't want to put fert on the lawn at this time of the year. TIA Chas Hurst
Are you expecting a strong crop of winter-weeds?
I'm pretty sure that's the case.
Why on earth would you want that?
You probably don't want to put pre-emergent on the lawn at this time of the year, either.
Think about that word (pre-emergent) for a minute. Pre (Before. Prior to.) - Emerge (Come out into view, as from concealment.)
It needs to be put down /before/ the weed seeds germinate. That's early in the Spring, in your neck o' the woods.
I did this last spring. The results were disappointing. I have read that some undesirable grasses germinate in the late summer. Are you claiming this is not so?
If it was the first time you've applied it, you won't get a 100% stoppage of the weeds. You won't even be close. You also may have put it down late, after the seeds had already germinated. "Spring" is a pretty big window.
There are literally millions of weed/grass seeds in your soil. As each one germinates, it pokes a tiny hole in the pre-emergent barrier. Eventually, an undesireable will get through. Keep applying the pre-emergent at the proper time, at the proper rate, and in a few years you'll notice a marked decrease in the undesireables.
Annuals will set seed any chance you give them. But, winter will kill them off. Putting down a pre-emergent in mid summer will do you *no* good.
Certain annual grasses are about to germinate again as summer ends.
Now is the approximate time to apply pre-emergent aiming at poa annua suppression here in N Ohio, timing is everything. It will do *some* good if applied at the proper time. I've used dimension with some success.
"grasses" (Ok, I'll give ya that if it's an unwanted grass, it can be classified as a weed =P )
It's a bit hot, don't you think? I'm only a couple states over from you, and we're in triple digits. Poa's not a problem, and won't be for a couple months months. It's early, IMO.
Dimension works well for crabgrass, even on seedlings. Does it do the same for young poa plants (or, only as a pre-emergent)?
Bermuda??? Yikes. You won't control it with a pre-emergent. That'll take a serious post emergent, like Fluazifop, Acclaim, or Round-up. (The first two are semi-selective, depending on what kind of grass you have that you want to survive.)
Bluegrass is treatable with a pre-emergent, and September is probably your best bet.
To answer your question, yes, Home Depot (among others) carries pre-emergent without fertilizer. You may have some difficulty finding it this time of year (everyone worries about summer weeds, not fall/winter weeds). Also, you need to verify that the pre-emergent you purchase is effective against the weed(s) you seek to control. All pre-emergents are not effective on all seeds...
Yes, those pesky grass weeds.
As I said timing is everything and that will definitely vary by location. I usually apply it in about two weeks here.
I don't know if it has any post emergent value on poa, I'm always sure to apply it before it germinates. The only caveat with that is possible root pruning of desirable turf, and I keep it off bentgrass as much as possible.
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