Annual Bluegrass Control in Warm Season Turf – Center for Urban Agriculture

Source(s): Jacob G Price

Introduction: Annual bluegrass, Poa annua, is a very common tufted winter annual that can be difficult to control. Annual bluegrass has a yellow-green color and forms whitish spiklets on the branch tips. This grass produces seedheads throughout its lifecycle with most of the seedheads being formed in the spring.

Pre-emergence Control: For centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and dormant bermudagrass, Atrazine and Simazine are listed as having excellent control. Balan (benefin), Surflan(oryzalin), Barricade (prodiamine), Regalstar (oxadiazon + prodiamine), and Echelon (sulfentrazone + prodiamine), are also listed as excellent for the above grasses, and bermudagrass does not have to be dormant at application. Products such as Halts and Pendulum (pendimethalin) also give good control. Apply these pre-emergence herbicides in late September to early October.

Post-emergence Control: For control of annual bluegrass in centipedegrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and dormant bermudagrass, products containing Atrazine or Simazine provide control. However, Atrazine and Simazine may not control annual bluegrass if it has been used year after year in the same location. Certainty (sulfosulfuron), should provide some control on smallbluegrass on the above turfgrasses. In zoysiagrass and bermudagrass lawns only, Revolver(foramsulfuron), and Monument (trifloxysulfuron-sodium) are excellent.

For non residential (Sod and Seed Farms, Golf Courses, Athletic Fields, Commercial Properties, etc.) with zoysiagrass, centipedegrass, and bermudagrass, TranXit (rimsulfuron), provides excellent control of emerged annual bluegrass. Katana (flazasulfuron), applications in the spring are effective. Kerb (pronamide), takes 4-6 weeks to work and can be used on the above grasses and in St. Augustinegrass.

Post Emergence Herbicides

St. Aug. Centipede Zoysia Bermuda