Certainty by Monsanto for Quackgrass!!!

[fishersofmen]

I noticed another quackgrass thread pop up so I thought I would post this. We just talked with one of our reps from a distributor this week and discussed if there was any new options for quack. He brought up Certainty again and said there has been some very good results, apparently better than they anticipated.

This product came out two years ago and has been getting some very good feedback with some new hope of a long awaited cure for this problem grass. Although Certainty has had very limited testing according to many it works on this grass very well. Our rep said with these results coming back he believes there will be an even better product on the market for quackgrass in the next 3 years!!

This product runs around $95.00 for a 1.5 oz. bottle which sounds very expensive but very little is needed to cover a large area. Also, you need to be extremely carefull when using Certainty because of its potentcy. We are getting a couple bottles in next week to test out on a few properties where customers have become very frustrated so I will give some updates in the next few weeks as to what happens. Have any of you guys used this product?? If so what were the results??

I found some info online that I will post below. It would seem like this is good news, it appears they are getting much closer to a cure for this problem grass!!!

Here is one link. www.monsanto.com/ito/pdfs/Certainty_Quackgrass_KY_2007.pdf - Similar

Some more info....

Certainty turf herbicide which is Sulfosulfuron 75% a.i. is one of the newer turf products on the market today. Certainty is a selective herbicide for control of annual and perennial grass and broadleaf weeds in highly managed turf sites. This product is a postemergence, systemic herbicide with limited soil residual activity. It provides postemergence control of many annual and perennial sedges, grass and broadleaf weeds on highly managed turf, sod farms and native grass sites. It is a selective herbicide that can be used over the top of many perennial warm-season and selected cool-season turfgrasses.

This product generally has been shown to be safe for use on the warm-season turfgrasses listed below

Bermudagrass (common or hybrid)

Bahiagrass

Buffalograss

Centipedegrass

Kikuyugrass

St. Augustinegrass

Seashore paspalum

Zoysiagrass

Using 1.25 oz. per acre you should receive good control of the following sedges

Kyllinga, false green

kyllinga, fragrant

kyllinga, green

Nutsedge, purple (commonly known as "nutgrass")

Nutsedge, yellow (commonly known as "nutgrass)

Sedge, globe

Sedges, annual

Tall fescue control is obtained when this product is applied at 1.25 oz. per acre followed by a second application 21 to 28 days after the the 1st application. If a single application is desired, apply this product at 2.0 oz per acre (as described on the product label)

Dallisgrass Supression in Bermudagrass can also be expected, and is often times desired. Follow label directions. One of the toughest weeds to control Buttonweed can also be supressed with Certainty turf herbicide.

Annual bluegrass control in non-overseeded turf can be expected, and is often times desired.

Additional weeds listed for control or supression are

Barley, little

Bedstraw, catchweed

Bentgrass, creeping

Bluegrass, roughstalk

Bluegrass, bulbous

Burweed, lawn

Buttercup

Chickweed, common

Clover, white

Crowfootgrass

Dandelion

Garlic, wild

Geranium, Carolina

Henbit

Ivy, ground

Johnsongrass

Mustard, wild

Pennycress, field

Quackgrass

Ryegrass, perennial

Sheperd's-purse

[kg2]

I will be following this thread. A coworker just brought in a hockey stick for me so I can try the round-up thing again. Darn neighbors and their junk weeds...

Edit:

Certainty has been used for Quack in Kentucky Blue Grass for a while. However, I don't have Ky Blue.

[croixflats]

Thanks for the info. I was just about to pull the back pack sprayer out and kill the whole yard off and fire up the bobcat

[LwnmwnMan2]

I would be VERY VERY careful.

I'm on a couple of other lawn websites and the results from others using this product is there isn't the wiggle room for error in mixing or application rates.

I've mentioned it before too, in other threads, but I personally don't know if I'm going to use it on customer's lawns.

The local larger lawn chemical suppliers have stopped selling it, but you can still get it online.

The above info from guys already trying it out in the field, not reps from parent companies.

[fishersofmen]

LM2 we are getting it from a large local supplier. You are right though it sounds like there isn't alot of wiggle room. I think any product that comes in a 1.5 oz bottle for an acre or more of coverage is a little spooky to work with. We might test it out at my boss's house first, but with the few customers that are very frustrated they are at the point where we are going to use round-up and re-seed anyway so we figured why not give it a shot. I will follow up in a few weeks maybe try and take some pics too........

[LwnmwnMan2]

Yes, the "last resort" option is what the guys on the other websites have gone to using as well.

What the biggest complaint is / was is yellowing of KY bluegrass, along with permanent damage.

If it's a last resort, and you know you're going to end up killing the grass around the plant anyways, then yes, I too would give it a shot.