Quack Grass

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

Is there any way to deal with this stuff? I did a total lawn renovation last fall, and it is back this spring. The entire yard was sprayed with RoundUp 2 times, and was real dead. My front yard is probably 80%quack and the backyard is probably 30%quack. It grows much faster than the rest of the grass, so I have to mow almost 2 times per week just to keep it from looking like total [PoorWordUsage]. Any ideas?

[glenn57]

i tried the do it yourself lawncare last year and went back to hiring a lawn care service to spray my weed control and fertilize. i dont know if last years weather had anything to do with it or not.

[LwnmwnMan2]

There is a product called CERTAINTY which will control quack grass in KY Bluegrass turf.

I'm not sure how well it works in fescue lawns though.

Also, it's a very specific chemical. You're not going to find it in the big box stores most likely. You'll have to find a chemical dealer, like Lesco or United Agri Products.

[Dotch]

Kewl! Another one of those sulfonylureas we rarely hear about. A Monsanto product, looks like it will control fescue so probably not something to try unless you want to kill the fescue.

http://www.cdms.net/LDat/ld6QJ001.pdf

[fishorgolf]

Sounds like you did it the right way.

What type of soil do you have? If it is all sand and no good top soil about the only thing that will grow is Quack. Desired grasses need good soil.

One other thought. Between sprayings of RU how long did you wait. I have done 3 new lawns and I keep it dead for at least 2 months and spray every 2 weeks until I KNOW everything is dead.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I have a 100% KBG lawn (besides quack). I use strictly Lesco products, and have been real happy with pricing and quality. Is Certainty a selective weed control product?

I would say that from the time I put down the first dose of RoundUp to the 2nd was around 3 weeks, and then I waited a week to seed. There was not a single spec of anything besides burnt brown in the whole yard. My seed took a long time to germinate, so I got a ton of broad leaf weeds in there. I hit that with a dose of Weed-b-gone on the 22nd of April. I will hit it again next week.

[LwnmwnMan2]

Lip- where are you located??

The reason that I ask, is that that next application of broadleaf you want to do, it may not be very effective.

If your other weeds aren't turning brown, it could very well be with the cool temps that they just aren't growing as fast as they could, nor would they be "sucking in" any chemical that would kill them off.

Just wouldn't want to see you applying more chemicals than necessary.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I'm in New Prague.

My quack grass is probably growing 1/2" per day, and the KBG is maybe 1/2"-3/4" per week. It just generally does not look good at all.

If I were to put down the Certainty on the whole yard, would that take care of the broadleafs also? I may just hire someone to do that, as I don't want to ruin my neighboring lawns.

[LwnmwnMan2]

There's no broadleaf control with Certainty.

You might want to check out the above link for the label.

Also, if you hire someone, I'd ask them "what do you have to control QuackGrass?"

Try to get them to say the brand name so you know they're putting down the right stuff.

For what it's worth, you mix it in enough water to spray between 10 and 50 gallons of water per acre, and you use about 1 oz per acre.

Funny part is, MY cost on that 1.25 oz pack........... $92.55.

You're not looking at a cheap application if you have too much area to cover.

[fishuhalik]

One thing I tried that worked great and a TON of my customers have tried is take a hockey stick, put a sock on it, soak the sock in roundup, and gently brush it over the top of the quack. Just make sure you don't touch any of your kbg!

[Abrams]

Interesting reading . . . .last summer my lawn struggled with the drought, even with the sprinklers going every other day. As a result quack grass has taken hold in my yard, not in large areas but I don't want it to spread. I'm not sure I want to do the round-up with a hockey stick/sock routine.

Does anyone know for sure if the above product will kill quack grass. I have my law treaded by new frontier should I just call them?

Any addition thoughts?

[hotrod1]

I like that idea with the hockey stick and sock. I may have to try that sometime.

[Seeker of Clayface]

One thing I tried that worked great and a TON of my customers have tried is take a hockey stick, put a sock on it, soak the sock in roundup, and gently brush it over the top of the quack. Just make sure you don't touch any of your kbg!

Great idea, I think I'll try that. Now my nosey neighbors will really think I'm weird. For a great visual, I should wear my old helmet and shin pads while I do this.

[Tom7227]

In case you can't find a hockey stick, helmet and pads you can do this with one of those sponge paint brushes taped to a dowel or old broom handle. I've done it an it works, except when you drip some on the other parts of the lawn or play road worker and stop to lean on your stick. It also works in the garden if you have strange things growing tall in places where you don't want them. Finally, you can use it to "paint" the leaves on shrubs or other taller things you want to gas.

[Lip_Ripper Guy]

I'll be picking up the Certainty next week. Hopefully it takes care of it...everything I have read looks positive though.

[gerty]

Lip Ripper - Please post back as to your results. I would like to know if this stuff really works and if it damages anything else.

Thanks,

[katoguy]

The links I found for Certainty does show it is only for KBG lawns (not for fescue or perennial rye). My grass is a mixure of rye, fescue, and KBG (with quack coming over from the neighbors - so it is really the traditional mix).

[Abrams]

Based on what my lawn guy told me Certainty will kill your grass UNLESS it's KBG. Most lawns are rye or fescue. I'll try the hockey stick approach tonight. Good way to spend a Friday night.

[katoguy]

I tried painting some quack with a foam brush last night. A lot of work. I think it will be an on-going battle. Stay after it, fertilize, mow high, etc... Between the voles and the quack... my lawn still is in good shape. (Just hits the pride a little bit.)