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Bahia Grass (aka-Highway Grass) Infestation this year!

Posted on 5/2/16 at 1:30 pm
Posted by GFunk
Denham Springs
Member since Feb 2011
14966 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 1:30 pm
I've always fought against it but it seems like this year it's taking over. I've heard it thrives in dry or drought-like conditions which explains one part of my yard, but it's completely taken over there and I'm tired of fighting it.

I've got a mix of grasses thanks to neighbors going with different types so I need to be careful with how I control it. From the research I've done, it looks like I need to mix:

Metsulfuron - Which controls Bahia but is friendly for St. Aug, Bermuda, centipede and zoysia as well.

Herbicidal Surfactant - To help the herbicide stick to the treated area better.

Post-Control Marking Locator - A safe blue-coloring that will help me determine where I've applied the herbicide.

Is this overkill? Am I overlooking a simpler method with no mixing/spraying required? Something I can perhaps use my mixer for?

Obviously I don't want to use Round-Up as this is gonna destroy my grass in several spots, and even though the weed is crowding it out it'd still come back in a hurry if I got control of the weeds.

Tell me what y'all think.
Posted by bootlegger
Ponchatoula
Member since Dec 2012
5335 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 1:36 pm to
Metsulfuron has very different formulations for centipede/St Aug vs. Bermuda, but you should be good at about .5 oz/acre (dry measure). Hope you have a good little kitchen scale to measure out small increments.

ETA: .5oz/acre is the maximum application rate for centipede...Bermuda can handle up to 1oz/acre, but you should stay at .5 if you don't want to damage the centipede and St Aug
This post was edited on 5/2/16 at 1:49 pm
Posted by GFunk
Denham Springs
Member since Feb 2011
14966 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 1:53 pm to
quote:

bootlegger
quote:

Metsulfuron has very different formulations for centipede/St Aug vs. Bermuda, but you should be good at about .5 oz/acre (dry measure). Hope you have a good little kitchen scale to measure out small increments.

ETA: .5oz/acre is the maximum application rate for centipede...Bermuda can handle up to 1oz/acre, but you should stay at .5 if you don't want to damage the centipede and St Aug



Thanks. I really appreciate your feedback. Do you think the Surfactant is overkill? I'm just worried about how often and how quickly the forecast changes so if I treat I want it where it needs to be for as long as I can get it to stay there.
Posted by geauxnc0308
pineywoods of ET
Member since May 2008
537 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 1:57 pm to
quote:

Surfactant


Just use dish soap, cheap surfactant
Posted by Da Hammer
Folsom
Member since May 2008
5758 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 2:28 pm to
I hope you prove me wrong, however in my experience there is no way to get rid of Bahia Grass.
Posted by bootlegger
Ponchatoula
Member since Dec 2012
5335 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 2:53 pm to
Surfactant probably not necessary, but like mentioned, just add some Dawn....

Bahia grass on MSM label:
Posted by GFunk
Denham Springs
Member since Feb 2011
14966 posts
Posted on 5/2/16 at 3:15 pm to
quote:

bootlegger
quote:

Surfactant probably not necessary, but like mentioned, just add some Dawn....

Bahia grass on MSM label:


Thanks again brah.
Posted by H2Oproof Tiger
Natchez, Ms.
Member since Jul 2004
136 posts
Posted on 5/4/16 at 8:42 am to
I made my first applications of MSM to my pasture(Bermuda) and yard(st Augustine), starting the first week of April. I went with 2 applications @ .3oz/acre with surfactant, 3 weeks apart. It's a slow kill and needs a rain to get chemical down in the root zone. I'm pleased with it.
Posted by Scoop
RIP Scoop
Member since Sep 2005
44583 posts
Posted on 5/4/16 at 9:16 am to
2 treatments of MSM about a week apart once the Bahia comes in kills it in my yard and it doesn't come back until the next summer. It's witchcraft.

ETA: It's cheap, too. One $20 bottle of granules will cover the two treatments of my 2 acres.
This post was edited on 5/4/16 at 9:21 am
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