[j4c11]

My bluegrass decided this would be a good time to try and perpetuate the species and produced some stout seed heads. Last year I managed to suppress most of them with a mix of trinexapac and ethephon, but it did yellow the grass quite a bit so I skipped it this year.

So what are some strategies for dealing with the seedheads? Does cutting lower/higher than normal help? How long do they stick around? If you cut them off, does the plant produce more?

 

[g-man]

Desired kbg, right? If so then it is time for really sharp blades. Just frequent mowings and they go away in 2 weeks. I don't adjust the hoc, just keep mowing and that's it.

 

[j4c11]

Cool, thank you. My experience with KBG is limited. I have a strip of Midnight which I seeded last fall and no seed heads there(yet), but the main lawn which is in its 2nd year now is producing quite a bit.

Is the seed viable?

 

[g-man]

It is not. POA annua, is.

 

[fusebox7]

Cool, thank you. My experience with KBG is limited. I have a strip of Midnight which I seeded last fall and no seed heads there(yet), but the main lawn which is in its 2nd year now is producing quite a bit.

To comment on why you're seeing seedheads on the "2nd year part" and not on the fall renovation:
"Shoots produced in late summer often terminate in an infloresence the following spring. "
Source: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/publications/Bluegrass.html

 

[LawnNerd]

It is not. POA annua, is.

So this has always perplexed me, and maybe someone can explain this better to me.

The plant we grow, was sown (most of us anyways) from a seed that was produced by a plant. The seed grows a plant, that grows, matures, but is sterile? If seed from the KBG in our yards is Sterile, how did we get the KBG seed in the bag? This goes for TTTF as well.

I'm not arguing with G-Man, i'm just using his quote as a spring board to my question. I do believe these plants to be sterile, and i know i can't just let my yard go un-mowed all spring so as to avoid buying more seed for an over-seed. I'm just really perplexed by this. Just me being a NERD!

 

[ABC123]

This article says it takes 4 months on the stalk before it can become viable.

https://www.shellviewsod.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Aprilseedheads.pdf

 

[LawnNerd]

Ohhhh!! I knew I was missing something.

 

[g-man]

Thanks ABC123, that article sums up all that I was going to type. It even discusses poa annua.

 

[j4c11]

To comment on why you're seeing seedheads on the "2nd year part" and not on the fall renovation:
"Shoots produced in late summer often terminate in an infloresence the following spring. "
Source: https://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/archives/parsons/turf/publications/Bluegrass.html

That is a great article with a ton of great information, thank you for posting it. I will point out that my KBG pot which was plugged out of the area which now has seed heads and left to go dormant last summer doesn't have any seed heads whatsoever. I wonder if you can "hack" your way out of seed heads by letting the grass go dormant during summer, so it will not have an opportunity to produce any of those late summer shoots.

 

[fusebox7]

I wonder if you can "hack" your way out of seed heads by letting the grass go dormant during summer, so it will not have an opportunity to produce any of those late summer shoots.

Interesting thought - but I don't want dormant grass in the summer Proxy/Primo regimen starting early spring will do the trick.

 

[Green]

I have some seeds from my own grass, that were on the plant for various amounts of time into the Summer...I think I'm going to experiment with it in pots and see if it grows anything.

Do I have to open up the seed heads first, or do I just throw them in the soil as-is?