If you had time to do all that you could have just popped each plant out with a weed fork. Just saying…

 

I get what you're saying, but couldn't do that on most of them. They were intertwined with my tall fescue. Just want to kill the poa that grew among the fescue.

 

If you cut flush to the ground, there are no plant parts above ground to spray. But then you're talking about seeding above the dead poa like there IS something still there. If you still have leaves, spray. If not, there's no point in spraying the soil. As for seeding in May, I wonder if the seedlings will make it through the summer. You could try it but you had better be alert about when they need water.

 

Virginiagal...Thanks for the response. Just want to make sure what you mean. There is still some poa in each spot. Not all flush, but root is still there. But what's left of the poa should die off anyway right down to the root right? So are you saying there is no need to spray because the poa, or what's left of it will die anyway? In the past, I have seeded this late in areas, but was very diligent with watering those spots. So since the poa is going to die on it's own, can I top dress over the dead poa, seed & cover with peat moss? I don't want to rip the dead poa out because it's intertwined with my fescue Thanks!

 

If the crown is still there, leaves can grow. Cutting low doesn't necessarily kill it. Seeding overtop dead poa is fine.

 

Ok, so I can seed over the dead poa. Great! I'll make sure the seed makes good contact with the soil when I top dress. One more question though if you will. Since the poa (crown or leaves) is going to die anyway, is there a need to spray it at all? THANKS!!!!

 

The main reason to kill it early (before it dies anyway) is to prevent the seeds. Sounds like you've done that. But if you want to be sure it won't grow back and create more seeds before it dies, you could spray. I'm reminded of the scene in Wizard of Oz where they want to make sure the wicked witch is really dead.

 

Good point! Thanks so much for your help!!

 

I'm on Long Island too. Poa is a losing battle.

I spray PreEM yet I still get it. I overseeded in the fall and couldn't spray it. Now I'm paying the price.

As long as it's green from the street…..

 

Some pictures would be great...

 

The cutter 64...Reason my poa came back is this... Two years ago I nuked the back & over seeded with tall fescue. Came in beautiful! The mistake I made was I didn't pre-emerg last fall, so some poa came back, small plants, but dotted all over, some mixed in with the fescue. So I'm taking steps with the advice I got on this forum to kill the poa, now since I eliminated most of the poa seed, kill the remaining poa with Tenacity & ETHO, make sure I water the fescue seeded areas well so the fescue survives the summer as best as it can, & then pre-emerg. What I learned about pre-emerg is this... Pre emerge as early as 3rd week in August to prevent poa seed from germinating. Then pre-emerg again a month later, & one more time around end of October & then again late February. Someone on this forum (don't remember who), did that & was almost poa free afterward. Trick is after that is to make sure even if you only pre-emerg once in the early fall, that it is around last week in August & before labor day, & do it every year. Good luck.

 

John, do you mean pictures of how the poa looks after I cut the seed heads off?

 

The first response is the best one. You are making it hard on yourself. If you were able to grab them and cut the stalks, the Fiskars weed puller would have popped those plants right out of the ground. The poa stalks and seedheads will unthread right out of the fescue with that tool.

 

Too little too late I guess. Never heard of that particular tool by Fiskars. BUT, will get one in case I have more! Thanks!

 

Just googled Fiskars. I see some different types. Which one specifically would do the job for Poa annua? Thanks again.

 

Really surprised that no one had pointed out that Ethofumisate label specifically says not to apply to tall fescue in the spring.

 

JLM... Can you point that out to me specifically on the label. I've read the USA & Canadian label & I don't see that specifically. Thanks

 

From both the Prograss and Poa constrictor labels.

 

Interesting. I wonder if they are just assuming one would overseed in the fall, as opposed to strictly using it on fescue in the fall only. Anyone else here use it in the spring on fescue? I also have an email to the manufacturer about spring use versus specific to the fall since you pointed that out. (Thanks). If that's actually the case, I'll go with Tenacity only to weaken the poa, since it's going to die anyway. At least it won't drop any seeds.

 

My opinion is forget about spraying the Poa A now.
I have mostly TTTF (and triv! grrrr) and am experienced with Etho. It works great when used in the fall. The label says any spring apps should be made only after fall apps. The reason is because it's less effective on mature Poa A that has been growing since last fall. It's most effective when the Poa is at the 2- and 4-leaf stage, which it's well beyond by the time spring rolls around and they're big enough to be visually obvious in the lawn.

WIth your fall TTTF overseeding regimen, you do whatever prep you're going to do (such as burn everything else down with roundup) then drop your seed and roll it in, cover with peat moss if you like, then same day spray right over the top with Tenacity and Etho tank mixed. About 4-5 weeks later, make another app of Tenacity only. You will make a second app of Etho but you want to wait until pretty close to the first frost (which might be 8-12 weeks after the first app). I have not applied any prodiamine in the fall. It's unnecessary between the pre-M activity of Tenacity and Etho snuffing things out, and the prodiamine doesn't do any good for root development of new TTTF even if you wait the label-mandated 60 days post-emergence. Hold off until spring to make your prodiamine apps timed for crabgrass pre-M.

I have done this the past two autumns. The first spring it had reduced the Poa A to about a dozen plants, all easily hand pulled once the seed heads made them visible. This spring (second spring after doing those fall apps) I have seen precisely ONE Poa plant. It was close to the edge of the small landscaped bed around my mailbox, under a dwarf holly, so I probably just missed that area with the sprayer when doing my fall apps.

I have negligible broadleaf weeds, negligible/zero Poa A. If I didn't have triv I'd basically have no lawn problems. Unfortunately that's about the worst problem to have.

 

Hello & thanks Scott! Makes sense now because an ETHO rep said it's only effective on small growing poa. So, can I do this...Seed with fescue now in the areas where I cut the poa down, left the crown & vacuumed up the poa seed? Just lightly rake the fescue into those areas & top dress them with good top soil & peat moss? The poa crowns should die off anyway so I don't see them crowding out the fescue seed. In fact, the dead or dying poa crown might help hold the fescue seed in place & not wash out. I know seeding now, some fescue might not come in because we'll be heading into summer in a couple of months. But I'm retired, so I can lightly water those spots everyday & I have been successful seeding this time of year in the past. Then, in the fall, I can over seed those areas & go with the regime you suggest. Do you think that should work for me? Thanks!!!

 

What about this to defeat the poa...

 

Fiskars
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0030MIHAU?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1

 

2022 begins the battle with Poa Annua…

Step 1 won't eliminate what's already in your lawn, but suppressing spring seed heads is the first phase in breaking the cycle. I followed NuFarm's advice with two applications 21 days apart of Quali-Pro Ethephon 2 SL (generic for Proxy) and Anuew discussed here:

https://www.advancedturf.com/resources/anuew-qa-for-poa-annua-seedhead-suppression/

I was shocked at the results - not a single seedhead in the lawn. Not naïve enough to believe the battle's been won yet, but overseeding this fall will put a lot less pressure on Tenacity and Poa Constrictor to do their job.

 

Wow! Lots of options to control the poa. THANKS!!