Tenacity sucks as both a pre and post emergent. Only two benefits to using it. Light up the problem spots in your lawn so you can use another agent to kill the weed quickly and as a very short term weed preventative at the time of seeding...to which I'd argue the results of using vs not using are marginally better. Let your grass have a few mows before applying anything and I'd just go with some big box store watered down stuff for new lawn if you're new to spraying herbicides. Can ramp up to better options once the grass has had proper time to establish.

 

Thanks. Well, already ordered some meso, so maybe I will use it maybe won’t. When you say ramp up to better options, what do you recommend?

 

Just get a good 3 way herbicide that includes quinclorac would be my suggestion. The big box store stuff will work for sure, just might take a little longer with lower risk of harming the good grass. I mostly just use quinclorac and the few weeds it doesn't take care of I dig out. I have tenacity and rarely use it

 

Tenacity works great for anything young/weak. For post emergence, it requires 2 applications back to back with a surfactant. For more mature weeds it will suppress but generally not kill. Check the labels of the common 3 or 4 ways - some say they can be used on healthy new grass after a month after germination or 2+ mows. I personally won’t do it as I want the grass to have the greatest chance of survival and light applications of tenacity and hand pulling (or spot treating weeds with something stronger) has brought me better results.

Last week I found some young clover maybe 3 inches squared and I sprayed a squeeze RTU of spectricide and crabgrass killer (4-way) and it was burned to crisp dead in 2 days of sunny dry weather. Don’t let the weeds grow - get them when young and then it is easy.

 

Tenacity works great for anything young/weak. For post emergence, it requires 2 applications back to back with a surfactant. For more mature weeds it will suppress but generally not kill. Check the labels of the common 3 or 4 ways - some say they can be used on healthy new grass after a month after germination or 2+ mows. I personally won’t do it as I want the grass to have the greatest chance of survival and light applications of tenacity and hand pulling (or spot treating weeds with something stronger) has brought me better results.

Last week I found some young clover maybe 3 inches squared and I sprayed a squeeze RTU of spectricide and crabgrass killer (4-way) and it was burned to crisp dead in 2 days of sunny dry weather. Don’t let the weeds grow - get them when young and then it is easy.

Thanks - sounds like maybe hand pull and spot treat until later this fall?

 

Ideally you wouldn’t use any chemical herbicides. However, use your current situation be the deciding factor if you need to use herbicides or not. If in a situation like myself, hand pulling or spot treating works, but if you have a more severe weed problem, then you might apply something stronger and fill in weak areas with fall over seeding. I am in zone 7 so I get started in late summer (last week of aug or 1st week of sept).

 

Depends on the type of weeds you have. Tenacity doesnt do much or anything to broadleaf weeds that have already sprouted. You need T-ZoneSE or something similar for those. Tenacity will keep new weeds from germinating but will not harm new grass. Broadleaf weeds are EASY to kill later just mow and keep them at bay from increasing with Tenacity applications every 4-5 weeks or so during 2-3 months. 2 applications should be enough really. Just mow, feed your new turf and reduce weeds later when its more mature and growing well. re-seed in the fall if needed.

 

All this hate for mesotrione, when no other option exists...

I use mesotrione at seed down, without NIS, and then 30 and 60 days after germination (again, without NIS) until I can use Dimension or Prodiamine, or the temps drop.

It worked very well in keep my triv and annua at bay, and to lighten up any weeds to hand pull. I keep new grass short for the first year (2.5" or lower) to find weeds, and to help Midnight tiller, mowing every 3 days.