Winter Grass Weeds
Winter Grass & Rye Grass
An invading weed or grass species during the cooler months can be a real nuisance and undo all the hard work you put into getting your lawn looking superb during the warmer months. Here are two of the most common culprits that appear during this time and what you can do to remove them from your lawn.
Winter Grass
The dreaded Winter Grass, also known as Poa annua. This prolific seeding grass that grows in tufts is prevalent in many lawns throughout the cooler months and can be quite a handful to eradicate. If you have an invasion of Winter Grass, you will definitely want to treat it before it germinates. If you allow it to drop its seeds, next winter it will be back, twice as badly as it was the previous year. A good plan of attack is to treat it as soon as it appears before it goes to seed, with Winter Grass Killer post emergent herbicide. Selective Winter Grass control in Blue Couch, Common Couch, Brent, Buffalo (including Sir Walter DNA Certified Buffalo) and Brown top Lawns. Cannot be used on kikuyu lawns.
Hand chipping the tufts out as you see them appear will also help to manage any continued emergence.
Another great way to get on top of Winter Grass weeds is through prevention. Applying a pre-emergent herbicide like Oxafert will help to stop Winter Grass before it even emerges from the soil. By acting with a combination of both pre- and post-emergent treatments you will get on top of the Winter Grass infestation a lot quicker and significantly reduce any existing Winter Grass seed bank that has developed within the soil over time.
Oxafert 3kg – Treats up to 100m2
Oxa-Pro 20kg – Treats up to 660m2
Ryegrass
Ryegrass is a cool season, seeded grass variety. In the cooler months it can appear or be oversown into warm season turf varieties, particularly in the more southern states. Some people like to embrace it during the cooler months for some added green, but it will make for a very inconsistent lawn and lead to more mowing throughout winter. Ryegrass can be difficult to control in turf as it transitions out with the weather heating up.
There are a couple of ways to transition ryegrass, one is reducing water as the weather heats up and the other is using commercially available options including Tribute, Monument and Destiny Herbicides. These herbicides should be applied by a licensed expert, so contact your local lawn maintenance contractor for application. This will also help to ensure the correct product is used that is safe for your turf variety.
Treatment for Ryegrass and Winter Grass weeds that have already appeared
Duke Herbicide
Duke is safe for use on couch, kikuyu, and most buffalo varieties. This herbicide can also be used to remove broadleaf weeds including Bindii, Black Thistle, Catsear, Cotula, Cudweed, Guildford (Onion) Grass, Medic, Mouse Ear Chickweed, Oxalis, White Clover, Onion Weed and False Onion Weeds. Duke will also remove other grass weeds including Winter Grass (Suppression), Bahia, grass (suppression and seedhead reduction).
Monument Herbicide
Monument Liquid Herbicide can be used as a post-emergent herbicide on various warm season turf species. Monument Herbicide is highly effective in controlling Poa annua, Ryegrass, Kikuyu, sedges and a wide spectrum of broadleaf weeds:
- Burr Medic
- Bindii
- Ryegrass
- Winter Grass
- Catsear
- Chickweed
- Clover
- Cotula
- Creeping Oxalis
- Curled Dock
- Milk Thistle
- Mullumbimby Couch
- Nutgrass
Monument is safe to use on the following warm season grass varieties:
- Common Couch
- Durban Grass
- Hybrid Couch
- Queensland Blue Couch
- Zoysia
DO NOT USE on Kikuyu, Buffalo, Fescue, Ryegrass, Bent Grass or any other grass not listed above.
Monument Herbicide is a complete couch solution for Poa annua control when used in combination with Barricade Pre-Emergent.
Application Timing and Rate Variation
Monument delivers long lasting herbicidal action with follow-up applications rarely needed, unless targeting an unwanted kikuyu infestation.
- Autumn applications for Kikuyu suppression should ideally be applied around the end of March and repeated at the end of April. Applications to control
- Poa annua or Ryegrass should ideally be made when these weeds are still actively growing and not towards the end of the growing cycle when plants are alive but not actively growing. Active weed growth =systemic xylem and phloem movement essential for systemic herbicide action.
Application by thoroughly covering the leaves and shoots is best, it can then be washed off the leaves and into the soil to promote root uptake for complete systemic action.
Mixing and Compatibility
Monument mixes completely with water and produces a homogenous easy to apply suspension. Be sure to observe the mixing instruction with regards to water pH and the addition of a non-ionic surfactant.
Users of this product MUST make an accurate written record of the details of each spray application within 24 hours following application and keep this record for a minimum 2 years. Make sure you thoroughly read the label before use for all other details and ensure correct application rates are applied. If you are inexperienced in the usage of these sort of products, we recommend that you contact a local licensed spraying expert for application.
Monument Liquid Turf Herbicide 100ml is available on the Lawn Store here.
