LA
Removing Poa from a blend of different lawn species?
Hi, looking for a NZLA Herbicide that will kill Poa but not my lawn, I planted my lawn before so discovering NZLA so it is a blend of seeds purchased from the local farm store. I also have some stray kikuyu grass that I wouldn’t mind killing also. Thanks
You’re limited with seed blends, which is why NZLA generally doesn’t recommend them. Paclo is really the only safe option, as it’s a plant growth regulator and won’t kill off one of the grass species in the blend like selective herbicides can.
@Jonny Hicks yeah just wish I discovered NZLA before I started my lawn, Thanks
@Logan Aitken honestly I would consider either transitioning to a single species that's suitable for your area or kill it off and start with a single blend. We have a good seed selector tool here: https://www.newzealandlawnaddicts.com/seed-finder/
@Logan Aitken also you might find this useful: https://www.newzealandlawnaddicts.com/weed-guides/annual-poa/
Transition would basically be a case of picking which single cultivar you want to transition the lawn towards.
For example, if your current blend contains fine fescue and perennial ryegrass, you could choose to keep the perennial ryegrass. In that case, you could use NZLA Etho for a couple of applications to remove the fine fescue while leaving the perennial ryegrass. From there, you can continue overseeding with perennial ryegrass over time until you’ve transitioned the lawn into a predominantly pure perennial ryegrass stand.
On the other hand, if you wanted to keep the fine fescue, you could use a product such as NZLA Halo to remove the perennial ryegrass while leaving the fine fescue. The downside with this approach is that there is a stand-down period before you can overseed again. Ideally, you’d want to allow around 4–12 weeks, with better establishment generally achieved the longer you can leave it before introducing the new fine fescue seed.
There could also be some browntop hiding within the original blend. If that’s the case, at a later stage you could use two applications of Meso, 14 days apart, to help remove any remaining browntop.
So it really comes down to exactly what’s in the existing blend and which cultivar you ultimately want to keep. It is possible to transition a mixed lawn into a single cultivar this way, but it’s definitely the longer and more drawn-out approach.
Personally, I’d generally prefer to kill the existing lawn off and start again with a single species, as it’s quicker and gives you a much cleaner starting point. However, some people find a complete renovation a bit daunting, so gradually transitioning the lawn is certainly another option.
@Jonny Hicks Great information, thanks heaps 👍