Hopefully qualifies as outdoors related. Moved into a new house at the end of the year last year and we had a lot of the cool season weeds. I've read differing opinions on putting out pre-emergents now on St Augustine. I'd say yard is relatively healthy but we do have a few spots where the grass is bare. Id appreciate any input, this is a whole new world to me.

Should specify, I'm aware pre-emergent wont kill the current weeds. just trying to be proactive for future weeds.

Where do you live sir?

Ah important detail. Houston

Pre-emergent info from the expert...Neil Sperry

Straight Facts on Pre-emergents - Neil Sperry

Edited: Fixed link...

Your link wasn't working, I think this is what you meant to link.

Straight Facts on Pre-emergents - Neil Sperry

I wouldn't worry about the cool season weeds that are out now. If you want to pre-emerg for the spring weeds use the links above.

In the end, mow that lawn high and often and the lawn will (assuming proper sunlight etc) thicken up and next year with a thick dense turf you the weeds won't be able to punch through.

live in houston as well....
a lot of folks follow the Randy Lemmon schedule. I follow it loosely
he did make a great point about this year....relatively mild winter is going to accelerate the warm season weeds so he suggested doing a pre-emergent round a few weeks ago.

I will say this also, the garden center I go to (kingwood) carries a good selection of products from Bonide. They make a granule product called weed beater complete that acts as both a pre-emergent AND post-emergent weed control. I am using this for the first time this year (previously used Barricade) and have been pleased with the results on the few cold weather weeds that have popped up.
Also, if you decide to spray the weeds with a liquid do NOT trust the bottles that say "safe for southern yards". I've tried a few and all but 1 has ended up doing real damage to my St. Augustine. I've tried when it's cold out and when it's hot. Definitely when it's hot is too much stress on the grass. The one I have found that works well is Bonide's Weed Beater Ultra spray.

With effective use of preemergent this does the trick in 98% of my yard. But my neighbors don't practice the same so definitely still get a few weeds in certain areas so the spray comes in handy there.

I'd hit it with preemergent now (Bonide or Barricade) and then do the same again in 60 days. If you haven't fertilized you could do that as well now or maybe in the next 2 weeks. Would set you up to fertilize again before the summer.

with mild winter my grass is already starting to get growing, especially these last 2 weeks and I bet 2 weeks from now it will really be on the roll

If in Houston, you need to be listening to Randy Lemmon.

https://ktrh.iheart.com/featured/gardenline-with-randy-lemmon/content/2019-03-06-when-youre-covered-up-with-weeds-in-march/?mid=166330&rid=414594&sc=email&pname=newsletter&cid=KTRH-AM&keyid=GardenLine%20Newsletter:%20When%20you%27re%20covered%20up%20with%20weeds%20in%20March&campid=

Kenneth_2003 said:

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In the end, mow that lawn high and often and the lawn will (assuming proper sunlight etc) thicken up and next year with a thick dense turf you the weeds won't be able to punch through.

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My neighbor doesn't scalp, but he mows his down pretty far. By early summer, I'm on the highest setting and by the next weekend, his hasn't even caught up to mine when he's out there again. He has a lot more trouble with weeds and bare or weak areas. I'm a huge fan of height to build up heat tolerance and choke out/inhibit weeds.

Hmmm, it seems mowing short and often would help thicken the grass and choke out weeds?

texan12 said:

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Enough about your yard, what about your couch?

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Underrated!

jpb1999 said:

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Hmmm, it seems mowing short and often would help thicken the grass and choke out weeds?

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Not for St. Augustine. It needs to be taller. This has to do with the way it runs and spreads on top of the ground and the blade structure. You want to only cut the vertical blade that grows upward and only cut the top 1/3 or so of that blade. What you don't want to cut is the part that the blade grows out of. Look closely at the grass, that single blade comes out of a part that splits to both sides. That happens about an inch or so above the runner which may not be tight to the ground. If you cut that growth point it has to regenerate before the grass grows more.

Sorry, I'm not using any of the proper terminology, but I think you get the idea. Look at the pic below. You only want to be cutting the last 1/3 of that outer most blade. Also cut before it grows those seed heads. They're sterile anyway.

Kenneth_2003 said:

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jpb1999 said:

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Hmmm, it seems mowing short and often would help thicken the grass and choke out weeds?

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Not for St. Augustine. It needs to be taller. This has to do with the way it runs and spreads on top of the ground and the blade structure. You want to only cut the vertical blade that grows upward and only cut the top 1/3 or so of that blade. What you don't want to cut is the part that the blade grows out of. Look closely at the grass, that single blade comes out of a part that splits to both sides. That happens about an inch or so above the runner which may not be tight to the ground. If you cut that growth point it has to regenerate before the grass grows more.

Sorry, I'm not using any of the proper terminology, but I think you get the idea. Look at the pic below. You only want to be cutting the last 1/3 of that outer most blade. Also cut before it grows those seed heads. They're sterile anyway.

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Ah, I'm thinking of Bermuda lawns... I cut my new Bermuda lawn high all last year and seems it never wanted to thicken up near the bottom. Am I correct in thinking it will thicken up the shorter I cut it? Anyone in the know?

Yes, shorter will thicken bermuda. BUT if you cut it below the growth point where the grass blades emerge from the stem the plant has to regrow that and it'll take time. So if you go on vacation for a week and don't mow for a while, it might look like crap for a couple weeks if those growth points got higher. It'll also repeatedly look murdered as you systematically lower your mower deck.

Yep CT`97...I fixed it. Thanks!

Here's Neil's update he promised...

Gardening This Weekend: March 7, 2019

Quote:

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It's time to apply pre-emergent granules to lawns over most of the state!

I'm just going to lead with that important part of this weekend's activity. If you're between Huntsville/College Station/San Antonio and the Red River it's time to apply Dimension, Halts or Balan to prevent germination of crabgrass and grassburs. North of that line, your time will come in about 10 days.

Repeat the treatment 90 days later as a "booster shot" because of Texas' long summer growing season.

I suggest mowing your lawn first, then applying the granules. Water moderately to soak the granules into the surface of the soil.

Note: If you have a lawn service company doing this work for you, they may have a slightly different schedule. Trust them, knowing that they can't get to all of their customers at the same time. They also have access to different materials.

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Is there an easy way to kill rescue grass in Bermuda lawn? Or just have to pull for now and hope the pre-emergent helps from here on out?

This is what it looks like... I think it is rescue grass?

jpb1999 said:

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This is what it looks like... I think it is rescue grass?

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Gary79Ag said:

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jpb1999 said:

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This is what it looks like... I think it is rescue grass?

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Probably. The bottom line is that it is a cool season annual grass, easily controlled with pre-emerge herbicides.

Gotcha, thanks. It is a newly seeded lawn last May, so couldn't put down pre-emergent until now... hopefully won't have that problem from here on out.