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Q4 vs. bermudagrass

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
I have a few customers on a golf course with tall-fescue. The hybrid bermudagrass from the fairways and some other common bermudagrass is slowly creeping into these lawns in various areas. Some customers like this while some do not.

I'm spraying Q4 this week and was wondering just exactly what will this do to the bermudagrass? Will it kill it, knock it down, or just maybe some discoloration?

Anyone with experience here?
Thanks
 
#4 ·
If the temps are higher than 85, it will kill the bermuda to the ground.
I called PBI Gordon's when they sent me a sample because the label did not cover southern warm season grass's. I believe the label will state-"Not to use at temps above 85 as severe turf grass injury will result. It won't hurt the Fescue but will kill the Bermuda. My backpack sprayer poped a nozzle seal and the stuff leaked onto a spot in my muda lawn about the size of a basketball and it killed it dead..........Nothing else grew back in there. Had to take out the soil because the Quinclorac has a half life of something like 300 some odd days. I can't be precise without the msds sheet. It was a bad mistake. So I believe it will do the trick at higher doses.

Just read that label!
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
The high friday is supposed to be 87. The Q4 booklet says "Suitable for applications up to 90F". Fortunately, I'll be at most lawns in the morning hours.

As long as it doesn't harm the fescue, whatever happens to the bermudagrass will just be a learning experience. No big deal if it kills it or not.
 
#7 ·
Q4 will stunt it and that is about it in my experience but then again I was running at the low end of cool season chart. Now Carfentrazone(quicksilver) I think I spelled it correctly will turn it yellow and and kill some of it but not all.

Matt
 
#9 ·
I have sprayed q4 on bermuda the last couple of years. It isn't labeled for bermuda, but I think (and have been told) that it was an oversight when the label was printed. After all q4 is really just three-way mixed with drive..... which both are labeled for bermuda.

I always use q4 at the lower end of the range, mostley because when I use it the temps are much warmer.
 
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#10 ·
For those customers who don't want the bermuda, NC State says to control bermuda in TTTF to apply Acclaim/Turflon 3 times - 6/1; 7/1; and 8/1. Have used Fusillade(Ornamec)/Turflon in years past with decent results. I have some common bermuda along edge of road that I've been trying control - applied Speedzone/Drive about a month ago and didn't do anything to the bermuda.
 
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Discussion starter · #11 ·
grassmasterswilson said:
I have sprayed q4 on bermuda the last couple of years. It isn't labeled for bermuda, but I think (and have been told) that it was an oversight when the label was printed. After all q4 is really just three-way mixed with drive..... which both are labeled for bermuda.

I always use q4 at the lower end of the range, mostley because when I use it the temps are much warmer.
Click to expand...
When I purchased the Q4 at JDL, they specifically told me it wasn't for bermuda. But what you say, I also noticed. The package label states it's for tall-fescue, annual ryegrass, etc.. The information packet lists various warm-season turfgrasses to not use it on but it does not say bermudagrass. In other words, it doesn't say it is for bermuda but it also doesn't say it isn't for bermuda.:confused:

cpa4t9r said:
For those customers who don't want the bermuda, NC State says to control bermuda in TTTF to apply Acclaim/Turflon 3 times - 6/1; 7/1; and 8/1. Have used Fusillade(Ornamec)/Turflon in years past with decent results. I have some common bermuda along edge of road that I've been trying control - applied Speedzone/Drive about a month ago and didn't do anything to the bermuda.
Click to expand...
I've heard this as well but have also heard it gives just "decent" results. A lot of time and money for mediocre results. I find it easier to just live with it and aggressively maintain a tall-fescue program throughout the year. Following a strict tall-fescue program is almost completely opposite of what bermudagrass wants.
 
Discussion starter · #12 ·
Today I returned to mow some of the homes sprayed Friday. The bermudagrass showed really no signs of distress.

Some of the newer fescue lawns (less than one year old) showed yellowing but the older, more established turf did great. The weeds were already about dead.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
It's been about two weeks now since I sprayed the bermuda/fescue lawns. The bermuda is showing virtually no signs of stress.

One a side note, I have a fellow firefighter who recently bought some Q4 and he was told by our supplier that the Q4 label is going to change to show bermudagrass is acceptable.
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
Volman said:
Just a word of thought. Several post have talked about spraying products containind 2,4-D at 90 degrees or above. Don't forget about volitization & killing off target plants. Just a thought
Click to expand...
Excellent point. Q4 says not above 90 and I don't want to get even close.

I'm calling my supplier tomorrow but I also heard for bermudagrass, he said spray it at 2.0 oz/M instead of the traditional 2.6-3.0 oz. application.
 
#16 ·
I know this is a super old thread, but I was doing some research today on this topic and decided to join this forum just so that I could give some feedback on my experience.

Sprayed Q4 at 2 different rates for bermudagrass- the first app was at 2.5oz per gallon while I backed the second app off to 2 oz per gallon. Both applications included a surfactant @ .5oz per gallon.

Noticed this weekend several stress spots in the turf in both areas of treatment (mix rate did not matter in this case). While it did take care of crabgrass & other weeds very effectively, you can certainly notice areas in the turf that were treated vs. those that weren't. I'm about 2 weeks out from treatment and the areas of stress are very prominent. In both instances, the temp did not reach the 90-degree mark as outlined by the label.

Anyone else experienced issues with Q4 in bermudagrass?
 
#18 ·
Thanks- I guess I should have been more clear. I was spraying to treat crabgrass and other broadleafs in a Bermuda lawn. I experienced the damage in the Bermuda grass, not good. Now I'm dealing with a lawn with brown spots all in it.

Also, to be clear I checked today and it was actually Q4 plus. Labeled for usage on bermudagrass, although at lower rates compared to cool season turf. Sure my first app was a little on the high range for this product, (recommended 1.8-2.6 per gallon) but still fell within range as outlined by the label. Still trying to determine what happened here!
 
#19 ·
Easy. Spot spraying with a common hand held sprayer can apply up to 4 gallons of spray per 1000 sq ft.
 
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