PGR for turf? Anybody here ever use a PGR on turf?

Patriot Services · May 16, 2011

ProStreetCamaro said:
Well I went ahead and splurged and got a gallon of primo maxx. Should do my lawn a couple times so it will last me for 2 years or so.

Are you going to test a little or just let er rip out the boom sprayer?
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Ric · May 16, 2011

Patriot Services said:
For an interesting alternative, search "chemical mowing".
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Yo

If you seach Chemical Mowing to might find a post I made about as far back as 2001. I am sure you will many posts about Chemical Mowing.

WHAT IS CHEMICAL MOWING??

It is the application of Plant Growth Regulator that redirect growth while still providing erosion control and a Green ground cover. PGR like Primo actually cause deeper root growth as well as lateral spread for a thicker turf. Because Primo inhibits cell elongation in leaves, they are more compacted with Chlorophyll and are darker green.

Ric · May 16, 2011

Let me add

My own Bermuda lawn was mowed 8 times in the last year. It was also boom sprayed with Glyphosate as a PGR.

But do your math because different turfs take different rates of PGR and cost is important. Plus remember PGR work best on MONOSTANDS of turf. Most PGR will work as select herbicides on some weeds. But that doesn't mean they work on all weeds. You can very easily end up with very short grass and very tall fast growing weeds. There a little more to Chemical mowing than meets the eye.

ProStreetCamaro · May 16, 2011

Patriot Services said:
Are you going to test a little or just let er rip out the boom sprayer?
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Well my front yard is about 1/2 an acre and my back is at least 1 1/2 so I am going to test a section in the back yard first. If it goes well then I will do the entire yard.

ProStreetCamaro · May 16, 2011

Ric said:
Let me add

My own Bermuda lawn was mowed 8 times in the last year. It was also boom sprayed with Glyphosate as a PGR.

But do your math because different turfs take different rates of PGR and cost is important. Plus remember PGR work best on MONOSTANDS of turf. Most PGR will work as select herbicides on some weeds. But that doesn't mean they work on all weeds. You can very easily end up with very short grass and very tall fast growing weeds. There a little more to Chemical mowing than meets the eye.

I also picked up some Trimec :drinkup:

As it stands right now my lawn in 99.9% weed free and super thick lush tall fescue.

ProStreetCamaro · May 22, 2011

Well did the primo maxx app today on my lawn. I hope it works as well as they claim. It is so pricy I certainly wont use it again after it is gone. Took almost a half gallon to treat my own lawn. So 2 treatments for $275 is nuts in my book. Next time around I will use embark T&O even if it does discolor the turf a bit. If it does I will just spray it with ferromec.

Pythium · May 25, 2011

Sorry so late in responding, some additional info. I am a former golf course superintendent and used PGR's religiously.
Primo works best when continuesly applied meaning, not allowing the effects of the product to wear off. usually about 2-4 weeks. Once it comes out of growth regulation it will grow quite fast for about a week or two. (turf becomes flush with suppressed Gibberillic Acid) You will notice if you had any misses, the regulated turf will be a darker green.
Proxy sucks as a growth regulator, best for poa seedhead suppression.

TMlawncare · May 26, 2011

ProStreetCamaro said:
Well did the primo maxx app today on my lawn. I hope it works as well as they claim. It is so pricy I certainly wont use it again after it is gone. Took almost a half gallon to treat my own lawn. So 2 treatments for $275 is nuts in my book. Next time around I will use embark T&O even if it does discolor the turf a bit. If it does I will just spray it with ferromec.

The first week you won't notice much difference. The second week you will se the turf turning a lighter shade of green and is much shorter. We use primo mixed with ferromec to minimize the color changes. The difference between the untreated turf and the treated is obvious. On some of our fastest growing lawns, 6-8" of growth a week can now be mulched in one pass. The untreated portions have to still be double cut with a side discharge. Mulcher can barely make in through it. Btw the mulcher is a 60" turf tracer. After about 5 weeks the effects start fading and the grass becomes extremely green and starts growing quickly. We only use primo on sections of our most troublesome lawn in the Spring.

Ric · May 26, 2011

Pythium said:
Sorry so late in responding, some additional info. I am a former golf course superintendent and used PGR's religiously.
Primo works best when continuesly applied meaning, not allowing the effects of the product to wear off. usually about 2-4 weeks. Once it comes out of growth regulation it will grow quite fast for about a week or two. (turf becomes flush with suppressed Gibberillic Acid) You will notice if you had any misses, the regulated turf will be a darker green.
Proxy sucks as a growth regulator, best for poa seedhead suppression.

Pythium

What you are experiencing is the SPRING BACK EFFECT after the PGR wears off and should be explained some where in the supplemental labeling

While you see a darker Green on Bend Grass and other species because of shorter cellular elongation of the leaf blade, what you don't see is root extension cause by the PGR. My experience is mostly with Primo and I am extremely happy with the results. However Warm Season Turf, Primo is labeled for 4.5 to 6.5 oz per acre on St Augustine which makes it very affordable. Bermuda rate is 33 oz per Acre and Bahia 44 oz per acre. At these rates Primo is no longer economic on Bermuda and Bahia. Therefore I use Glyphosate which works as a ******ant of Chlorophyll instead of a redirecting growth like Primo. With Glyphosate you get none of the Added Benefits of Primo and only a Stunting of growth because in effect you are half way killing the Bermuda or Bahia which is extremely hard to kill out.

FERT-TEK · May 26, 2011

Had a bad experience with a PGR and a fungus last year.

Wasn't a big deal but something to consider before using one. The story goes....got a small amount of Primo Maxx from my dealer last year around this time. It was an open jug that they couldn't sell. I carefully measured the correct dose and applied it to my KBG lawn. It worked as advertised but unfortunately trapped a newly emerging fungus on my lawn that I missed. Ordinarily, I would treat it with a fungicide and let it grow out to repair. Unfortunately it took twice as long for it to grow out and looked like garbage for about a month. Lesson learned

bx24 · May 28, 2011

I was looking at PGR to try out...Have to keep an eye on this thread.

ProStreetCamaro · May 28, 2011

Well I cut the lawn after 7 days of growth and flew across it. Did not leave any debris and did not require double cutting. I went from 2 hours to cut it to 45 minutes. YES!!!!!!!!

Ric · May 28, 2011

ProStreetCamaro said:
Well I cut the lawn after 7 days of growth and flew across it. Did not leave any debris and did not require double cutting. I went from 2 hours to cut it to 45 minutes. YES!!!!!!!!

Prostreet

So you basically wasted 45 minute plus travel time and wear and tear on your Equipment. Why did you even cut it this week???? I have cut my own lawn 3 times this year since Thanksgiving and it is as short as my neighbors who cut every two weeks this time of year. Rainy Season is about start and I will increase my mowing cycles to once ever month until the end of Sept.

What I am saying is get with the program because in this economy the every day Yard Boy is a thing of the past. Robot mowing has not taken off big time yet because Landscape curbing must be installed to keep the Robot mower in the yard. But it won't be long before the big boys realize the Chemical mowing market and under cut every one on prices.

ProStreetCamaro · May 28, 2011

Ric said:
Prostreet

So you basically wasted 45 minute plus travel time and wear and tear on your Equipment. Why did you even cut it this week???? I have cut my own lawn 3 times this year since Thanksgiving and it is as short as my neighbors who cut every two weeks this time of year. Rainy Season is about start and I will increase my mowing cycles to once ever month until the end of Sept.

What I am saying is get with the program because in this economy the every day Yard Boy is a thing of the past. Robot mowing has not taken off big time yet because Landscape curbing must be installed to keep the Robot mower in the yard. But it won't be long before the big boys realize the Chemical mowing market and under cut every one on prices.

This is my own lawn and it defiantly needed cutting. didnt want to wait till it was deep again. This will be week 2 after the primo maxx app and i hear week 2 through 4 have the best growth reduction and weeks 5 and 6 it slowly starts coming out of regulation.

PGR for turf? Anybody here ever use a PGR on turf?

Patriot Services

Ric

Ric

ProStreetCamaro

ProStreetCamaro

ProStreetCamaro

Pythium

TMlawncare

Ric

FERT-TEK

bx24

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Ric

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