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hi yield triclopyr ester on fine fescue

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roody2333

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Anyone seen it harm fine fescue? In shade/full sun?
label says nothing about fine fescue, email rep said to just test a spot. I don't think I've noticed any harm.

hi yield ester : Do not apply to bahiagrass, bentgrass, bermudagrass,
centipedegrass, St. Augustine grass, or zoysiagrass, unless turf
injury can be tolerated.

This is for cool season grasses in transition zone BTW.

I do like bentgrass and haven't seen it harmed either.

only place read if can use on FF is domyown Q&A and someone replied simply: only use on tall fescue, but label says can use on bluegrass and perennial rye also.
 
#2 ·
Maybe parallel to your post, but I have had issues here and there with Turflon Ester and TZone tip burning lawns when they are very dewy and esp. in more tender shade areas of the lawn like north sides of houses. I apply out of a ride on 1/3 gal/K volume so low volume. Tip burn tire tracks are my issue. Not all over the lawns, just in the tender areas.
 
Discussion starter · #3 ·
I know the tender dewy type grass you're talking about.

Thing is, with the ester triclopyr, I've never seen any damage to fine fescue (when used as directed since it is an ester and not for hotter weather), so I'm surprised why it's not listed at all on the PDF as either safe or not safe to use on considering it's so common in col season blends.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
update again, ester didn't have any bad affect on fine fescue sprayed in early Spring once mature weeds started re growing for the year, but if done later in the season after the FF has possibly been heat stressed, even if there's a stretch of cooler sub 80 days then the ester might harm some FF. This is likely Hard Fescue (not creeping red or chewings) because it was full sun area which the two others likely won't survive in, but either way would avoid ester on any FF later in the season. Triclopyr ester-based works so well to kill broadleaf though so tempting to at least spike an amine-based 3 way with it.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
I think if the fine fescue is established for some seasons and has good root system already then it's safe, otherwise maybe risky if was just seeded the season before or sooner and especially if not routinely watered since then. Either way, saw no harm done. I read lots of problems on lawn forums etc but have never had any problem with any fertilizer/ herbicide. I use mostly organic fertilizer so maybe that helps also.
 
#6 ·
I have some shady areas on my property that have fine fescue, the rest are TTTF. I overseeded a fine fescue blend to get more density in the spring, and that grass was doing well. I used triclopyr ester at the lower rate when the temps were between 75 and 79 after a bout of temperatures in the mid to high 80s after at least 7 mows on the newly planted fescue blend. The goal was to control some clover.

The shady areas are cooked. I'm pretty sure the new fescue will not make it. The mature fescue is very damaged, but I expect it to recover because it's responding to frequent watering. The TTTF became more sensitive to heat stress in the days after spraying, but the clover completely died out, and the grass has recovered with no lasting damage.

I will not be using this stuff past early spring again, and I wish I had seen some of the good recommendations in this thread before I sprayed.
 
#7 ·
Cush--squirt bottle? Hand sprayer? Backpack sprayer? Power sprayer?
Spot spray--or overall blanket spray?
How was it mixed? With how much water?
How much solution was applied per thousand sqft?
Applying the correct amount per thousand sqft with a hand sprayer is always difficult.
Practice with water to be sure you will by applying the correct amount per thousand sqft.
 
#8 ·
RigglePLC said:
Cush--squirt bottle? Hand sprayer? Backpack sprayer? Power sprayer?
Spot spray--or overall blanket spray?
How was it mixed? With how much water?
How much solution was applied per thousand sqft?
Applying the correct amount per thousand sqft with a hand sprayer is always difficult.
Practice with water to be sure you will by applying the correct amount per thousand sqft.
Click to expand...
I went with 3/8 oz per 1000 in a 1 gallon carrier because I typically go with a lower rate the first time I use a product. I used 3 oz per 1000 NIS. It was applied with a flowzone backpack sprayer that's been properly calibrated for a couple of years now. I'm a bit OCD, so I always walk to a click track and I use flags as visual cues to make sure I'm getting minimal overlap. I'm pretty confident in my technique, so I think the grass type combined with my timing between some hot weeks caused what I'm seeing. I'm not giving up on the product because it easily wiped the clover..I'll just try it earlier in the season next year.
 
#9 · (Edited)
I cannot seem to walk slow enough to get a whole gallon per 1000 sqft. Of course, my sprayers and backpack are not electrified. I cover more like 2000 sqft per gallon.
Surfactant is not usually based on the square feet covered, but rather calculated as ounces per gallon of the solution.
I normally use about an ounce per gallon...or...2 quarts per 100 gallons.
Fine fescue is under stress in hot weather. Probably it is more easily injured.
Did anyone else have a similar experience?


In edit:
Actually this site does not list fine fescue as safe for treatment.

And they do not suggest a surfactant when treating lawns.
I did not know that--until now.

www.domyown.com

Hi-Yield Triclopyr Ester

Hi-Yield Triclopyr Ester
www.domyown.com www.domyown.com
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Cush, are you experiencing a drought there too any lots of lawns are dormant brown? Could be you sprayed right before the drought and heat and then maybe it's not even dead.

FWIW, I'm sure I've sprayed plenty of FF with triclopyr ester in late june'ish about 6 weeks later than I'd have liked to and I don't think any got damaged whatsoever.
So I'm thinking it's because yours was newly planted, and/or the drought situation , although in full shade I'm seeing fine fescue still green and growing whereas full sun TTTF areas look dead on lawns all over the place but I think they'll bounce back granted people don't do uneducated stuff to them them fertilize too much or at all when dormant, or mow it too short right before dormant, walk all over it put mower tracks lines all over it etc.

It is said watering the heck out of it when dormant can sometimes be worse than just leaving it but this drought in NJs been long and hot and a few areas I didn't saturate the heck outa the lawn while doing other things, it's just that dry and hot my gut feeling was to saturate it, soil type matters a lot, dig down a tad and it was totally dry.
 
#12 ·
Side note to this, 3oz/ gal seems pretty high?
We really don't use it, but in backpacks at 1gal/k, we're using like .5-1oz NIS.

Could that possibly be something?
 
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#13 ·
Surfactants (NIS) are mixed in a given volume of water. Usually about one-half or one percent in the tank. Not mixed on a per thousand sqft basis.
At least that is my impression.
If your backpack covers 4000 sqft, you would not mix at 3 ounces per thousand sqft--that would be 12 ounces--too much.
I think an ounce per gallon is plenty in a backpack.
 
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RigglePLC
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