When you’re looking for an effective herbicide for weed management on golf courses it’s important to first know what type of weeds you’re trying to control. With an assortment of products that include pre-emergents, post-emergents and spot treaters, you want to use the most effective product we carry and not have to constantly be reapplying it.

In established bluegrass, zoysia grass and Bermuda grass, the post-emergent MSMA herbicide is most effective in controlling broadleaf weeds like crabgrass, yellow nutsedge, dallisgrass, johnsongrass, pigweed, chickseed, sandbur and others.

Lawns that are mowed short, like on golf courses, tend to invite weeds like crabgrass to invade. Light, frequent watering, also popular at golf courses, favors crabgrass. Crabgrass is an opportunist and often invades areas seeded in late spring because of the bare soil, spring rains and the onset of hot weather, all of which are ideal for its growth.

Herbicides are also available to manage annual weeds. Pre-emergence herbicides prevent annual grassy weeds such as crabgrass from emerging. Whether you’re apply pre-emergents or post-emergents the timing of applying herbicides is important.

Pre-emergents should be applied before the crabgrass emerges from the soil. Crabgrass will germinate when soil temperatures are greater than 55 to 60F° for 7-10 consecutive days, and continues until soils reach 95F°. Other annual grasses germinate as soils get warmer than 60 degrees. Post-emergence herbicides are applied when crabgrass and other broadleaf plants are very small

It’s always going to be easier to implement preventive measures than it will be to try to eliminate weeds after they’ve taken root. Establish a preventive schedule for applying your herbicides and you’ll be able to stay ahead of the weed problem. Preventive applications are recommended on golf greens and courses whenever environmental conditions favor weed development.