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Removing 419 from Champion ?

11 posts
  1. Paul Brandenburg
    Paul Brandenburg avatar
    0 posts
    5/8/2014 8:05 AM
    Anyone have any experience successfully removing 419 from Champion greens? And not just collars either - we established several practice greens a few years ago with aerification cores and managed to transplant some 419 (also some moss!) with the Champion. I am considering using hex plugs (or other plugging methods) but am also considering spot spraying with Roundup or Fusillade. These greens are "out of sight" during the summer so I can tolerate some blemishes. I also have lots of green paint and not a lot of man power. Any help is much appreciated!

    Paul



  2. John Quezada
    John Quezada avatar
    0 posts
    5/8/2014 5:05 PM
    Paul, i'm fighting the same problem here in east tx. I have taken on this mission to find a solution. Our greens are 18 years old champion Bermuda grass. The encroachment has moved in 3 to 5 feet, with several areas into the greens. Im thinking about severely deep verticutting our frindges. Small areas will be removed with a octagon plugger. Larger areas will be removed and replanted if there is no other way of doing this. Any help would be greatly appreciated.



  3. David Stout
    David Stout avatar
    0 posts
    5/8/2014 7:05 PM
    Although slightly different approach now vs. when I had bent, but I felt if you didn't apply roundup on collars about 21 days before overseed, you weren't doing yourself any favors. This did seem to help slow the rate of encroachment do a ton. Once it encroaches, aside from digging down to the gravel, sodcutting is the best band aid, but its a very frustrating process for sure.



  4. Smith Kerry L
    Smith Kerry L avatar
    5/9/2014 10:05 AM
    I concur with the sod cutter. When I was on bent years ago we would use up our entire 20,000 ft sq nursery every 2 years reestablishing our original green sizes. Very tedious work to get it smooth enough not to scalp!



  5. Brett Morris
    Brett Morris avatar
    0 posts
    5/11/2014 5:05 PM
    The USGA did the following presentation a couple of years ago in Las Vegas. I know of a couple of courses which have tried this with good success.

    http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1110076294420.html



  6. Paul Brandenburg
    Paul Brandenburg avatar
    0 posts
    5/13/2014 11:05 AM
    Thanks for all the replies. My biggest problem is TIME and resources needed. I simply don't have the resources to tackle this properly.

    I am going to experiment with Roundup / Fusillade. Quite honestly I don't care if I kill a little Champion. Most of my areas will be baseball sized or smaller. I fear that plugging a live plant will leave roots / rhizomes which will rear their ugly heads later. In the meantime I have green dye and green sand. I will post my results. If anyone has better ideas please advise!

    PB



  7. James Smith
    James Smith avatar
    112 posts
    5/15/2014 4:05 PM
    Brett Morris said: The USGA did the following presentation a couple of years ago in Las Vegas. I know of a couple of courses which have tried this with good success.

    http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs003/1103157499740/archive/1110076294420.html

    Brett, thanks for that video link. It was amazing and the right way to do the transition. I sent it out to all of my board members and was surprised that they actually watched it. we had a board meeting last night and it was discussed to some extent. Looks like I need to time the spraying to coincide with one of our aerifications in the near future.



  8. Vandervaate Randy
    Vandervaate Randy avatar
    5/19/2014 10:05 AM
    One thing to consider, is to spray the Roundup/Fusilade about 3-4" further than you see the contamination. There are stolons out there, and if you don't cut out enough, you'll end up with contamination right at the edge of all your hard work.

    Randy



  9. Heath Puckett
    Heath Puckett avatar
    0 posts
    5/28/2014 3:05 PM
    We are approaching our 1 year anniversary of converting bent to Mini Verde. We did not fumigate, so we are dealing with lingering 419 encroachment and some possible contamination. We were aggressive treating around the edges and known contamination spots prior to planting, but what's weird is it seems worse in the ultradwarf compared to the bentgrass. I can only think of 2 things that are different now as far as soil chemistry goes:
    No more pre-emergent applications &
    Soil pH is lower now... 6.0-6.5 compared to 7+ before the grow-in.
    But I digress...

    Anyway, we've spent significant man-hours removing 419 plants with very limited success so far. I have come to the same conclusion that spraying it out may be the most viable option. What about a wicking applicator or sponge on the tip of a backpack sprayer wand? I have a wicking rope, but would be like something smaller and more compact for precise placement. Something like the weed wand from Standard, but in the form of a sponge paintbrush. The weed wand was great for dabbing poa, but not exactly effiecient for bermuda patches. Maybe a paintbrush and a steady hand?? Thinking out loud here, but hoping someone may have a better idea...



  10. Wahlin Scott B
    Wahlin Scott B avatar
    5/30/2014 1:05 PM
    I am pretty sure I was told that no other grass could live at the same mowing height as Champion! Too funny!



  11. Curtis Nickerson
    Curtis Nickerson avatar
    0 posts
    5/30/2014 3:05 PM
    Scott Wahlin, CGCS said: I am pretty sure I was told that no other grass could live at the same mowing height as Champion! Too funny!

    And that you have to edge the greens to keep the champion from taking over the collars,fairways and rough.



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