Best preemergent

[Alpine Naturescapes]

I have been using a popular preemergent, but this year I had crabgrass and spurge come right through it in August. We had a record hot July which predominantly reached the 100's. This year the preemergent only seemed to delay the onset of these weeds 1 month.

[CCLS]

Dimension is what I use. I still have to spot spray once in a while. Overall, works great.

[Seascape]

Look for 1 labeled w/ pendimethlin.
mike

[Alpine Naturescapes]

Hey thanks. It was Dimension. even where I applied it on the heavy side, the weeds came through. When a client pays extra for the "best", they don't want to see the usual. What if I apply it in spring and early summer. Has anyone tried this? Labels of some preemergents suggest applying in late summer/early fall AND in spring.

[CCLS]

As I have posted before, many companies around here use two applications of preemergent in the spring. I don't know about where you live, but in Iowa we had an abnormially cool spring and early summer. Since the temp stayed so cool for so long, the preem had broke down and by the time the crabgrass germinated in mid July the preem was useless. Not every lawn has bad crabgrass, but I can see a lot more that I did last year just because of the weather. The rain also contributed to the break down in the preem barrier. The rain dropped the barrier low enough into the ground that seeds were allowed to germinate above the barrier. Its just one of those things you have to spot treat. You don't know what mother nature will do, you can only guess.

[Woody04765]

What type of grass are you in. Alot of people around here use corn meal as a preemergent on their Bermuda and St. Augustine lawns. Works like a champ from what I can tell.

[Alpine Naturescapes]

It's KBG. I was going to go back to the customer, and explain that alot of people have had problems with the preemergent this yr. I was going to offer to apply corn gluten at my cost in the problem area in beginning of Sept, and then again in April, and June. The rest would be regular fert prog.

People here tend to have big lawns, and they don't want to pay the $ for corn gluten. I tried Bradfield, and it didn't seem to have any preem quality, but then it's not licensed as a preem. Back to a licensed preem. What is the cheapest licensed corn gluten preem you have found, and where is it?
Thanks in advance.

[Woody04765]

Thats kind of a funny question. To me anyway. Around here you just go down to any one of four thousand feed or grain stores down here and buy it in 50 or 100# bags, load it up and have fun. Corn meal is used for quite a few different things in Texas. I think my buddy just paid $20 or $25 for the last 50# he bought. Good stuff too. I don't know what to tell you about any licensed stuff because I don't have a clue. I'm sorry.

[GLAN]

Corn Gluten Meal is an organic substance. Not governed by Federal EPA.

I read some where something like 20# per thousand. It will supress crabgrass and also provide a nitrogen source. Think of it as a combo prevent & feed.

[Alpine Naturescapes]

Glan,
Corn gluten has a peptide or chemical which some University dude isolated as a preem. The university licensed it. Therefore to represent corn gluten as a preem and not just fert, you have to use a LICENSED corn gluten which is labeled for preem. Don't ask me - I think it's stupid. Hey I just discovered H2O quenches thirst, I think I'll license it as a thirst quencher!
Bradfield corn gluten (not just corn meal) is sold as a fert and not a preem.