Bermuda grass encroachment on collars

With rain coming in later today, I came into work this morning and sprayed our collars and edges of greens that are contaminated with Bermuda grass.  The plants just emerged this week and protocol for Tupersan, the product we used says to spray at first emergence and then follow up every 4-6 weeks.  It also needs to be watered in within 3 days to activate it in the soil. 

I had sprayed a preventative application earlier in the week of a product that protects the greens from some summer diseases and needed a few days between applications so the bentgrass/poa annua would not be injured.  The Bermuda product inhibits the photosynthesis of the Bermuda grass and it will slowly begin to die.  Of course as you know, Bermuda is a horrific weed.  Its root system is fairly deep into the ground and braches out in many directions this the need for follow up applications.  One of the unique benefits of Tupersan is that seeding can take place right behind an application.  It is the only pre-emeregent product that is on the market that allows seeding. 

You can see the Bermuda in this picture off the back of 5 green collar with the long stolons that attach themselves to the soil surface. We are trying to injure it at emergence since it is weaker and more vulnerable and the chemical can create significant injury.  Follow up treatments will insure that plants trying to creep into the area are kept out of the collars and greens.