Tenacity, with the active ingredient Mesotrione, is a popular choice for both pre-emergent and post-emergent weed control, especially during lawn seeding projects. If you’ve searched for lawn care tips on YouTube, you’ve likely seen Tenacity recommended for preventing and eliminating weeds. While Tenacity is the brand name, Mesotrione is the powerful active ingredient that targets a wide range of weeds without harming new grass seed when applied correctly.
Using Mesotrione as a pre-emergent during seeding helps prevent weeds from competing with your new grass, giving your lawn the best chance to thrive. This makes Tenacity (Mesotrione) a top recommendation for anyone looking to establish a healthy, weed-free lawn from seed.
Mesotrione for Warm-Season Turf
Before using Mesotrione (the active ingredient in Tenacity) on your lawn, it’s important to know that this herbicide is generally NOT recommended for warm-season grasses. According to the product label, Centipede grass is the only warm-season turf approved for Mesotrione use. While St. Augustine grass is also mentioned, Mesotrione is only permitted on sod farms—not on residential St. Augustine lawns. For most warm-season lawns, it’s best to choose alternative weed control solutions to ensure the health and safety of your turf.
Mesotrione for Cool-Season Turf: Pre-Emergent
Mesotrione, the active ingredient in Tenacity, is highly effective for cool-season lawns, especially during fall seeding. As a pre-emergent herbicide, Mesotrione can be safely applied at the same time as your grass seed. It prevents weeds from germinating and competing with your new grass, without harming the grass seed itself. This makes Mesotrione an excellent choice for anyone looking to establish a thick, healthy cool-season lawn while minimizing weed growth during the critical seeding period.
For optimal weed control and lawn health, it’s crucial to apply Mesotrione before your grass seed germinates. Applying Mesotrione after the grass has started to grow can damage young seedlings. That’s why we recommend using Mesotrione as a pre-emergent herbicide on the same day you seed your lawn. Simply apply Mesotrione alongside your grass seed and water it in immediately for the best protection against weeds and to ensure healthy grass establishment. Don’t delay. Timing is key for success!
Mesotrione provides effective pre-emergent weed control for 3-4 weeks, giving your new grass seed ample time to establish and start growing strong. However, Mesotrione is not a substitute for Prodiamine or Dithiopyr in established lawns, as it does not offer long-lasting protection and is less effective for ongoing weed prevention in mature turf. For best results, use Mesotrione as a pre-emergent only when seeding your lawn, and choose longer-lasting products like Prodiamine or Dithiopyr for established grass.
Mesotrione for Cool-Season Turf: Post-Emergent
Mesotrione is not only effective as a pre-emergent but also works well as a post-emergent weed control for cool-season turf. If you have leftover Mesotrione from your seeding project, you can use it to target a wide range of common lawn weeds, including dandelion, clover, crabgrass, goosegrass, creeping bentgrass, annual bluegrass, barnyardgrass, and even yellow nutsedge.
*Important: If you plan to apply Mesotrione AFTER seeding, wait until your new grass has been mowed 3-4 times or at least 30 days after germination. This ensures your young grass is established and protected from potential herbicide damage.
Mesotrione is considered a specialty herbicide for lawns. It’s best used when you have specific weed issues that other products can’t address, such as persistent weedy grasses like Creeping Bentgrass. If you’re struggling with Creeping Bentgrass or similar grassy weeds, Mesotrione is an excellent choice for targeted control.
However, if your main lawn problems are broadleaf weeds like Creeping Charlie, Henbit, Spurge, or Plantain, more cost-effective options like Speed Zone (which contains four active ingredients) may deliver better results.
In summary, Mesotrione is not a general-purpose weed control solution. It’s ideal for specialty situations, such as during lawn seeding or when dealing with specific grassy weed infestations. For most other weed issues, consider alternative herbicides to save money and achieve optimal results.
Curious when to seed your cool-season lawn? Download the FREE Yard Mastery app for timing recommendations based on your personal soil temperatures!
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