What Herbicide Kills Goosegrass: Post-Emergent Options Explained?

Guide

Fenoxaprop, mesotrione, topramezone, sulfentrazone, foramsulfuron, and metribuzin are the post-emergent actives that control goosegrass — but which one you can legally use depends on your turf species and the current product label.

Goosegrass goes from straggly clump to tillered, mat-forming mess in weeks, and control drops sharply as it matures. Active ingredient matters, so does timing, water volume, and whether the product is labeled for your grass. Here’s what kills goosegrass after it’s up, what each option is cleared for, and where people go wrong. The short version: treat young, treat early, pick by turf species — not by what’s on sale.

Which Post-Emergent Actives Actually Control Goosegrass?

Reliable post-emergent actives are fenoxaprop, mesotrione, topramezone, sulfentrazone, foramsulfuron, metribuzin, and combinations built from them. Each has a specific turf list; using one outside it risks killing the lawn with the weed.

  • Acclaim Extra (fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, Group 1) — selective post-emergent for annual grassy weeds; listed for Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, zoysiagrass. Concentration 0.57 lb/gal. Don’t assume it fits other turf.
  • Tenacity (mesotrione, EPA Reg. No. 100-1267) — post-emergent rate 4–8 fl oz/acre in at least 30 gallons water/acre, with nonionic surfactant. Repeat after 2–3 weeks may be needed.
  • Pylex (topramezone) — listed for goosegrass in centipedegrass and certain cool-season grasses.
  • Dismiss (sulfentrazone) — strongest on pre-tillered goosegrass; homeowner availability and permitted turf vary by label.
  • Revolver (foramsulfuron, 0.19 lb/gal) — bermudagrass and zoysiagrass only. Do not apply to cool-season grasses, centipedegrass, or St. Augustinegrass.
  • Sencor (metribuzin) — professional option where repeat applications are commonly needed.
  • Tribute Total (thiencarbazone + foramsulfuron + halosulfuron) — aimed at young goosegrass, preferably before tillering, in bermudagrass programs.
  • SpeedZone (2,4-D ester + MCPP + dicamba + carfentrazone) — selective combination listed for goosegrass.

That’s late treatment: more product, more passes, less certainty.

Active Ingredient Best Turf Fit Key Label Detail
Fenoxaprop Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, zoysiagrass 0.57 lb/gal; not cleared for all species
Mesotrione Labeled established turf 4–8 fl oz/acre in 30+ gal water/acre
Topramezone Centipedegrass, some cool-season Tolerance is label-specific
Sulfentrazone Labeled turf Best on pre-tillered plants
Foramsulfuron Bermudagrass, zoysiagrass 0.19 lb/gal; avoid cool-season turf
Metribuzin Bermudagrass programs Often needs repeat applications
SpeedZone blend Labeled turf

Once you’ve matched an active to your grass, pick a named product you can actually buy — our tested roundup of the best herbicide for goosegrass covers retail options and where each fits.

How Do You Apply These Without Wasting Product?

Apply while goosegrass is young and actively growing, and follow the label’s adjuvant, water volume, and retreatment intervals exactly. The Tenacity EPA label is a good model: post-emergent uptake happens through foliar contact and soil absorption; treated foliage may stop growing and turn white as chlorophyll breaks down; full death can take up to three weeks. Practical points:

  • Adjuvants are not optional. Tenacity specifies a nonionic surfactant. For ornamentals, UF/IFAS notes crop-oil concentrates and surfactants can improve graminicide performance while raising phytotoxicity risk.
  • Water volume carries the spray. Tenacity requires at least 30 gallons per acre. Undiluted passes leave streaks of surviving weeds.
  • Retreatment windows are real. Two to three weeks for mesotrione; at least 30 days between the two SpeedZone-type passes.
  • Small weeds only for burn-down products. Diquat (Reward) and pelargonic acid (Scythe) work on small goosegrass as directed. Glufosinate (Finale) and glyphosate handle larger plants but are nonselective — they must not touch desirable vegetation.
  • Over ornamentals, use graminicides. Clethodim (Envoy Plus), fluazifop-P-butyl (Fusilade II), fenoxaprop, and sethoxydim (Segment II) control grassy weeds over selected ornamentals. They won’t touch broadleaf weeds or sedges.

What Goes Wrong Most Often?

Most failures trace to timing or product choice, not a weak active. Purdue advises against treating drought- or heat-stressed turf, and efficacy generally falls as goosegrass matures. Recurring mistakes:

  • Spraying after the plant is large or heavily tillered.
  • Using a product without checking turf species, application site, state registration, and label restrictions.
  • Reaching for a broadleaf herbicide. UF/IFAS notes 2,4-D and MCPP do not control weedy grasses.
  • Skipping required adjuvants, water volumes, irrigation, or retreatment intervals.
  • Running the same mode of action season after season. UF/IFAS recommends rotating modes of action to reduce resistance risk.

Labels and state registrations change. The current label — not a retailer listing or older extension table — governs legal use.

Common Questions

Does 2,4-D kill goosegrass?

No. 2,4-D is a broadleaf herbicide, and UF/IFAS notes it does not control weedy grasses. Goosegrass is a grass, so it needs a grass-active product such as fenoxaprop, mesotrione, or foramsulfuron. Combination products that include 2,4-D, like SpeedZone, work because of the other actives in the blend, not the 2,4-D.

Can I spray goosegrass once and be done?

Rarely, and only if you catch it very young. Mesotrione labels allow a repeat after 2–3 weeks, and Plan for a second pass.

Why did the weed turn white and then recover?

Mesotrione bleaches treated foliage as chlorophyll breaks down, and the EPA label notes death can take up to three weeks. A plant that whitens but pushes new green growth was under-dosed, sprayed too late, or applied without the required nonionic surfactant. Retreatment per the label is the usual fix.

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