Certainty Turf Herbicide Label Changes

Certainty Turf Herbicide Label Changes

Monsanto recently updated the Certainty® Turf Herbicide label 2011-1 on packaged goods. These changes are effective on product packaged and shipped after May 2011. All cool season turfgrass uses for Certainty have been removed from the 2011-1 label. The product can still be used on warm-season turf. The label change also adds nursery and landscape recommendations for preplant, directed and over-the-top applications in ornamentals and groundcovers.

Q: What does this mean?

A: Product packaged before these changes can continue to be used according to label directions in cool season turf, but any Certainty® purchased in the future will be labeled only for use in warm-season turf like bermudagrass and zoysiagrass.

Q: Certainty® worked well on yellow nutsedge in Kentucky bluegrass, what should I use now?

A: Many herbicide options are available for sedge control in cool-season turf including bentazon (Basagran), LescoGran), halosulfuron (SedgeHammer, ProSedge, others), mesotrione (Tenacity), sulfentrazone (Dismiss), and sulfentrazone containing herbicides (Echelon, Q4 Plus, Solitare, Surge,TZONE).

Q: Certainty® was labeled for rough bluegrass control in Kentucky bluegrass and creeping bentgrass, what should I use now?

A: Velocity is the only other turf herbicide labeled for rough bluegrass control, but it is only labeled for sod and golf course use. Rough bluegrass control in residential and commercial lawns will now need to be controlled with non-selective applications of glyphosate.

Q: Certainty® was labeled for suppression and partial control of quackgrass. Are there alternatives for selective quackgrass control in cool-season turf?

A: No. Certainty® was the only herbicide labeled for selective control of quackgrass in cool-season turf (primarily Kentucky bluegrass). Quackgrass will now need to be controlled with non-selective applications of glyphosate.

Aaron Patton, Turfgrass Extension Specialist