Maintaining a pristine lawn is every landscaper’s goal. But when you’re fighting weeds that resemble your turf, the battle can be daunting. Weeds that look like grass are tricky because they often blend in with the lawn at first, only becoming noticeable once they’ve firmly established themselves.
“So, how do I deal with weeds that look like grass?”, you may ask.
The key to effective control is early identification and targeted treatment to prevent these weeds from taking over your landscape.
This article will help you achieve all the above by identifying the common weeds that resemble grass and the best control methods to help you keep your flawless lawn.
1. Crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis)
- Local Name: Crabgrass, Hairy crabgrass, and Large crabgrass
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Crabgrass is perhaps the most infamous annual grassy weed due to its rapid growth and spread on lawns. It has coarse, yellowish-green blades with a width of 3-12mm that grows in a clump, sprawling from a central root.
The blades are wider and lighter than most common lawn grasses, making it easier to identify.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Mechanical control: Uprooting the weed from the roots using a weeding tool can help control the weed.
- Chemical control: Apply a pre-emergent herbicide like Quali Prodiamine or post-emergent herbicides like Quinclorac or Tenacity for turf.
2. Quackgrass (Elymus repens)
- Local Name: Common couch and Twitch
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Quackgrass is a common aggressive perennial weed that can grow over 1m in height. The weed’s wide, flat blades 5-30 cm long can be mistaken for lawn grass.
Its key distinguishing feature is the long, creeping rhizomes that help the weed spread over 3m long. It generally grows quicker than most turf grasses and is easily identified by its height.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Temperate Asia
Removal Methods
- Cultural control: Maintain a dense and healthy turf to outcompete quackgrass.
- Mechanical control: Dig out the quackgrass using a shovel or digging fork to remove the entire plant including the root network.
- Chemical control: Apply a selective herbicide like Certainty or non-selective herbicides like glyphosate or Glufosinate ammonium for effective control.
3. Nutsedge (Cyperus esculentus)
- Local Name: Nutsedge andNutgrass
- Family: Cyperaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Perennial
Nutsedge is a perennial grass-like weed considered one of the biggest problems in lawns and gardens. It has tall triangular stems and thin light green or yellow leaf blades that are stiffer and more upright than typical lawn grass.
The sedge thrives in damp areas and their presence indicates poor drainage. It grows faster than the surrounding grass, often sticking out above the lawn. Since the weed reproduces through seeds and underground tubers, once established, it often requires quick action to eradicate it.
It is native to:
- North America
- South America
- Africa
- Southern Europe
Removal Methods
- Cultural control: Improve drainage, increase shade, or expose the tubers to sunlight.
- Mechanical control: Hand pulling or digging up the plants using a shovel or garden trowel (up to 18 inches down) can provide effective control for small patches.
- Chemical control: Apply selective herbicides containing imazapic, bentazon, or halosulfuron. You can also consider repeated applications of glyphosate on actively growing young plants for faster eradication.
4. Goosegrass (Eleusine indica)
- Local Name: Silver crabgrass, Wire grass, and Indian goosegrass
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Goosegrass is a summer annual weed that can grow between 50-70 cm tall. The weed resembles crabgrass but has a silvery-white center at the base and tends to form flatter, more compact clumps.
It has a more upright growth habit and spreads rapidly on thin turfs or in compacted soils mostly located in full sunlight. It is one of the most common weeds in agricultural and landscaping environments.
It is native to
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Cultural Methods: Fertilizing and mowing the turfgrass at the recommended height helps prevent goosegrass infestations. Releasing soil compassion through aeration and traffic management can help improve turfgrass competition against goosegrass.
- Mechanical control: Hand-pulling or digging using a tool like a trowel or shovel can be effective for young plants.
- Chemical control: Apply pre-emergent herbicides with active ingredients such as prodiamine, dithiopyr, oxadiazon, and pendimethalin. Post-emergence herbicides recommended for goosegrass include mesotrione, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, topramezone, or a 2,4-D ester + MCPP + Dicamba + carfentrazone combination.
5. Foxtail (Setaria pumila)
- Local Name: Pigeon grass, Yellow bristle-grass, and Cattail grass
- Family: Poaceae
- Annual or Perennial: Annual
Annual foxtail is an upright annual weed that can grow up to 2m tall. It has flat, bluish-green leaves about 15-30 cm long, similar to many grass blades. The stems are mostly hairless green or a purplish hue. It is also easily identified by its yellow seed heads with bristle-like hairs.
It is a common and aggressive weed on lawns, agricultural lands, areas near rivers, fencelines, pastures, and roadsides.
It is native to:
- Europe
- Asia
Removal Methods
- Cultural control: Maintain a healthy turfgrass through proper irrigation and fertilization.
- Mechanical control: Pulling or digging with a hand-held tool can provide effective control for small infestations.
- Chemical control: Apply pre-emergent herbicides with active ingredients such as dithiopyr, prodiamine, or pendimethalin. For existing infestations, consider herbicides containing quinclorac, fenoxaprop-p-ethyl, or topramezone.
Lead Editor for Insight Weeds.