Grass Type

Question: I have the shown grass coming up in areas of my residential yard.  Picture is from a neighbor's yard so I could capture a plant at the flowering stage.  It spreads by rhizomes and is scattered throughout the yard.  What would be the best control of this grass aside from digging or spot spraying an herbicide.
Thanks in advance for any assistance.

Jeff Baker

responder: Michael Connelly Replied June 19, 2023, 1:45 PM EDT
response: Sorry I didn't get back to you in a timely manner.  This is a very common problem. We love our lawns to be a mix of bluegrass and fescue but these can be ill adapted to our climate during sunny/hot years and they can be easily be damaged by walking on them or mowing them too short when they are stressed. This allows more adapted grasses, like brome or quack grass, to infiltrate our lawns via these deeper rhizomes. Unfortunately, any grass specific herbicide (like glyphosate) will also kill our lawn grasses.  There are three different options, and the long term effectiveness will depend on the situation you are dealing with. (1) Digging out and pulling...and as you've seen by the rhizome, is only partly effective and will take an excruciating amount of time. keeping this grass from spreading, while keeping your existing lawn tall and thick will reduce the effectiveness of this grass spreading, especially if you can yank it early. This won't work as well if this grass has already established itself through much of your yard. (2) A select herbicide application, whereas you 'paint' with a paintbrush a grass effective herbicide. If you have quite a bit of this grass in your lawn, then it will also be quite time consuming. A fall treatment is more effective, just make sure it hasn't gone to seed in the meantime. I've personally been partially successful with this approach, however if you have a persistent source of additional seeds and grass will be spreading in from the neighbors yards it will only be temporary and in a few years the grasses will spread back into your yard. (3) The last approach, if your yard is full of the stuff...is a complete renovation. A complete renovation is the removal of all grasses via either herbicide or tarping. Herbicide application would be done in the fall to be most effective, with a re-seeding a week or two later once you are certain that all non-preferred grass has been eliminated. Tarping would start now, with the goal of either cooking the soil (killing grasses and seeds) or denying light and moisture for several months...followed by a fall seeding. Again, these options are effective, however if this grass extends into the neighboring properties, this grass will eventually return.  https://extension.umn.edu/lawn-care/renovating-lawn-quality-and-sustainability So again, not a lot of great options especially if this grass is widespread across the neighborhood! Personally, I got so tired of this battle over the last 15 years, with the grass returning from both sides of my property, I put in a barrier/landscaping along the property line (pavers as edging with an additional weed barrier with wood mulch on top to create a walking path - about 2 1/2 feet wide - so that these rhizomes couldn't cross and any weeds/grass that gets in will be easily plucked) and then swapped out my lawn for flowerbeds. Works for a small property like mine but if you have a large lawn if will be a lot more work and probably not an option. I wish you luck. Additional resources are as follows: https://greenbeelawn.com/identify-crabgrass-fescue-quackgrass/ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/quackgrass_control_in_turf   (in this one, option 1 is not very adapted to our climate and will require a lot of irrigation)  Oh, and the worst thing to do...till! Tilling will cut up the rhizomes of this grass, and spread it around. Even a 1/2 inch piece will still be viable and allow the grass to spread across the property!

responder: The Question Asker Replied June 21, 2023, 10:18 AM EDT
response: Thanks for the info.  I'm pretty close to following the ideas you listed.  I've gone as far as going back and forth across the yard with a yardstick and wiping leaves with a Q-tip dipped in glyphosate.  It's a never ending battle. Another question I have, when you have time, is in regards to some Cheyenne privet I planted this spring, The plants were bare root when planted and all looked healthy.  About a month after planting I noticed a few with yellowing and shriveled leaves.  Eventually the leaves turned brown and fell off.  This started with 3 plants in a row spaced 2.5 feet apart. Eventually and still ongoing other plants going right down the row are yellowing.  The shrub row in on a very small slope.  It maybe drops about 5 feet over the 100 foot distance.  The affected plants start at the higher end and are working their way down.  There are 10 or so plants on the higher side that look fine.  I don't believe it's a water issue given that the plants on the lower end are pretty much growing fine in mud.  I dug up one of the most affected plants and the roots look great.  I scratched the out layer of a stem and the wood is green/living.  To me is sounds like herbicide damage although any spraying I have done has been spot spraying using a large droplet size and applying at a time when there is no wind.  Oddly, my neighbor about a block away planted some of the same that I ordered in for him which came at the same time and is experiencing some of the same.  The privet was ordered in through Jolly Lane Nursery in Rapid Vally.  Would you have any other ideas as to what could be going on?  The part about the neighbor having the same issue is throwing me off the herbicide theory.  I have about another 50 plants planted over the years but in different areas that are mature and look great. Does the extension center do any soil test for residential properties? Apologies for the long description and thanks in advance for any help you can offer.  I don't mind a phone call if you would rather not compose a lengthy email. Jeff Baker <personal data hidden>

responder: Michael Connelly Replied June 21, 2023, 3:36 PM EDT
response: I'm going to differ this second question to the SDSU Extension Forestry Specialist & South Dakota Department of Agriculture Forest Health Specialist on this second question, Dr. Ball has far more experience with tree/shrub issues.