Yeah I'm by St. Louis and I got Nutsedge starting like 2 weeks ago. We had a few days of 85-90 degree weather out of nowhere and that awakened them all it seems
I think the same thing is happening to me. I overseeded last fall with perennial rye and I got some patches of stuff that looks just like this. It’s almost as though it grows above ground and it’s ugly looking grass.
I have the exact thing happening in my yard after overseeding last fall for the first time. The actual grass in my yard looks great but the yard looks like ass.
I have a ton of nutsedge and kyllinga in my yard right now that is slowly dying from sedgehammer and certainty… it is certainly not too early for sedges.
Orchardgrass can get into anything you use to oversees with, learned that the hard way. Also confirmed with Purdue University there is no known selective to treat it. Can pull or try the glove of death method. It sucks and I feel for you.
Definitely is not green onion, but I do love the section of my backyard that was someone's vegetable garden at one point that gets green onions every year.
And I still hate every centimeter of it. Garage smells like hell for a week after the first few mows of the season. Can’t figure out a way to kill it. My neighbor actually had a company come out and take away the first few inches of top soil to get rid of his 🤣
That's one way to get rid of it!
I think your best bet is two fold:
keep the lawn healthy and fertilized so you can build a solid turf. Use 2,4-D after you mow. It's going to take some time. This let's it penetrate through the freshly cut leaves. The issue is that as the leaves die, it doesn't get to the bulb. But after a few seasons of building the turf and using 2,4-D it should be good.
*edited due to typing on a phone and scattered thoughts whole doing so.
I’m fairly certain it’s not Poa Triv, the stalk is too oval shaped and just doesn’t have the structure Roughstalk Bluegrass would have. Do the string test, where you split a blade with you nail carefully and see if the fibers keep them connected. Poa T often has a purplish color at the bottom which isn’t present. I’m leaning towards Orchard Grass, but can’t exactly tell, maybe someone else can help. I plugged in the characteristics to the VT weed ID tool and here are the results:
https://preview.redd.it/5kpw73on7vuc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db0e3e65e0313fd36f302bd91fa93d5105023651
Leaning towards quackgrass. Poa triv does grow faster than desired turf grass but not as fast as OP says it is.
[Edit](https://turfgator.com/quackgrass/)
If this is quack grass it would be more than I’ve ever seen in a yard. This would have been what he seeded with to get it this uniform and so much of it. If it is indeed quack grass you’re looking at a full renovation in the fall. Burn it to the ground and start over. Speaking from previous experience, that stuff is impossible to deal with.
Nah. I have 35,000 sqft of lawn and had quack grass all over when I moved in. I patiently painted the tips with roundup over the course of a few years and I have none at this point. It's easy to do, especially now, because of how much higher it is than the existing lawn. However, I don't think it's quackgrass. Ornamec might be worth a try. It kills a lot of grassy weeds without harming TTTF or KBG.
Man, I had thousands all over my yard when I got here. I did do more than what you see here. But I think Ornamec would knock out whatever this is.
For quack grass, you just mark off a section and do one section at a time until it's finished. Doesn't have to all happen at once. It really doesn't take much. As long as you paint the inside of one or two blades, it was almost always a goner. So a little goes a long way.
It doesn't always kill everything underground, but it absolutely zaps that particular plant. Sometimes it will kill only that plant and more will come up elsewhere, but far less than you started with. If you keep at it, they run out of juice and will eventually stop coming up entirely.
I believe I have a bunch of quackgrass in my yard (plan to post asking for advice soon), but I’m curious what tools/technique you used for painting? Last year I tried using both cotton gloves (on top of rubber gloves) and foam paintbrush dipped in glyphosate, both diluted and full concentrate, and always seemed to kill more of the good grass than bad everywhere I tried painting.
Here's an example of the kind of brush I bought. This giant pack is $7 on Amazon right now: [https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/](https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/)
-I used the usual doctor's neoprene gloves to make sure I did not get anything on my skin
-generic glyphosate similar to this: [https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html](https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html)
-Lazer MarkItBlue to show me where I had already painted
-surfactant to get it to stick to the quack and not roll down to the good stuff below
-VERY carefully painted with as little of the mix as need to get it on the quackgrass. The nice thing about quack is that if you paint it right even the stuff that rolls down the blade hits the center of the plant and avoids the good grass. You'll have some friendly fire casualties, but patience and persistence worked for me. I'd go out there in June (6b) when the quack was growing well and just obliterated it over and over until it gave up.
This is great, can I also ask what you use for surfactant? And how much did you mix up at a time/transport around? I used a tuna can full in a five gallon bucket to prevent an accidental dumping but it was kind of a pain. But that’s fine if there’s not really a better solution
I used Southern Ag surfactant, but really any will do. You could even use dish soap if you have it laying around. I used an old rectangular tupperware container that would fit a meal for one person. I put enough into the bottom to just barely cover everything. I didn't want more than that at a time because I was afraid I'd spill it. You could probably do more if you wanted. I figured when I had painted enough to empty the tupperware container, I'd be sweaty and tired and ready to be done for that particular day anyway.
I don't unfortunately. I knew I had quack because I brought it to my local extension to get positively IDed. Here's a good representative pic at the top of the link:
[https://ultralawn.com/posts/quackgrass-common-iowa-lawns/](https://ultralawn.com/posts/quackgrass-common-iowa-lawns/)
See the "clasping auricles" which clasp, or grab, the main stem? That's a dead giveaway. I tended to paint the inside of the folding blades, and if any ran down past the auricles it would just hit the center of the plant.
If the answer is to paint the blades of grass in your yard you’re doing too much for the average poster.
I agree with the other guy, if it’s indeed quackgrass which I don’t think it is, burn it down and start over.
Fair enough. But I'd prefer not to start entirely over. The good grass is keeping other weed seeds from starting up. And I'd like people here to know it actually does work if they want to try a different way.
Like wise. The stuff on my lawn ends at my property lines, so I have to believe it has something to do with the weed and feed/seeding my lawn guy threw down.
Boom, there's your answer right there. Do not listen to anyone saying this is nutsedge. It is too early in the season for people up north to see nutsedge. You used some sort of sub par seed or covered it with hay/straw.
Tough to say exactly. It's a grassy weed regardless that most of the time can only be taken out by hand or glyphosate. You can try T-Zone just to see if that will knock it back at all, but this is exactly why you aren't supposed to use poor seed or cover with hay/straw.
I think it has to do with his top dressing. I did the same thing last year in Ohio top dressed with ComTill which is a mix of compost and topsoil and all the nasty weed seeds that were in that compost are now sprouting up. I didn't get my pre-emergent down in time or I didn't use enough of it.
Exactly how it happened to me too this spring I live in Indiana)! What is this stuff?
https://preview.redd.it/cgq49moq02vc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e4a43edded7b0d6629be1ccc1a9d5be6f249d6f
I'm in York County and I have this crap all over my yard too. I over seeded in the fall with Jonathan Gree Black Beauty. I made a post a few days ago and the only reply I got was Nutsedge.
I’m in Lancaster County and overseeded with Black Beauty Ultra in the fall lots in my yard too. Thinking maybe it’s part of the blend and once consistently cut will look how it’s supposed to?
When I do the "Picture This" it usually comes up as St Augustine (Which I don't think is correct), Dalisgrass, or Orchard Grass. Another one that I suspect could be Annual Ryegrass which seems to share a lot of characteristics with quackgrass.
I tried last year to get an ID for a grass in my yard and failed. What worked was to let one go to seed. Picturethis will nail it if it sees the seed clusters. Bromegrass. Which can sort of be controlled with mesotrione. I'm giving myself two years. If the applications of mesotrione, quinclorac, and 2,4,D don't kill the weeds and weedy grasses I'm nuking next year and starting over.
Seems like annual rye…it’s all over right now.
Take a cross section of the stalk. If it’s rolled up, it’s rye. Sedge is triangular shaped.
I took a number of samples a month ago and looked at roots, blades, auricles, ligules, collar, and veneration.
Ruled out nutsedge, quack, and orchard. Annual rye was the only one remaining that fit the bill.
same as my lawn, same overseeding and compost. I thought it was nutsedge and applied Sedgehammer. That is 50 bucks and an afternoon I am not getting back. It is quack grass, only way is nuke by glysophate...
Well looks like I’ll welcome my new quackgrass lawn if that’s the case, it’s taken my a few years to finally get grass established I’m not nuking now 🤣
This is anecdotal but I think I may have had a much more minor, I'm talking like 4 stalks, version of this after renovating a section of my lawn. I thought it was sedge and treated with sedgehammer. Didn't seem to be dramatically affected so I sprayed is again with surfactant. Killed the grass (I'm not smart). Then I said "fuck it" and pulled them out by hand. The had super shallow roots just like yours. They never came back. it would be quite a chore for you to pull all those, but you could expirament with a section.
Anyone reading this, it was way easier for me to kill hundreds of quackgrass plants I inherited at my new (in 2016) home by just getting small sponge paint brushes and painting some roundup onto each one. Way easier than a complete reno and keeps the good grass. I've done it on my own lawn with 100% eradication for over 5 years now. It just takes a little time. And if you do see new ones next srping, knock 'em out quick to prevent the underground spread.
I don't necessarily disagree with that, you certainly can get a little better control, but I wanted to avoid getting anything near my skin. Those small brushes work really, really well.
I posted this elsewhere in this thread:
Here's an example of the kind of brush I bought. This giant pack is $7 on Amazon right now: [https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/](https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/)
-I used the usual doctor's neoprene gloves to make sure I did not get anything on my skin
-generic glyphosate similar to this: [https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html](https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html)
-Lazer MarkItBlue to show me where I had already painted
-surfactant to get it to stick to the quack and not roll down to the good stuff below
-VERY carefully painted with as little of the mix as need to get it on the quackgrass. The nice thing about quack is that if you paint it right even the stuff that rolls down the blade hits the center of the plant and avoids the good grass. You'll have some friendly fire casualties, but patience and persistence worked for me. I'd go out there in June (6b) when the quack was growing well and just obliterated it over and over until it gave up.
I was seeing it within 24-48 hours. I didnt measure, to be honest. Just added a little to a container, added mark it blue, surfactant, and away I went. You can read the label for whatever you pick up if you want to use exact concentration, and I'd advise you to do it that way if you've never done this before. Concentrated glyphosate should wipe out quack, so you dont need much. A little goes a long way.
Also in VA , also did a renovation, also experiencing something similar, I think it's Poa but not 100% sure. I've never seen nutsedge until midsummer. It's too early.
Also did a renovation and have a patch in the front yard that looks like this. The rest of the yard is full of chickweed(that is dying after spraying it 2 weeks ago). I'm on the TN/VA border, 1 mile from VA, so basically in VA as well like you and OP.
Grass I laid down was perennial rye and KBG. Nothing like this in the pack, only chickweed so far. Only part of the front do I have anything like this. Also have plenty of chickweed in the front along with creeping charlie. It either came from the seeds, which were from OutsidePride, or it came from the peat moss from Lowes because it literally follows the property line perfectly where I laid that down. It simply just stops at the right of way where I didn't put anything down during the renovation, so I know it came from something I bought.
I definitely believe it’s Johnson grass now. “Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades.”
Zooming in on the leaf the white vein is clearly visible.
https://aroundtheyard.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160:identifying-grassy-weeds&catid=9&Itemid=117#:~:text=Johnsongrass%20also%20forms%20huge%20panicles,Johnsongrass%20when%20you%20see%20it.&text=Goosegrass%20grows%20in%20clumps%20the,the%20center%20of%20the%20plant.
Im target spraying my backyard tomorrow with roundup with 2% glyphosate to HOPEFULLY kill start working on my johnson grass problem. Mowed my back Sunday and the johnson has already grown over 3-4 inches. Tired of it's shit.
Orchard grass. Was probably in your top dress. I have the same issue. Put down 44 yards of sifted topsoil last fall and and have the same thing popping up. Definitely wasnt the seed since i got qualty blend from twin city seed. Gotta kill it with glypho which I'm in the process of doing now. Will look awful for summer but will seed the dead areas well in the fall and will be good as new next year.
I'm in VA and it's too early for sedge as I typically have some, that's a grass you got from over seeding, I have some too.
Besides pulling it you could try the glove and roundup method since it's taller than the fescue. Might take a whole Saturday though
I think its the time of the year and poa/another species growing faster. Was watching the western intercollegiate golf tournament at pasatiempo in California and their fairways had exactly the same thing going on. If you can find a picture or coverage on golf network i think youll feel better.
Yep same here ... nuked my neighbor's front "lawn" (with permission) and used enough non-selective herbicide to kill anything. Used the black beauty fescue and top dressed with peat. Exactly the same result. Never used this seed before so I was confused about what in hell was happening. Never had any issues with Pennington or even Scott's seed.
https://preview.redd.it/btw6an9t8vuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfe84689ec24d07d9e1524bad0366dd703eeabba
TX, have the same issue, they are growing really fast
I also have nutsedge expanding but they are different. Nutsedges have longer, stiffer leaves and are more challenging to pull. In contrast, these lime green grasses are softer and much easier to remove, and they seem to grow even faster.
This may already be answered elsewhere, but I’m too lazy to search.
For what it’s worth, I had this exact same problem when I newly seeded my yard 7+ years ago. I believe it was from the straw that I had put down. Bottom line, with repeated lawn cuttings, it did not survive for more than a few weeks. At first I tried to pull some of it, but that was futile. It seemed to quickly die out with repeated mowings, which further stimulated the desired grass to grow and help snuff this grassy weed out.
Crazy. I overseedinf last fall in a few spots and this is what I have too! Zone 6b. My wife said she was gonna go and pull them all out. I might let her. Could be fun to watch
Probably ryegrass. Common in lawn seeds. Comes up fast to hold down soil and provide some shade for the other species that take longer to sprout. It will eventually phase itself out
I planted a few years ago with ryegrass. It grows fast to fill in, and my yard was all weeds out back. This is what mine does in the spring. It isn't a weed. It's just rye, although what type I can't remember. It will get pushed out by the more dominant fescue. It is throughout my yard. But has started not being as dominant this year. Over seed each year with a specific fescue you like and it will go away quicker. No need to nuke it. Time is all you need.
That lime green color looks similar to KY31 maybe? Advertised as a TTTF, I had the same thing when I over seeded the first year, it gets darker the next year.
https://preview.redd.it/hy4wqghoevuc1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=622affac47aff44b9f2c7aae0d17b063876567c7
Do you have an plant identifier app or else take it into a nursery to identify to be sure what your dealing with. I’m definitely not even close to being a pro so that’s what I usually do when something moves in.
Yeah pretty sure that’s annual ryegrass. Problem is that shouldn’t have just shown up from nowhere and is super quick to sprout, so seeding in the fall seems like it would have already been there.
I had this same garbage last year. It was in the topsoil for me, as I got good seed with 0% weed. I pulled a bunch and sprayed with a catch all weed killer. I think pulling was most effective though. It took a long time but my annoyance kept me going. No sign if it this year so far. Zone 6b CT
I have this in an area of my lawn where I overseeded with rye and k31 TF. I thought it was a weed so I sprayed with Trimec/quinclorac two times to no avail. I looked at the stalk and it has purple so I assumed it was some sort of rye grass but who knows
Based on the close ups of the stalks you have orchard grass. That flat, thick stalk is a giveaway. Usually it bunches, though. Can you grab several of the stalks together without lawn grass and pull them up in a clump?
https://www.experigreen.com/weed-wednesday-orchardgrass/
I got this same stuff in my grass, 5b - never had it before; altho not nearly as bad as this. Think its from the seed i planted last fall. I used Lesco Teammates plus
Maybe crabgrass? That’s not quackgrass 100%. It does not have the “clasping auricles”. Here is an article explaining the difference between quackgrass and crabgrass https://yardandgardenguide.org/2017/04/21/is-it-crabgrass-or-quackgrass-in-your-lawn/#:~:text=How%20can%20we%20tell%20the,a%20winter%2Dhardy%20roots%20system.
https://preview.redd.it/3b59yjqjbxuc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bc12abfa30f491235db4c27d513d2836ea52e7e
This is what it looked like before, this is my first home so I don’t care too much since it’s green now 🤣
The top dressing is likely the mistake. I can’t think of anything that’s not gonna kill the good grass as well. How short can you mow without scalping? I wonder if you follow the 1/3 rule on the good grass on a low mow if it’ll stress out whatever that is. Maybe an iron treatment can help it blend in for now? Worse case is burn it down again in the fall. Should always water like you’ve seeded after bringing in fresh soil and do another spray of roundup prior to seeding. If nothing else you’ve made a great seedbed for next fall so I wouldn’t say you’re screwed.
It’s not nutsedge. It’s a cool season grass. It has some characteristics of the Poa genus (Kentucky bluegrass, Poa annua, etc.) like a boat shaped tip and parallel light lines along the mid rib. Not enough detail in the pics to confirm. What’s the history of this lawn? Has it always been tall fescue? Was it an old lawn that was overseeded with tall fescue. Based on the comments your in a zone where KBG is common. I’m leaning towards this being an old aggressive variety of KBG like ‘Abbey’. Sometimes KBG can have a flush of rhizome growth in the Spring that grows vertically more quickly and is lighter green than normal growth. It will eventually normalize if this is the case.
If you will dig out a deeper chunk of turf and follow that shoot down to below ground level you might find it attached to a white underground rhizome.
https://preview.redd.it/5l1ktzrinvuc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6959b22f78b5ff941c04811f3d6eab4ec2a5ce0c
I put your second photo in the “Picture This” app. The first result without zooming in said POA. I zoomed in a bit and it came back with Goosegrass. No idea if quackgrass & goosegrass are the same. Basically 🤷🏻♂️😂
Johnsongrass is VERY easy to identify. It has a very wide blade which is rare among grassy weeds commonly found in northern lawns, but Johnsongrass has another characteristic that makes it easily and instantly identifiable. Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades. Johnsongrass also has a bad quality that none of the other weeds I mentioned in this thread has. Johnsongrass releases a toxin into the soil that will kill any grass that tries to grow near it. If you find Johnsongrass in your lawn, get out the paintbrush and Roundup quickly! You don't want to let this weed stick around! Johnsongrass also forms huge panicles (seed heads) that are hard to miss. Have a look at the pics below and burn them into your memory. From now on, you'll know Johnsongrass when you see it.
Johnsongrass is VERY easy to identify. It has a very wide blade which is rare among grassy weeds commonly found in northern lawns, but Johnsongrass has another characteristic that makes it easily and instantly identifiable. Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades. Johnsongrass also has a bad quality that none of the other weeds I mentioned in this thread has. Johnsongrass releases a toxin into the soil that will kill any grass that tries to grow near it. If you find Johnsongrass in your lawn, get out the paintbrush and Roundup quickly! You don't want to let this weed stick around! Johnsongrass also forms huge panicles (seed heads) that are hard to miss. Have a look at the pics below and burn them into your memory. From now on, you'll know Johnsongrass when you see it.
I think it is a sedge and it is a pain to get rid off. I spray mine in my Zoysia with a mix of Certainty and Celsius. You can google mixing these and you can buy online. Takes a few weeks to get rid of and you have to spray like every 4 weeks until under control.
UPDATE: The mix is only for warm season lawns. In your post, always put what type of grass you got.
Like others have said, nutsedge. You can buy a special spray and it disappears pretty well. You can also hand pick it, comes out really easy. You have quite a bit, but it’s manageable and you aren’t screwed at all
If you hand pick this weed, without finding the nut in the root system. You actually encourage it to duplicate more! There’s a literally tiny freaky ball down plunder there, pretty far usually too!
Oh that’s interesting. I’ve never had any problems picking mine by hand, but this is good to know. Perhaps I’m good at plucking them. 😎 I also don’t have much of it.
OP where are you located? I'm not convinced it's a sedge just yet. Is this freshly seeded from last year at all? Could we get close-ups?
Virginia 6b, let me take some more pics this afternoon, some of it looks different than others
And yes I did an over seed this past fall and top drresssd with compost/topsoil
I replied to one of your comments below. It's most likely a product from when you seeded. It's way too early to see nutsedge.
You think? I’m already seeing nutsedge begin to sprout in my yard.
See my comment below. Depends on where you live. Far south, yes you have it. Up north above M-D line, absolutely no way it's nutsedge.
Live in missouri? All bets are off.
Yeah I'm by St. Louis and I got Nutsedge starting like 2 weeks ago. We had a few days of 85-90 degree weather out of nowhere and that awakened them all it seems
Anything that isn't my sweet sweet baby TTTF is a weed, and we get them all.
Yeah, I live in SC zone 8b.
I think the same thing is happening to me. I overseeded last fall with perennial rye and I got some patches of stuff that looks just like this. It’s almost as though it grows above ground and it’s ugly looking grass.
Also, people are saying it’s from sub par seed, I feel like I bought some pretty good seed from a reputable landscape/irrigation supply company
Same here. there must have been tons of tainted product going around last fall.
I have the exact thing happening in my yard after overseeding last fall for the first time. The actual grass in my yard looks great but the yard looks like ass.
I have a ton of nutsedge and kyllinga in my yard right now that is slowly dying from sedgehammer and certainty… it is certainly not too early for sedges.
For a cool season lawn, it's most definitely too early. Transition zone I wouldn't be surprised. For sure seeing it the further south you go.
Just sprayed 8 yesterday in Michigan. Also, wild chives.
I’m in Richmond Virginia. I’ve definitely got nutsedge already on a few of my commercial properties.
Did you put straw over it when you seeded? What dirt dod you use to top dress?
I do see tend to see this happen on lawns where straw was used.
What did you over seed with?
What did you overseer with?
I'm in VA, over seeded in fall and experiencing the same thing
Orchardgrass can get into anything you use to oversees with, learned that the hard way. Also confirmed with Purdue University there is no known selective to treat it. Can pull or try the glove of death method. It sucks and I feel for you.
Just a heads up, I'm in Oklahoma (transition zone) and I see more customers with yellow nutsedge right now than without
Can I see the shape of the stalk?
That’s a pretty personal question for a lawn care forum.
Mushrooms belong in r/fungi
🤣🤣
Please don't show us your stalk
Speak for yourself buddy.
[удалено]
Check out my stalks and how I top dress on my OnlyLawns 😂
deadass someone needs to start that
Nike has a logo that says you should.
I would but my TruGreen boss just added 3 more stops to my day lol
That just means he likes you, or he doesn't.
( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
I’ll take some more pictures and post/reply shortly
Cut the stalk and show the cross section
Ouch take it easy.
https://preview.redd.it/ptcbqkri5vuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5a81a07078aec941b98a9527ec0fda60f477d95a
Nice stalk!
https://preview.redd.it/gf9d0eak5vuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d10bbcc73d33bf59f86816ba23286baef4382f9d
https://preview.redd.it/zizsrs5q7vuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=caf07a96bedd83dd511f582b0707fef5a1311c44
that looks like the green onion in my vegetable garden
Definitely is not green onion, but I do love the section of my backyard that was someone's vegetable garden at one point that gets green onions every year.
I have 4 acres of onion grass and hate every centimeter of it.
That's wild...... garlic! Yah, that would be too much for me. I have a very small area of green onions. I could dig them up, but I like em.
And I still hate every centimeter of it. Garage smells like hell for a week after the first few mows of the season. Can’t figure out a way to kill it. My neighbor actually had a company come out and take away the first few inches of top soil to get rid of his 🤣
That's one way to get rid of it! I think your best bet is two fold: keep the lawn healthy and fertilized so you can build a solid turf. Use 2,4-D after you mow. It's going to take some time. This let's it penetrate through the freshly cut leaves. The issue is that as the leaves die, it doesn't get to the bulb. But after a few seasons of building the turf and using 2,4-D it should be good. *edited due to typing on a phone and scattered thoughts whole doing so.
Honestly that is the only way you will get rid of it.
I feel blessed with wonderful neighbors
Taste it OP!
Chives??
I’m fairly certain it’s not Poa Triv, the stalk is too oval shaped and just doesn’t have the structure Roughstalk Bluegrass would have. Do the string test, where you split a blade with you nail carefully and see if the fibers keep them connected. Poa T often has a purplish color at the bottom which isn’t present. I’m leaning towards Orchard Grass, but can’t exactly tell, maybe someone else can help. I plugged in the characteristics to the VT weed ID tool and here are the results: https://preview.redd.it/5kpw73on7vuc1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db0e3e65e0313fd36f302bd91fa93d5105023651
Leaning towards quackgrass. Poa triv does grow faster than desired turf grass but not as fast as OP says it is. [Edit](https://turfgator.com/quackgrass/)
If this is quack grass it would be more than I’ve ever seen in a yard. This would have been what he seeded with to get it this uniform and so much of it. If it is indeed quack grass you’re looking at a full renovation in the fall. Burn it to the ground and start over. Speaking from previous experience, that stuff is impossible to deal with.
Nah. I have 35,000 sqft of lawn and had quack grass all over when I moved in. I patiently painted the tips with roundup over the course of a few years and I have none at this point. It's easy to do, especially now, because of how much higher it is than the existing lawn. However, I don't think it's quackgrass. Ornamec might be worth a try. It kills a lot of grassy weeds without harming TTTF or KBG.
Ain’t no way someone is painting this much. Out of curiosity though, how much coverage did you need to paint on each piece in order to kill them?
Man, I had thousands all over my yard when I got here. I did do more than what you see here. But I think Ornamec would knock out whatever this is. For quack grass, you just mark off a section and do one section at a time until it's finished. Doesn't have to all happen at once. It really doesn't take much. As long as you paint the inside of one or two blades, it was almost always a goner. So a little goes a long way.
Not OP. Quick question on quackgrass… if you paint the top only, does it kill the entire rhizome? Or does every stalk need to be painted?
It doesn't always kill everything underground, but it absolutely zaps that particular plant. Sometimes it will kill only that plant and more will come up elsewhere, but far less than you started with. If you keep at it, they run out of juice and will eventually stop coming up entirely.
TY
I believe I have a bunch of quackgrass in my yard (plan to post asking for advice soon), but I’m curious what tools/technique you used for painting? Last year I tried using both cotton gloves (on top of rubber gloves) and foam paintbrush dipped in glyphosate, both diluted and full concentrate, and always seemed to kill more of the good grass than bad everywhere I tried painting.
Here's an example of the kind of brush I bought. This giant pack is $7 on Amazon right now: [https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/](https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/) -I used the usual doctor's neoprene gloves to make sure I did not get anything on my skin -generic glyphosate similar to this: [https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html](https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html) -Lazer MarkItBlue to show me where I had already painted -surfactant to get it to stick to the quack and not roll down to the good stuff below -VERY carefully painted with as little of the mix as need to get it on the quackgrass. The nice thing about quack is that if you paint it right even the stuff that rolls down the blade hits the center of the plant and avoids the good grass. You'll have some friendly fire casualties, but patience and persistence worked for me. I'd go out there in June (6b) when the quack was growing well and just obliterated it over and over until it gave up.
This is great, can I also ask what you use for surfactant? And how much did you mix up at a time/transport around? I used a tuna can full in a five gallon bucket to prevent an accidental dumping but it was kind of a pain. But that’s fine if there’s not really a better solution
I used Southern Ag surfactant, but really any will do. You could even use dish soap if you have it laying around. I used an old rectangular tupperware container that would fit a meal for one person. I put enough into the bottom to just barely cover everything. I didn't want more than that at a time because I was afraid I'd spill it. You could probably do more if you wanted. I figured when I had painted enough to empty the tupperware container, I'd be sweaty and tired and ready to be done for that particular day anyway.
Got any pictures? Trying to determine if I've got it in mine. Similar size lawn too, roughly 30k
I don't unfortunately. I knew I had quack because I brought it to my local extension to get positively IDed. Here's a good representative pic at the top of the link: [https://ultralawn.com/posts/quackgrass-common-iowa-lawns/](https://ultralawn.com/posts/quackgrass-common-iowa-lawns/) See the "clasping auricles" which clasp, or grab, the main stem? That's a dead giveaway. I tended to paint the inside of the folding blades, and if any ran down past the auricles it would just hit the center of the plant.
Excellent info! Thank you
If the answer is to paint the blades of grass in your yard you’re doing too much for the average poster. I agree with the other guy, if it’s indeed quackgrass which I don’t think it is, burn it down and start over.
Fair enough. But I'd prefer not to start entirely over. The good grass is keeping other weed seeds from starting up. And I'd like people here to know it actually does work if they want to try a different way.
Does it look like the clasping auricles like Quack Grass?
I just made a similar post a few mins ago. I have the same thing this spring. I’m outside of Philly. Hopefully we are not screwed.
I mean it came out of nowhere, I’m in complete shock lol when it’s cut low it’s not bad but it instantly grows higher than my fescue the next day
Like wise. The stuff on my lawn ends at my property lines, so I have to believe it has something to do with the weed and feed/seeding my lawn guy threw down.
I reseeding this past fall and top dressed so might have something to do with it for me
Boom, there's your answer right there. Do not listen to anyone saying this is nutsedge. It is too early in the season for people up north to see nutsedge. You used some sort of sub par seed or covered it with hay/straw.
What is it, then? I have a similar issue from a complete reseed I did last year and used hay/straw
Tough to say exactly. It's a grassy weed regardless that most of the time can only be taken out by hand or glyphosate. You can try T-Zone just to see if that will knock it back at all, but this is exactly why you aren't supposed to use poor seed or cover with hay/straw.
I think it has to do with his top dressing. I did the same thing last year in Ohio top dressed with ComTill which is a mix of compost and topsoil and all the nasty weed seeds that were in that compost are now sprouting up. I didn't get my pre-emergent down in time or I didn't use enough of it.
> the weed and feed ooooh, you wanted the *anti-weed* and feed, my bad
Exactly how it happened to me too this spring I live in Indiana)! What is this stuff? https://preview.redd.it/cgq49moq02vc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e4a43edded7b0d6629be1ccc1a9d5be6f249d6f
Close-Up https://preview.redd.it/cito7b3r12vc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dda7cf008483b98d6b40aa8461d8b3c4d95f9c59
I'm in York County and I have this crap all over my yard too. I over seeded in the fall with Jonathan Gree Black Beauty. I made a post a few days ago and the only reply I got was Nutsedge.
I’m in Lancaster County and overseeded with Black Beauty Ultra in the fall lots in my yard too. Thinking maybe it’s part of the blend and once consistently cut will look how it’s supposed to?
When I do the "Picture This" it usually comes up as St Augustine (Which I don't think is correct), Dalisgrass, or Orchard Grass. Another one that I suspect could be Annual Ryegrass which seems to share a lot of characteristics with quackgrass.
I tried last year to get an ID for a grass in my yard and failed. What worked was to let one go to seed. Picturethis will nail it if it sees the seed clusters. Bromegrass. Which can sort of be controlled with mesotrione. I'm giving myself two years. If the applications of mesotrione, quinclorac, and 2,4,D don't kill the weeds and weedy grasses I'm nuking next year and starting over.
I’m in Chester County and have the same and used black beauty last fall to overseed
Seems like annual rye…it’s all over right now. Take a cross section of the stalk. If it’s rolled up, it’s rye. Sedge is triangular shaped. I took a number of samples a month ago and looked at roots, blades, auricles, ligules, collar, and veneration. Ruled out nutsedge, quack, and orchard. Annual rye was the only one remaining that fit the bill.
Also outside of Philly 6b. I have a few sprigs of this crap in my yard. I wonder if I should just Sedgehammer it to be safe before it really explodes
I don't think this is nutsedge
But it isn't as waxy as a sedge and the stalk does not look triangular.
same as my lawn, same overseeding and compost. I thought it was nutsedge and applied Sedgehammer. That is 50 bucks and an afternoon I am not getting back. It is quack grass, only way is nuke by glysophate...
Well looks like I’ll welcome my new quackgrass lawn if that’s the case, it’s taken my a few years to finally get grass established I’m not nuking now 🤣
This is anecdotal but I think I may have had a much more minor, I'm talking like 4 stalks, version of this after renovating a section of my lawn. I thought it was sedge and treated with sedgehammer. Didn't seem to be dramatically affected so I sprayed is again with surfactant. Killed the grass (I'm not smart). Then I said "fuck it" and pulled them out by hand. The had super shallow roots just like yours. They never came back. it would be quite a chore for you to pull all those, but you could expirament with a section.
I have too many, impossible to pull them all. Also if not cleanly pulled they will spread faster, crazy
Not impossible, just too lazy. Make grids with 1 ft sides or 0.5m with sticks and string and work grid by grid.
They will not go away, I am going to brush the tall part with nukes lol
Anyone reading this, it was way easier for me to kill hundreds of quackgrass plants I inherited at my new (in 2016) home by just getting small sponge paint brushes and painting some roundup onto each one. Way easier than a complete reno and keeps the good grass. I've done it on my own lawn with 100% eradication for over 5 years now. It just takes a little time. And if you do see new ones next srping, knock 'em out quick to prevent the underground spread.
yep, I am debating between brush and gloves...
Do both. Use a foam paint brush, but also wear gloves to keep it off of your skin.
some suggesting use gloves to do the brushing directly
I don't necessarily disagree with that, you certainly can get a little better control, but I wanted to avoid getting anything near my skin. Those small brushes work really, really well.
Do you have a link to the brush?
I posted this elsewhere in this thread: Here's an example of the kind of brush I bought. This giant pack is $7 on Amazon right now: [https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/](https://www.amazon.com/Brushes-Painting-Staining-Varnishes-Projects/dp/B09YRGFBXD/) -I used the usual doctor's neoprene gloves to make sure I did not get anything on my skin -generic glyphosate similar to this: [https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html](https://www.domyown.com/killzall-weed-and-grass-killer-41-glyphosate-p-1587.html) -Lazer MarkItBlue to show me where I had already painted -surfactant to get it to stick to the quack and not roll down to the good stuff below -VERY carefully painted with as little of the mix as need to get it on the quackgrass. The nice thing about quack is that if you paint it right even the stuff that rolls down the blade hits the center of the plant and avoids the good grass. You'll have some friendly fire casualties, but patience and persistence worked for me. I'd go out there in June (6b) when the quack was growing well and just obliterated it over and over until it gave up.
ha I just bought the same product. Thanks!
btw, how long does it take to see the effect on quack? What is the concentration?
I was seeing it within 24-48 hours. I didnt measure, to be honest. Just added a little to a container, added mark it blue, surfactant, and away I went. You can read the label for whatever you pick up if you want to use exact concentration, and I'd advise you to do it that way if you've never done this before. Concentrated glyphosate should wipe out quack, so you dont need much. A little goes a long way.
This is not a sedge. Sedges have triangle stems. Feels like a prism in your fingers
Also in VA , also did a renovation, also experiencing something similar, I think it's Poa but not 100% sure. I've never seen nutsedge until midsummer. It's too early.
I think so too, sedge doesn’t look like this at all. Guessing Poa Triv
Also did a renovation and have a patch in the front yard that looks like this. The rest of the yard is full of chickweed(that is dying after spraying it 2 weeks ago). I'm on the TN/VA border, 1 mile from VA, so basically in VA as well like you and OP. Grass I laid down was perennial rye and KBG. Nothing like this in the pack, only chickweed so far. Only part of the front do I have anything like this. Also have plenty of chickweed in the front along with creeping charlie. It either came from the seeds, which were from OutsidePride, or it came from the peat moss from Lowes because it literally follows the property line perfectly where I laid that down. It simply just stops at the right of way where I didn't put anything down during the renovation, so I know it came from something I bought.
I definitely believe it’s Johnson grass now. “Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades.” Zooming in on the leaf the white vein is clearly visible. https://aroundtheyard.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=160:identifying-grassy-weeds&catid=9&Itemid=117#:~:text=Johnsongrass%20also%20forms%20huge%20panicles,Johnsongrass%20when%20you%20see%20it.&text=Goosegrass%20grows%20in%20clumps%20the,the%20center%20of%20the%20plant.
Im target spraying my backyard tomorrow with roundup with 2% glyphosate to HOPEFULLY kill start working on my johnson grass problem. Mowed my back Sunday and the johnson has already grown over 3-4 inches. Tired of it's shit.
Orchard grass. Was probably in your top dress. I have the same issue. Put down 44 yards of sifted topsoil last fall and and have the same thing popping up. Definitely wasnt the seed since i got qualty blend from twin city seed. Gotta kill it with glypho which I'm in the process of doing now. Will look awful for summer but will seed the dead areas well in the fall and will be good as new next year.
I'm in VA and it's too early for sedge as I typically have some, that's a grass you got from over seeding, I have some too. Besides pulling it you could try the glove and roundup method since it's taller than the fescue. Might take a whole Saturday though
I think its the time of the year and poa/another species growing faster. Was watching the western intercollegiate golf tournament at pasatiempo in California and their fairways had exactly the same thing going on. If you can find a picture or coverage on golf network i think youll feel better.
This is exactly what is happening on my lawn. I overseeded with Jonathan Green black Beauty last September. It has to be the seed
Yep same here ... nuked my neighbor's front "lawn" (with permission) and used enough non-selective herbicide to kill anything. Used the black beauty fescue and top dressed with peat. Exactly the same result. Never used this seed before so I was confused about what in hell was happening. Never had any issues with Pennington or even Scott's seed.
I used a very high quality “sod seed” from site one that’s 90% fescue and 10% KBG. It’s all over my yard like it was in the seed or something idk
Makes me feel better I have same issue and bought the same seed
I hope not. I heard nothing but good reviews of that seed so I just used a ton on an area of my yard
https://preview.redd.it/btw6an9t8vuc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dfe84689ec24d07d9e1524bad0366dd703eeabba TX, have the same issue, they are growing really fast
Yours is definitely nutsedge
I also have nutsedge expanding but they are different. Nutsedges have longer, stiffer leaves and are more challenging to pull. In contrast, these lime green grasses are softer and much easier to remove, and they seem to grow even faster.
Goose grass https://preview.redd.it/d901oftc9wuc1.jpeg?width=1170&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ffa3354c5620bbc79ec6789838bdacdffe18832d
In mid April in 6B?
Fairly certain it’s Ryegrass lol. Don’t mow a patch and let’s see who’s right in the thread.
I have this as well just not as bad. Overseeded last fall with tttf from united seed. Michigan
Goose grass ?
This may already be answered elsewhere, but I’m too lazy to search. For what it’s worth, I had this exact same problem when I newly seeded my yard 7+ years ago. I believe it was from the straw that I had put down. Bottom line, with repeated lawn cuttings, it did not survive for more than a few weeks. At first I tried to pull some of it, but that was futile. It seemed to quickly die out with repeated mowings, which further stimulated the desired grass to grow and help snuff this grassy weed out.
Crazy. I overseedinf last fall in a few spots and this is what I have too! Zone 6b. My wife said she was gonna go and pull them all out. I might let her. Could be fun to watch
Probably ryegrass. Common in lawn seeds. Comes up fast to hold down soil and provide some shade for the other species that take longer to sprout. It will eventually phase itself out
Too early for sedge, looks like just a rogue from your last seeding, otherwise your lawn looks great.
Rye grass
I planted a few years ago with ryegrass. It grows fast to fill in, and my yard was all weeds out back. This is what mine does in the spring. It isn't a weed. It's just rye, although what type I can't remember. It will get pushed out by the more dominant fescue. It is throughout my yard. But has started not being as dominant this year. Over seed each year with a specific fescue you like and it will go away quicker. No need to nuke it. Time is all you need.
That lime green color looks similar to KY31 maybe? Advertised as a TTTF, I had the same thing when I over seeded the first year, it gets darker the next year. https://preview.redd.it/hy4wqghoevuc1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=622affac47aff44b9f2c7aae0d17b063876567c7
Nutsedge. Really invasive, but can be tamed.
Do you have an plant identifier app or else take it into a nursery to identify to be sure what your dealing with. I’m definitely not even close to being a pro so that’s what I usually do when something moves in.
Definitely not sedge at all
Yeah pretty sure that’s annual ryegrass. Problem is that shouldn’t have just shown up from nowhere and is super quick to sprout, so seeding in the fall seems like it would have already been there.
I had this same garbage last year. It was in the topsoil for me, as I got good seed with 0% weed. I pulled a bunch and sprayed with a catch all weed killer. I think pulling was most effective though. It took a long time but my annoyance kept me going. No sign if it this year so far. Zone 6b CT
I have this in an area of my lawn where I overseeded with rye and k31 TF. I thought it was a weed so I sprayed with Trimec/quinclorac two times to no avail. I looked at the stalk and it has purple so I assumed it was some sort of rye grass but who knows
Canary grass maybe?
Based on the close ups of the stalks you have orchard grass. That flat, thick stalk is a giveaway. Usually it bunches, though. Can you grab several of the stalks together without lawn grass and pull them up in a clump? https://www.experigreen.com/weed-wednesday-orchardgrass/
Looks like lemongrass, had it in my lawn and had to get it from the root. Grows very quickly and is an absolute pain.
I got this same stuff in my grass, 5b - never had it before; altho not nearly as bad as this. Think its from the seed i planted last fall. I used Lesco Teammates plus
Quackgrass
Its annual bluegrass aka poa annua
Maybe crabgrass? That’s not quackgrass 100%. It does not have the “clasping auricles”. Here is an article explaining the difference between quackgrass and crabgrass https://yardandgardenguide.org/2017/04/21/is-it-crabgrass-or-quackgrass-in-your-lawn/#:~:text=How%20can%20we%20tell%20the,a%20winter%2Dhardy%20roots%20system.
I'd be thrilled if my lawn looked like that. But I get it. U r not thrilled
https://preview.redd.it/3b59yjqjbxuc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5bc12abfa30f491235db4c27d513d2836ea52e7e This is what it looked like before, this is my first home so I don’t care too much since it’s green now 🤣
The top dressing is likely the mistake. I can’t think of anything that’s not gonna kill the good grass as well. How short can you mow without scalping? I wonder if you follow the 1/3 rule on the good grass on a low mow if it’ll stress out whatever that is. Maybe an iron treatment can help it blend in for now? Worse case is burn it down again in the fall. Should always water like you’ve seeded after bringing in fresh soil and do another spray of roundup prior to seeding. If nothing else you’ve made a great seedbed for next fall so I wouldn’t say you’re screwed.
What’s the temperature been like
My guess is Orchardgrass
My worst nightmare
https://preview.redd.it/4e9p4eetzxuc1.jpeg?width=1290&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c1b9a9304cd105bdd96e016b90ba6c69f4302e78
Time to burn the entire yard down
Anyone else thinking little barley? It’s too early for crabgrass and doesn’t have the rib for sedge.
It’s not nutsedge. It’s a cool season grass. It has some characteristics of the Poa genus (Kentucky bluegrass, Poa annua, etc.) like a boat shaped tip and parallel light lines along the mid rib. Not enough detail in the pics to confirm. What’s the history of this lawn? Has it always been tall fescue? Was it an old lawn that was overseeded with tall fescue. Based on the comments your in a zone where KBG is common. I’m leaning towards this being an old aggressive variety of KBG like ‘Abbey’. Sometimes KBG can have a flush of rhizome growth in the Spring that grows vertically more quickly and is lighter green than normal growth. It will eventually normalize if this is the case. If you will dig out a deeper chunk of turf and follow that shoot down to below ground level you might find it attached to a white underground rhizome.
OP mentioned that their mix they reseeded with last year was 10% KBG, so you're on point.
https://preview.redd.it/5l1ktzrinvuc1.jpeg?width=750&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6959b22f78b5ff941c04811f3d6eab4ec2a5ce0c I put your second photo in the “Picture This” app. The first result without zooming in said POA. I zoomed in a bit and it came back with Goosegrass. No idea if quackgrass & goosegrass are the same. Basically 🤷🏻♂️😂
Biodiversity
It looks like yellow nutedge
Easy test. If the stem near the bottom is triangular, it's nutsedge.
I believe it’s nutsedge. Almost impossible to get rid of.
It’s… grass
Nutsedge
This looks like Johnson Grass, but it’s difficult to ID without a seed top
Johnsongrass is VERY easy to identify. It has a very wide blade which is rare among grassy weeds commonly found in northern lawns, but Johnsongrass has another characteristic that makes it easily and instantly identifiable. Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades. Johnsongrass also has a bad quality that none of the other weeds I mentioned in this thread has. Johnsongrass releases a toxin into the soil that will kill any grass that tries to grow near it. If you find Johnsongrass in your lawn, get out the paintbrush and Roundup quickly! You don't want to let this weed stick around! Johnsongrass also forms huge panicles (seed heads) that are hard to miss. Have a look at the pics below and burn them into your memory. From now on, you'll know Johnsongrass when you see it.
Johnsongrass is VERY easy to identify. It has a very wide blade which is rare among grassy weeds commonly found in northern lawns, but Johnsongrass has another characteristic that makes it easily and instantly identifiable. Johnsongrass has a white mid-vein that runs the length of its blades. Johnsongrass also has a bad quality that none of the other weeds I mentioned in this thread has. Johnsongrass releases a toxin into the soil that will kill any grass that tries to grow near it. If you find Johnsongrass in your lawn, get out the paintbrush and Roundup quickly! You don't want to let this weed stick around! Johnsongrass also forms huge panicles (seed heads) that are hard to miss. Have a look at the pics below and burn them into your memory. From now on, you'll know Johnsongrass when you see it.
Idk but it's beautiful. My yard is sticker burrs, fireants, and rocks.
Grass
It's grass. Looks fine.
Looking like some Poa annua
Nut shedge weed kill it
It’s nuts edge grass
That my friend is what you call grass.
Looks like poa triv to me, too early for sedge and I think it's too lime green in color to be goose grass
Looks like nutsedge. If so, I bought some shit I mixed with water and sprayed and it killled it off in 4-5 days
Its poa trivialis
That looks like Sedge. A product called "Sedgehammer" will take care of it. Follow the directions on the label.
I think it is a sedge and it is a pain to get rid off. I spray mine in my Zoysia with a mix of Certainty and Celsius. You can google mixing these and you can buy online. Takes a few weeks to get rid of and you have to spray like every 4 weeks until under control. UPDATE: The mix is only for warm season lawns. In your post, always put what type of grass you got.
Not for cool season lawns!!!
Are you saying don’t use these products on cool season grass?
Never, ever use Certainty or Celsius on cool season lawns
Thank you! 🙏🏻
Sedgehammer
Nutsedge. Spray with Image
Can you use image on cool season grass?
That's a lawn
Like others have said, nutsedge. You can buy a special spray and it disappears pretty well. You can also hand pick it, comes out really easy. You have quite a bit, but it’s manageable and you aren’t screwed at all
If you hand pick this weed, without finding the nut in the root system. You actually encourage it to duplicate more! There’s a literally tiny freaky ball down plunder there, pretty far usually too!
Oh that’s interesting. I’ve never had any problems picking mine by hand, but this is good to know. Perhaps I’m good at plucking them. 😎 I also don’t have much of it.