Lawn Care/Maintenance/Weed Control/Classification/Perennial Grasses
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| Photographer: Kenneth J. Sytsma University of Wisconsin-Madison |
It is a cool season perennial member of the Grass family that reproduces by seeds and long, slender, long-lived rhizomes. Quackgrass is a patch-forming, coarse textured grass that spreads by white, long-lived rhizomes. It can grow up to 4 feet tall. The root system is fibrous. Root hairs ring the rhizomes every 3/4 to 1 inch. The rhizomes develop 2 to 8 inches deep. Quackgrass stems are smooth. The upper sheaths of quackgrass are smooth or with short hairs, round to somewhat flattened, with split, short hairs on lower portion. The blades are flat and the margins may be rough. It is dull green to light blue-green and taper to a pointed tip. It grows 1/8 to 1/2 inch wide and 3 to 12 inches long. It is soft, smooth to rough to the touch on upper surface, occasionally sparsely hairy on the upper surface, smooth or slightly hairy on lower surface. It develops claw-like, slender auricles that clasp the stem. Quackgrass flowers are narrow, dense, terminal spikes 2 to 6 inches long. They are borne late May to September. This aggressive grass is found in many lawns throughout growing season, especially during cool weather in spring and fall. Quackgrass thrives in well-drained soils with slightly acidic pH and favors thin, droughty lawns. To control quackgrass without herbicides, mechanically remove, although removing the entire underground portion of the plants may be difficult. Maintain turf density and health through proper culture; low mowing and fertility maintenance may decrease population. Apply nonselective herbicides when actively growing; selective herbicide controls for quackgrass are currently unavailable.
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| Photographer: Emmet J. Judziewicz University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Madison |
It is a cool season perennial member of the Grass family that reproduces by seeds and stem pieces. Creeping bentgrass spreads by vigorous above-ground stems and forms puffy, dense patches of fine textured grass capable of forcing out other turfgrasses. The blue-green leaves of creeping bentgrass are flat, approximately 1/8 inch wide, and usually rough on upper and lower sides and on the margins. The tip is pointed and the veins on the upper surface are prominent. The purplish flowers of creeping bentgrass are compressed panicles usually occurring in late spring or early summer. Creeping bentgrass can occur in most lawns throughout growing season, especially in moist, fertile areas where the turf is closely mowed. To control creeping bentgrass without chemicals, maintain turf density and health through proper culture; avoid overwatering, overfertilization, and close mowing. Apply nonselective, post emergence herbicides during periods of active weed growth.
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| Photographer: Robert W. Freckmann University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point |
It is a cool season perennial member of the Grass family that reproduces by seeds and root pieces. Tall fescue is a clumpy, coarse, bunch-type grass that develops a deep root system from which wide leaves emerge. The leaves of tall fescue are flat, dark green, and up to 1/2 inch wide. The upper surface has distinctive veins, the margins are rough, and the tip sharp pointed. Flowers of tall fescue are panicles that grow up to 12 inches long. They occur in late spring or early summer. Tall fescue tolerates a wide variety of turf settings. To control tall fescue without chemicals, maintain turf density and health through proper culture. Apply selective and nonselective postemergence herbicides from late spring through early summer and again from mid to late autumn during periods of active growth.
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| Photographer: Emmet J. Judziewicz University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and Madison |
It is a warm season perennial grass often found in older turf areas. It tolerates both sunny and shady settings and is often found where growing conditions are moist. Nimblewill spreads from area to area by seeds and spreading stems. In turf, nimblewill forms dense patches, often a foot or more in diameter, by spreading stems. It has fibrous roots, and the stems often root at the lower nodes. When actively growing, nimblewill produces blue-green, short, flat leaves up to 2 inches long. The long slender flower stalks appear in late summer. They are borne both at the ends of stems and in leaf axils, are 2 to 6 inches long, and are cylindrical. As with other warm season grasses (e.g. zoysiagrass and bermudagrass), nimblewill is dormant from mid autumn through mid to late spring. When dormant, nimblewill is a faded dull brown; the patches tend to appear fuzzy, somewhat resembling a scouring pad. In turf invaded by nimblewill, these faded, fuzzy patches are especially apparent when cool season turf is green and actively growing in spring and autumn. Maintaining a dense, healthy lawn through proper turf selection, establishment, and maintenance is the recommended non-chemical control for nimblewill. Nimblewill is often a problem in shaded and/or moist areas where commonly grown turfgrasses are poorly adapted. Modifying the growing conditions by improving soil drainage, reducing shade, and increasing air movement may favor turf growth and increase its ability to compete with nimblewill. Presently, there are no selective herbicides for nimblewill. The recommended chemical control is glyphosate, a nonselective herbicide applied to green, actively growing weeds. In the case of nimblewill, the active growth period is from late spring through early autumn. Applications of glyphosate to nimblewill when dormant will not provide control.
