4. Crabgrass and Goosegrass: Grassy Weeds
This is the fourth of 11 Tricks to Make Sure Your Grass Is Always Greener, a free eBook. We’ll be posting a new trick on this blog every other week.
If you’re like most Florida homeowners, you will have a grassy weed in your lawn sooner or later. These weeds sort of look like grass, but they’re different. They don’t seem to match the rest of your lawn.
In Florida, crabgrass and goosegrass are common grassy weeds. They are difficult to identify, but have hollow, round stems and a single seed leaf. Their nodes – which may look like joints – are closed and hard to the touch. The leaves of grassy weeds will be longer than they are wide. That’s how they get the name “grassy” weed.
Crabgrasses germinate in warm air temperatures. They have hairy stems and two to nine finger-like branches. Goosegrass has white to silver coloring near its base, flat stems and germinates after crabgrass.
Both of these grassy weeds can be removed by hand. If you aren’t overrun with these weeds, just yank them out one by one. Mowing over them will not solve the problem because they will bounce right back.
Grassy weeds thrive where your yard is weakest, so try to keep your lawn thick and healthy. Without empty space, grassy weeds have no room to grow. A thick turf of normal grass will prevent sunlight from reaching the seeds underneath the thatch. Without light, the weeds won’t be able to take over.
If you have tried pulling out crabgrass or other grassy weeds, but they keep coming back, consider calling for lawn care help.
