Here in Texas, many homeowners find dallisgrass invading their lawns. This is a perennial grass with rhizomes that go deep into the soil. Its leaves can grow between 4 to 10 inches, so if you see a clumpy mound of grass sticking out of your lawn, there is a good chance it is dallisgrass or paspalum dilatatum as it is scientifically known. This grassy weed thrives in warmer climates, so North Texas makes for the ideal location.
Is Dallisgrass The Same Thing As Crabgrass?
No, but dallisgrass is very similar to crabgrass. They are both grassy weeds and both can be tricky to get under control once they start growing. One easy way to tell the difference between the two weeds is to notice the time of year. Crabgrass dies out in the winter, but dallisgrass will survive and thrive even during cold, winter temps when your lawn has gone dormant.
Dallisgrass Control
The dallisgrass plant is a tricky weed to control because it grows faster than normal turf grasses, so infestations are common. One of the best things that you can do to keep the weed under control and prevent regrowth is to get on a regular lawn care program that will offer a mix of timely fertilization and weed control. This combined with proper lawn mowing and watering will give your lawn the best chance. A healthy lawn is the best defense against weeds!
Pre-emergent herbicides are also key to preventing dallisgrass because these products prevent the seedhead from ever germinating in the first place. Post-emergent herbicides have difficulty fully killing off the weed, so trying to get it prior to germination is critical.
Treating Dallisgrass After Germination
If you see dallisgrass on your lawn, it is best to contact a professional lawn care company. A non-selective herbicide will be needed, which means you can greatly damage your lawn if not applied correctly and during the right time of year. For spot treatments, it is best if they are applied during turf dormancy in the winter or early spring. There is no way to prevent turf damage around the treatment site, but if applied during dormancy, your grass will recover when it returns later in the spring and green up again during the summer.
At Lawn Tech, our program offers a winter season spray as described above to treat the dallisgrass with a weed control product that has active ingredients designed to target tough grassy weeds. This combined with our continuous program of fertilization and weed control throughout the year will keep your lawn looking great.
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