GRASSY PERENNIAL WEEDS



 There are a number of perennial grass plants that can become objectionable once established in a home lawn. In general, these types of plants cannot be selectively controlled; that is, they cannot be killed without also killing adjacent and intermingled desirable turf grasses. There are warm-season and cool-season perennial grasses that may become a "weed" problem. The warm-season grasses include common Bermuda grass (sometimes called "wiregrass"), improved Bermuda grasses, nimblewill, and Zoysia grass. Cool-season perennial problem grasses include Bentgrass, common Ryegrass, Orchard grass, miscellaneous coarse-bladed Fescues, several other types of coarse-bladed grasses, and sometimes fine-bladed Fescues.
These problem plants become established in lawns as they age through a variety of means. Most volunteer into the lawn. Zoysia and improved Bermuda grasses usually have been established deliberately. Once established, undesirable species can be masked, eradicated, or ignored. Masking usually involves over seeding with larger, coarser-bladed, but desirable turf grass types fescue. This approach is not appropriate in a lot of cases.
 Eradication involves the application of a nonselective herbicide to areas infested with the undesirable grass(es). This type of herbicide will kill both undesirable and desirable grasses in areas sprayed. Multiple sprayings are generally required. Once all of the grass is dead, the area may be re-established by seeding with desirable species of turf grasses. The areas deliberately killed may need to be dethatched prior to the reseeding. This entire process is usually referred to as "renovation".
 

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