How to Get Rid of Dallisgrass
Dallisgrass is a troublesome, warm-season grass common throughout the southern United States. Control the spread of dallisgrass on your lawn with these tips and tricks.
What is Dallisgrass?
Dallisgrass is a course-textured, clumping perennial grass. The weed has adapted to grow virtually anywhere, including turfgrass, ornamental landscapes, roadside ditches and more. Its ability to spread from thick rhizomes and seed enables dallisgrass to rapidly grow and spread.
Identification
Dallisgrass grows in clumps and slowly increases its diameter through short, shallow rhizomes. The rhizomes are typically too low to be removed from mowing, allowing them to spread if left untreated. Dallisgrass is highly adaptable, enabling them to survive in wet, sandy or clay soils, extended periods of drought and frost-like temperatures. Compared to other weeds commonly found in turfgrass, dallisgrass is one of the most difficult weeds to eradicate.
How Dallisgrass Impacts Your Yard
Golf courses, recreational areas, sports fields and home landscapes suffer from dallisgrass, as they prevent the landscape from having a uniform texture. The weed responds well to nitrogen-based fertilizers, creating competition with surrounding turfgrass for essential nutrients and water. Because its rhizomes grow so shallow, dallisgrass is able to spread throughout your lawn—virtually undisturbed.
Managing and Controlling Dallisgrass
Preventing the establishment of new dallisgrass plants is essential to managing the weed in your lawn. Removing plants early in the life cycle prohibits their growth, but removing mature plants often leaves behind rhizomes that will continue to grow.
Dallisgrass that is well-developed or covers a large area requires the use of herbicides and/or a partial or complete lawn renovation. Consider exploring lawn maintenance plans that include weed control for your landscape.
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