Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue, Rye and Bent, etc
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Cole
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Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by Cole » June 20th, 2020, 3:28 pm

Hey guys,

Pretty discouraged today. I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong. I don't know that anyone else will either, but I'm at a loss. This is my second year with this lawn and I have been taking care of what looks to be a generic Northern Mix lawn. It has been looking fairly good, seven great at times, but the one thing I struggle with is weed control.

I had an issue with quackgrass last year that was already here and I figured by continuing to practice good habbits, with fertilizing, mowing and watering, that the grass would eventually start to outcompete it. I was fully aware that some areas might get bigger and just need to be killed off, but now it seems that quackgrass has over taken my entire lawn, even in areas that were completely free of it last year.

My assumption is that sonce the grass seems to be thriving, that the same things are helping quackgrass that was already in the lawn and now it's starting to thrive too. I had just hoped that a thick stand of turf would have kept it at bay.

Is there any hope for a lawn full of quackgrass? Part of me wants to kill it all and just start the lawn over, but I am concerned that the quackgrass will just grow in a new lawn too. Clearly I'm doing something wrong I just don't know what. The clover is much worse this year than last year too. The grass itself looks better than last year, but the weeds have gotten worse as well.

Any tips or advice? Thanks in advance and sorry for the long post.

I mow at 3 - 3.5 inches depending on weather.
I dont have irrigation, so i only water spots as they start to show signs of stress.
Use Scotts green max in spring and milorganite in summer. Just did double rate of milorganite 11 days ago.
Half shade half sun NoMix.

Just mowed. Looks good in pic, but quackgrass is sprinkled in everywhere.
Image

Mowed 2 days ago
Image

Close up of bad spot of quackgrass that wasn't here last year.
Image

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andy10917
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by andy10917 » June 20th, 2020, 4:55 pm

I had an issue with quackgrass last year
Who identified it as Quackgrass? Do you have a close-up of an unmowed plant, especially if you can find one with seedheads?
the same things are helping quackgrass that was already in the lawn and now it's starting to thrive too
When does it show up, and does it die back with the frost?
but the one thing I struggle with is weed control.
I see Clover and Quackgrass mentioned, but no mention of what herbicides have been tried. I also see no mention of a Pre-M being used.

Cole
Posts: 40
Joined: May 23rd, 2019, 2:53 pm
Location: Central Minnesota
Grass Type: KBG, Rye, Fescue blend
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by Cole » June 20th, 2020, 5:49 pm

It is my identification. It seems like a fairly common weed around here. I had it at my last home too. I have never been 100% certain, but it has clasping auricles and rhizomes and based off of it's color and overall look the most likely thing seemed like quackgrass. I will see if I can find one with seed heads and post the pic. There might be one in a flower bed.

It's pretty much there right away in the spring. I can't say for certain if it dies back with the frost. I would say it is less prominant in the fall though, yes.

I use triclopyr on the clover with success, but it keeps popping up in different places all over the lawn. I DID NOT use a pre em. I always thought it was more of a crabgrass preventative and didn't consider it for other weeds, I'm not sure why. I just had it in my head that I don't have much crabgrass so I skipped the pre em so that i could use the green max. I wrote in my notes early on USE A PRE EM NEXT YEAR. However, do you think this would help the quackgrass (if it is quackgrass)?

Cole
Posts: 40
Joined: May 23rd, 2019, 2:53 pm
Location: Central Minnesota
Grass Type: KBG, Rye, Fescue blend
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by Cole » June 20th, 2020, 5:59 pm

Here are some better pictures of the quackgrass. Managed to find a large plant hiding with the lilies.

Image

Image

Image

schreibdave
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by schreibdave » June 20th, 2020, 6:00 pm

Following this thread because I get that grassy weed too. I usually pull it but I think tenacity also takes it out.


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andy10917
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by andy10917 » June 20th, 2020, 6:04 pm

I wrote in my notes early on USE A PRE EM NEXT YEAR
No, use it THIS year when the weather starts to cool a little bit (late August - Labor Day). *AND* next Spring.

There is an herbicide that can selectively take out Quackgrass. It works (as long as you don't have Tall Fescue), but it isn't labeled for Cool-Season grasses. It was, but the muddy, sick look that it can give your lawn for a while apparently had them take it off the label. It's far from cheap, but it works. It's "Certainty". If you find the original label document (easy to find), it could selectively solve the Quackgrass (assuming your ID is right).
Following this thread because I get that grassy weed too. I usually pull it but I think tenacity also takes it out.
Tenacity is hit-or-miss (mostly miss) on Quackgrass. Yes, it whitens, No, it doesn't kill.

Cole
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Joined: May 23rd, 2019, 2:53 pm
Location: Central Minnesota
Grass Type: KBG, Rye, Fescue blend
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by Cole » June 20th, 2020, 7:12 pm

Okay! I will go ahead and start doing pre em in fall and spring.

I've read about Certainty, but wasn't sure if anyone was getting good control of quackgrass and not killing their good grass too. I think it's probably worth a shot.

Thanks for your advice.

bumpy lawn
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by bumpy lawn » June 20th, 2020, 7:44 pm

Dithiopyr as a pre-m in the fall, prodiamine as a pre-m in the spring, quinclorac with a sticker as a post em as early as it pops out.

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andy10917
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by andy10917 » June 21st, 2020, 7:55 am

I have never seen Quinclorac work on Quackgrass. But I'm not surprised that people claim it works, as there is often confusion between crabgrass and quackgrass.

I don't know of any formulations of Quinclorac that claim control of Quackgrass.

bumpy lawn
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Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by bumpy lawn » June 21st, 2020, 9:57 am

I have quack- "furry" feel and stands upright , and crab that has a reddish color near the base and lays flat. It seems to work on both , maybe it stunts the quack allowing the real lawn to crowd out? Barring that I guess meso 2 or glyph may be the best bet?

Cole
Posts: 40
Joined: May 23rd, 2019, 2:53 pm
Location: Central Minnesota
Grass Type: KBG, Rye, Fescue blend
Lawn Size: 5000-10000
Level: Some Experience

Re: Weeds Are Out of Control In Otherwise Decent Lawn

Post by Cole » June 24th, 2020, 3:08 pm

Sorry, I don't mean to bump this, but I realized I posted the same picture twice above and wanted to post the correct picture of the clasping auricles on quackgrass. This is an important identifier for those that are wondering what weed they might have.


Image

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