Grass ID: Fescue? Ryegrass? Something else?

[NiciPicki]

Very good point. I will definitely put it in a pot. Far, far away from the reno.

I was just so proud of myself, thinking I'd IDed it beyond a shadow of a doubt. Now I'm all wishy-washy again.

The weed ID stuff is kind of fun, though. The analytical part of my brain likes it. Then again, I also do incident investigations for a living, and have written more than one procedure/flow chart on the subject. So maybe my idea of "fun" is a little skewed.

Edit -- Btw, thanks for the help so far, everyone. If nothing else, I feel a little better knowing it's NOT easy after all!

[sc4dr]

It's not triv. Triv does not grow In clumps. Did you ever pull one out of the ground to see how easy or hard it comes up. ANNUA pulls up very easily all in one clump

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[NiciPicki]

The roots do not come out easily. In fact, I had trouble pulling up a sample that included the roots. Quite fibrous.

[sc4dr]

I think it's safe to rule out triv, and ANNUA. So that's good we hope

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Masslawn]

http://www.agry.purdue.edu/turf/tool/index.html

Try using that site

[NiciPicki]

I did. I've tried using everything I can find. That one tells me it's either perennial rye or tall fescue, which gave me a chuckle. Yep, I've gotten that far!

That site is one of my favorite ID tools. I'm gonna try looking at it again tonight, though I'm not sure why I keep thinking I'm going to find something different. Definition of insanity, and all that....

[xapabwa]

I didn't mean clumping as in a bunch type grass. I meant as clumps as neon green patches. Where it is concentrated, it looks like a clump, but when the stolons start to grow and it spreads out a bit, it looks less clumpy. Mine started off looking very spidery when it was new and didn't have anything I would have thought of as a stolon - just sort of longer, floppier stems.

I can't be certain that what I have is really trivialis either because I'm certainly no expert at IDing grasses and grass-like weeds. However, all of the online ID programs thought it was trivialis as did most everyone on here when I posted pics and a description.

I guess the only point I was trying to make was if it's definitely not the KBG you planted, pull it out. If you want to keep a plant to observe until it matures, dig it up and put it in a pot so it can't plot to take over the lawn when life gets busy and you aren't faithfully checking it every day.

[Masslawn]

My vote would be Italian Rye

[NiciPicki]

Well one thing I did notice when I went through that ID tool this time is that it says that p. rye has a reddish-purple crown and tall fescue has a reddish-purple stem base. So there's something, at least. I think.

Yeah, my plan is to keep pulling it up and hopefully get a positive ID at some point. Plus that pot. Far away.

Edit -- Psst.... what's the difference between a crown and a stem base?

Edit II -- Nothing, apparently.

[simpson]

Is it in the sun or shade?

[ Post made via Android ]

[NiciPicki]

It's popping up in various parts of the yard, but the whole yard is basically full sun most of the day (a little shade from the nearby bushes in the evening). It's possible that one part of the yard is one of those spots where there's more shade than I realize, but it wouldn't cross over the line to heavy shade.

[simpson]

Slender creeping red fescue?

[ Post made via Android ]

[Green]

Leaves look rolled, but with a midrib!?

No idea what it actually is, but I'll take the bait and post this snippet of an interesting study that might or might not actually be relevant.

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.2307/2 ... 1278571857

Could it be a naturally-occurring Fescue-Rye hybrid?
Or, maybe a simpler explanation--like someone suggested, Italian/Annual Rye.

[NiciPicki]

That's my current hunch, simpson. I'm emailing with a guy from Advanced Turf and he asked me to send him some pics of it. We'll see what he thinks!

[ Post made via Android ]

[NiciPicki]

Oh lawd, I've got mutants.

[ Post made via Android ]

[GaryCinChicago]

Oh lawd, I've got mutants.

[ Post made via Android ]

Cowabunga

[NiciPicki]

Oh lawd, they're teenaged.

[ Post made via Android ]

[NiciPicki]

The guy at Advanced Turf voted tall fescue.

[ Post made via Android ]

[NiciPicki]

As an aside, I've gotta give Advanced Turf some credit for good customer service. I was originally emailing to ask about Corsair (to see if I could get lucky and find a dusty bottle on a shelf) and he was genuinely interested in helping me find a product to fit my needs, even asking for photos of the grass. I feel like most folks would have just written me off as a "it's just one sale, who cares" homeowner. (And in case anyone questions this in the future, no, I'm not affiliated with them in any way!)

[ Post made via Android ]

[mattya]

That is quite surprising. Good to hear - Makes you want to give them your future business, eh?