How To Get Rid Of Quack Grass?

What is quack grass? What does it look like? It is very important to have the correct answers to these questions so that you can deal with this grass effectively. Keep in mind that you will have to be patient and persistent to truly get rid of quack grass. But don’t despair, it can be done.

Quack grass has wider leaves than most of the common lawn grasses, so it stands out from other grasses. The blades of quack grass are rough as well. If you run your finger gently along the edge of a blade of quack grass you will feel the roughness. If you suspect quack grass is growing in your lawn, pull a small bunch and look at the roots. They should be thick and obviously white. Unfortunately, quack grass roots break off rather easily and sometimes stay in the ground when the plant is pulled.

First Try
The first thing you should do to get rid of quack grass is keep it from growing in your lawn. If you put in other plants and grasses, check to make sure you don’t have quack grass mixed in accidently. The next step involves looking for signs of unusual grasses. Develop the habit of looking closely for unwanted types of grass and weeds so that you can remove them immediately.

Quack grass will spread quickly if allowed to get a start, especially if the soil is a bit sandy or contains a lot of loam. It is important to check every day or two to make sure this grass doesn’t get started in your garden or in a consistent patch of lawn. If you see quack grass, remove it immediately. Make an effort to get all of the roots you can.

Chemical – Maybe Not
You probably won’t have a lot of success trying to get rid of this grass with herbicides. Experience has taught property owners and landscaping companies that quack grass isn’t eliminated by selective weed killers and retail herbicides. Non-selective herbicides will kill quack grass but will also kill most other growths. This is probably not going to be an option.

Some gardeners and property owners have had to replant certain sections of the garden, flower bed or lawn to get rid of this grass. It is important to look for traces of quack grass (especially the roots that may be left behind). It may be necessary to treat the section with a non-selective herbicide. You’ll have to take this step to insure that what you plant will be “alone” in the bed or section. Wait several days (up to a week) before treating the area again.

If you have quack grass that is clearly separated from other plants you could carefully apply a post-emergent product directly on the quack grass. But you will have to be very careful not to get over spray on valued plants. Unfortunately, quack grass is one of the most difficult weed grasses to eliminate completely. But if you are patient you can get rid of quack grass.

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