Grassy Weed Control

Richard L. Duble, Turfgrass Specialist
Texas Cooperative Extension
Text and images copyright © Richard Duble.

Weeds are troublesome in lawns, sports fields, playgrounds, golf courses and oather turfgrass areas because they are unsightly and lead to poor playing conditions. Perhaps more than just troublesome, weeds greatly increase mowing costs and present a safety hazard on sports fields and playgrounds. For example, a weed-free bermudagrass turf on a school ground, public park or sports field provides a uniform playing surface and requires little or no mowing from late fall to early spring. On the other hand, a bermuda turf with winter weeds, crabgrass, dallisgrass and bahiagrass provides a less desirable playing surface and requires more frequent mowing, winter and summer. In addition, the weeds create unsightly conditions on those facilities.

Today, turf managers have the tools available to provide weed-free turfgrass facilities. Preemerge products are available to control annual grassy weeds and effective postemerge products are available for most annual and perennial grassy weeds.

Common Grassy Weeds in Turfgrasses

Crabgrass
Goosegrass
Dallisgrass
Bahiagrass
Annual Bluegrass (Poa annua)