3 Things Homeowners Need To Know About Annual Bluegrass

Posted on: 12 July 2016

Annual bluegrass is a common weed that you may discover growing amongst your grass. Here are three things homeowners need to know about annual bluegrass.

What does annual bluegrass look like?

Annual bluegrass looks somewhat similar to regular grass since it's a type of grass weed. Its leaf blades are generally yellowish-green, so you'll be able see lighter patches in your lawn where the regular grass has been displaced by annual bluegrass.

This weed can be anywhere between three and 12 inches (eight and 30 centimeters) tall. At the end of each leaf blade, you'll see a triangular or egg-shaped flower head. This flower head is usually pale, which makes the weeds stand out even more on your lawn. Generally, the flower heads are present between December and July, but if your area has warm winters, you could see flower heads all year.

How can you keep this weed away?

If you don't yet have annual bluegrass growing on your lawn, you can keep it away by practicing good lawn maintenance. Cutting the grass too short stresses it and invites weeds. The ideal mowing height for your grass will depend on the exact species you have, but varieties like bluegrass or fescue should be cut no shorter than three inches.

Seeding your grass can also help to keep annual bluegrass away. If your grass is sparse in any areas, annual bluegrass seeds can take advantage of the available soil. Fill any open spaces with grass seed so that weeds like annual bluegrass don't have any room to grow. The best time to seed your grass is either right before or right after summer.

How can you get rid of annual bluegrass?

Herbicides can be used to get annual bluegrass under control. Choose a product that's designed to kill annual bluegrass, and just as importantly, one that's safe for lawns. In addition to herbicides, you'll need to follow the good lawn maintenance practices that were described above; if you only use herbicides, the annual bluegrass could come back.

If you have a large lawn care budget and want a nice lawn in a hurry, another strategy is to have your existing lawn torn up and replaced with sod. This will get rid of your annual bluegrass problem, though you'll need to carefully tend to the sod to keep it healthy while it takes root. Avoid walking on your new sod for at least two weeks.

If you're having trouble getting rid of annual bluegrass, contact a lawn care service.

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