We want you to first take a close look at the above photo, and see if it looks familiar…if the white-colored grass looks like something you see now in your own yard.
Then, we’ll tell you what you’re seeing, if you are.
On a recent residential call, a prospective client pointed to just such a patch and said, “What can I do to get rid of this Crabgrass? I put pre-emergent down every spring, and still I have it in my lawn.”
Nimblewill can become established in thinly-growing plantings of more desirable turf varieties, like bluegrass, rye, and fescue. It’s identifiable in winter as white, splotchy patches (above).
Well, it “isn’t” Crabgrass. The white-colored grass that a lot of people see during the dormant days of winter is a weed called NIMBLEWILL. Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) is a warm-season perennial grass, a thin, wiry grass that is pale green or gray-green in color during growing season, and typically becomes established in thinly-growing plantings of the popular turf varieties, bluegrass, rye, and fescue.
It is hard to control, and you cannot control it with pre-emergent applications in the spring. Absolute control comes through an application of “Roundup”, but that kills everything, so you don’t want to do that.
The recent release of the herbicide “Tenacity” has shown promise, but it’s not available over the counter, and should only be applied by professionals. In tests, three applications have been effective, two to three weeks apart. Again, this option is available only through professional, licensed applicators, but it is effective.
The best option? A good growing culture with aggressive over-seeding, nutrition, and professional attention to existing stands of Nimblewill will take care of it. A thick stand of desirable grass will inhibit the spread of the undesirables like Crabgrass and Nimblewill every time.
If you have an issue in your yard, look first at the photos, and then decide on a course of action this spring. Crabgrass can indeed be controlled by pre-emergent products, Nimblewill cannot.
Now that you know…call Ever-Green. We’ll be happy to advise, and help.
