As Benjamin Franklin once famously said, nothing is certain in life but death and taxes. We’d like to add “lawn weeds” to that list. The truth is, no matter how hard you try, certain weeds are just really aggressive and keep coming back. It’s why you need a great weed control strategy.
Of all the different weeds we deal with here in Texas, grassy weeds are some of the worst. Grassy weeds tend to be aggressive growers that are hard to get rid of. They tend to outcompete your healthy grass and will grow higher, sticking out like a sore thumb in the lawn.
Even within the grassy weed category, some are worse than others. Amongst the worst is dallisgrass.
Whether you think you might already have this weed, or you’re just worrying about it, you probably want to know what to do.
In this article, we will dive into why this weed is such a problem. We’ll also cover best practices for dallisgrass control.
Dallisgrass is a grassy weed that is often mistaken for crabgrass. Like crabgrass, it also grows in clumps and sticks out of the lawn because of its bunched-up appearance. It has coarse leaves and tall seed stalks and appears in a distinct grayish/green color. One way that it can be distinguished from crabgrass is with its black seeds.
This is a frustrating and difficult-to-control grassy weed. This is due partly to the fact that it is deep-rooted. But it’s also an aggressive grower and can spread rapidly.
Unfortunately, whereas crabgrass can be fairly easily controlled (particularly with a good weed control regimen that includes pre-emergent controls), dallisgrass control can be a lot more complicated.
There are a few reasons why dallisgrass is a huge frustration for homeowners.
One of the reasons it is so problematic for North Texas lawns is that it’s incredibly difficult to deal with. We’ll explain why you’re going to have to take a particularly aggressive approach when it comes to dealing with this weed.
Dallisgrass is also a big eyesore. Because it grows so rapidly, it will soon be towering over your lawn.
Plus, it’s not just ugly. It’s always going to be competing with your healthy turf for things like water, sunlight, and nutrients. If given the chance, it could completely take over.
When people ask us about dallisgrass, one of the first questions they ask is How do you kill Dallisgrass without killing lawn? The trouble is, there is no easy answer to that.
Dallisgrass is highly resistant to most selective herbicides. While you could try to spot treat patches of it with a dallisgrass weed killer, you’re going to end up killing any healthy grass in that area as well. If you try to spot treat areas, you’re going to need to re-seed them and wait for new grass to grow.
Another way that people deal with dallisgrass is by digging it up in patches. You have to make sure you dig deep enough since this is a very deep-rooted perennial. It also spreads seeds so rapidly that it’s probably already spread to other areas of the lawn.
Most of the time, when we’re talking about dallisgrass control solutions, we’re dealing with lawns that have been overrun with it. Because of its fast-spreading nature, this is often the case. That’s why we typically recommend starting completely over with a sodding service.
If it’s a small patch of dallisgrass here or there or a relatively minor problem, then we could discuss using controls. However, if your lawn is overrun by dallisgrass, you’re going to be in a lot better shape talking about a sod solution where we come in and manually remove the areas with dallisgrass and simply start over. You’ll have an “instant lawn” and get rid of your dallisgrass problem without waiting.
The aggressive growth of dallisgrass means that trying to deal with it can be time-consuming. It requires multiple treatments and this hardy weed is very tough to knock back. The cost of this can add up and all of that time, you might feel as though you’re stuck in a never-ending cycle of dealing with a weed that keeps coming back.
So, for that reason, many homeowners do prefer to go the sod route.
The truth is, even when we’re effective with weed control, you’re still going to be left with bare spots in your yard. The success of killing weeds means leaving beyond spots where those weeds have died off.
But when you choose sodding, you don’t have to deal with those bare spots.
If you already have dallisgrass growing, then you’re going to want to talk to a lawn care professional about your best course of action. But once you’ve gotten rid of it, you’ll want to prevent it from coming back.
There are a few cultural recommendations that we make which can help with dallisgrass control. In fact, these strategies help with weed control in general.
At the end of the day, whether it’s dallisgrass, or some other issue that you’re dealing with, a lawn care professional can help you find the solution that’s best for you. That answer will not be the same for everyone. That’s why it is important to work with a lawn care professional who will customize the right solutions for your lawn.
Our goal at Grassperson is all about getting your lawn back on track to good health and we’ll help you find the way to achieve that goal that’s right for you.
Once you’ve addressed a dallisgrass problem, your best defense against weeds will be a year-round lawn care program that prevents other weeds from growing in the first place (while also addressing those that do pop through).
The quicker that you address weeds, the better shape your lawn will be in. On top of that, fertilization and other professional lawn care tasks will help your healthy grass to grow and begin to naturally choke out those unwanted weeds.
We know that you might be feeling frustrated about weeds, but we’re here to help.
Ready to solve your weed problems at your Flower Mound, Highland Village, or Lewisville, TX home? Get a free quote and then enjoy the best lawn on the block without the worries!
