If you’re someone who loves having a healthy, green lawn then nothing might frustrate you more than the sight of weeds creeping in. That can really stick out and make your lawn look uncared for, even if you feel like you’re doing everything right.
Whether you’ve been caring for your lawn on your own, or you have a lawn care professional handling it for you, you shouldn’t have to worry about weeds taking over.
Among the most difficult weed species, Poa annua, or annual bluegrass, is a common problem here in North Texas. Unfortunately, it’s one that is not easy to get rid of. It’s one of those hardy weeds that is well-adapted to a number of locations and conditions, making it tricky to get under control.
Fortunately, there are answers out there. If handled the proper way, you can put Poa annua in its place.
Let’s look at what’s involved in tackling Poa annua in North Texas.
Successfully targeting weeds starts by identifying the problem weed. After all, you have to know what you’re dealing with to implement the correct solution.
Poa annua is cool-season annual weed that is bright green and will stand out like a sore thumb from the rest of your lawn. It tends to grow taller and brighter than everything else.
One of the identifying features of Poa annua is that it has smooth leaves with a pointed "boat shaped" tip. This weed grows in clumps or “bunches” and you will not find Poa annua growing as individual blades.
Poa annua is difficult to get rid of due to the fact that the plant produces several thousands of seeds in one season. These seeds can lay dormant for several years before sprouting when the conditions are just right.
The fact is that some weeds are more persistent than others. Poa annua is one of those weeds that is continually trying to lay down new seeds. Given its incredibly persistent nature, it’s a lot more effective to prevent Poa annua in the first place as opposed to trying to get rid of it with chemical controls.
If you try to deal with Poa annua after it’s already grown, you’ll find that you’re stuck in an endless cycle of constantly spraying—and may never feel like you’re making progress. Besides being frustrating, this can also get incredibly expensive.
Instead of taking a reactive approach, we advise being proactive and utilizing Poa annua pre-emergent. Pre-emergent weed control creates a barrier below the surface that reduces the number of seeds that germinate and break through. It’s important that the pre-emergent is applied to the entire lawn in order to be effective. These products must also be applied before germination or they won’t work.
At Grassperson, we complete two full rounds of Poa annua pre-emergent in order to be fully effective against this persistent weed. We start pre-emergent applications in September and end by early December. 
If you were to sign up for our program late, after Poa annua has already germinated, then we’d have to make decisions on a case-by-case basis how to deal with it. We can go out and spot treat all of the growth with post-emergent controls (something that we’d only typically perform on breakthrough if you were on our program). This could mean 4 or 5 visits and you can weigh whether you want to make that investment.
Or, you might decide to put up with the Poa annua this year and make sure you are receiving pre-emergent controls as part of our regular program going forward.
Keep in mind that Poa annua control is part of a comprehensive program that looks at preventing many different weeds from appearing. After all, Poa annua is just one of many weeds that we deal with in North Texas. This should include a combination of pre-emergent and post-emergent controls where they are indicated.
But weed control is just one facet of a comprehensive lawn care program. At the end of the day, it’s about promoting a thick and healthy lawn which naturally chokes out weed growth. For instance, fertilization helps stoke healthy turf growth, and proper mowing and watering will promote a vital, strong lawn that does a better job standing up against weeds.
Here in North Texas, the battle against weeds often feels never-ending. Our weather conditions mean that weeds are a year-round battle. When dealing with a particularly stubborn weed like Poa annua, it’s easy to feel like you can’t win.
But we’ve got your back. When you team up with Grassperson, you truly can win the battle against tough weeds like Poa annua.
The key is a comprehensive program.
Effective weed control requires a year-round layered approach of proactive pre-emergent products that stop the growth of weeds you don’t see, curative post-emergent products that treat weeds you do see, and good lawn care practices that promote a thick and healthy lawn. When all of these steps are in place, you will finally start to see progress where you once felt the battle was never-ending.
Don’t let weeds like frustrating Poa annua get the best of your lawn. Get an expert analysis and find out exactly which weeds are causing a problem so weed control can be targeted and timed accurately. Get a free quote and find out how you can get the best lawn on the block.
Image Source: Poa annua, Featured Poa annua
