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How to Identify Goosegrass Weed
How to Identify Goosegrass Weed. Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) can really "fowl" up a lawn. Summer brings numerous weed invaders to home turfgrass, and goosegrass can be one of the toughest to tangle with. Identification of this rampant ruiner can be tricky, but here are a few tips on how to spot the culprit and win the war of the weeds.
Goosegrass (Eleusine indica) can really "fowl" up a lawn. Summer brings numerous weed invaders to home turfgrass, and goosegrass can be one of the toughest to tangle with. Identification of this rampant ruiner can be tricky, but here are a few tips on how to spot the culprit and win the war of the weeds.
Establish that the plant is a weed. Any undesirable plant in your lawn or garden is considered to be a weed. Goosegrass is a warm season annual lawn weed that is sometimes called "silver crabgrass" because of its similarity to crabgrass. Other names for the weed are crowfoot, yardgrass and wiregrass.
Inspect the location of the weed. The favorite growing location of goosegrass is one where the soil is compacted and the turfgrass is sparse, such as high traffic areas where drainage is poor.
Evaluate the weed's general appearance. Goosegrass is usually darker green in color than crabgrass. Goosegrass appears as a rosette of horizontally growing flat stems that may reach up to 2 feet in length. The portion of the stems closest to the center of the rosette is white or silver. This is one of the clearest differences between crabgrass and goosegrass.
Observe the roots. Pull or dig a sample of the weed. Goosegrass has an extensive, fibrous root system that may make the weed difficult to remove.
Notice the leaves of the weed. Goosegrass leaves are dark green and may be either flat or folded. They can grow up to 12 inches in length and are extremely difficult to cut with a mower. The leaf blades often appear frayed by the mower rather than cut. Leaves are approximately 1/3 inch in diameter.
Tips & Warnings
The best defense against lawn weeds is prevention followed by observation. Regular maintenance and mowing, as required by the type of turfgrass planted, and regular observation and awareness of potential problem areas are good practices for lawn maintenance.
Goosegrass is easy to spot, but if there is any doubt of the weed's identity your local nursery, garden center or county extension can provide assistance.
This weed is a warm season annual grass that spreads by the root system and multiples by seeds. The seeds are produced on 2 to 6 inch stalks and appear from July to October. The Goosegrass plant dies at first frost, but the seeds lay dormant until spring. Once goosegrass has become established in a lawn it can be difficult to eradicate.
