Orchardgrass (Dactylis glomerata). Photo: Kevin Mathias, U of MD
Perennial, non-native, cool-season grass.
Clump-forming; coarse texture up to 3 ft. tall; faster growing and lighter blue-green than turf.
Spreads by seed.
Seeds usually come into a lawn with contaminated grass seed or straw mulch.
Maintain healthy, dense turf that can compete and prevent weed establishment. Some orchardgrass in a lawn is acceptable.
Clumps can be hand dug. Hand pulling or using an appropriate weeding tool are the primary means of mechanical weed control in lawns. This is a viable option at the beginning of an infestation and on young weeds. Hand pulling when the soil is moist makes the task easier.
Manage Weeds Without Chemicals
Herbicides for controlling perennial grass weeds are limited and usually available to lawn care companies and landscapers who are certified pesticide applicators.
An option is to use glyphosate (a non-selective herbicide) to spot treat the undesirable grass. Weeds must be actively growing when glyphosate is applied. To improve control, water well and allow foliage to grow a week or two before treating. Apply glyphosate at the rate recommended for your weeds and do not disturb the foliage or roots for a week after application. Water to encourage any re-growth and treat again if new growth appears. New grass can be seeded 7 days after treatment when you are sure the weedy grasses are dead.
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