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northtexas

Weeds in yard

northtexas
14 years ago

I live just north of Fort Worth and I have been watering once a week around one inch at a time. My last application of fertilizer was five weeks ago and I used the Lesco 39-0-0. My mowing has not been as good as it should be and I have only been mowing around every four to five days. I have what I suspect to be barnyard grass and I don't know what else. The barnyard grass pulls out really easy but it it very ugly and annoying. Any ideas what I can do? I put down a preemergent for crabgrass in late February abd again in June.

Not sure what this one is but it is much tougher to get out than the suspected barnyard grass.

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Some type of weed that has a long taproot.

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This is the suspected barnyard graas, pulls easily but pops up everywhere. I have been pulling and mulching.

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More of the suspected barnyard grass.

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yet another

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one more

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another shot of mystery weed

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Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:108961}}

Comments (6)

  • northtexas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    Forgot to put that I have bermuda grass in case you can't tell from the pictures.

  • sebastonz
    14 years ago

    Hey northtexas, im in east tx hello!

    Anyways, looking at your suspected barnyard grass, it looks ALOT like crabgrass that i have. What strikes me that thats what it may be is pic 3 and how its laying down.

    Ive got a link to the growth stages of crabgrass with pics im going to link below for you, take a look at it. You can see how it starts as upright growth then when it matures it lays down.

    Does this suspected barnyard grass Repel water? Does the water bead on the leafs?

    Here is a link that might be useful: Crabgrass growth cycle with pics

  • User
    14 years ago

    Probably brought in by birds - they eat seeds and poop seeds.

    The long taproot weed is one of the spurges ... hard to get rid of because it can have 2 leaves and a seedpod already.

    NEXT year, use a pre-emergent.

  • northtexas
    Original Author
    14 years ago

    The reason I do not think it is crabgrass is that I can easily pull it up by hand. Also the lower part of the stem is kind of red in color. Picture 6 shows the top develops those seedheads if gets too long. My neighbor behind me must never mow because those seedheads are coming through my fence about three feet off the ground.

  • hortsense
    14 years ago

    It is not crabgrass. I can think of three grasses it could be but there is insufficient detail to the photos to tell which. Fall Panicum, Barnyardgrass or Johnsongrass. Close-up photos of the leaf blade meeting the stem and/or of the seed head would help. If I were forced to guess I'd go with Barnyardgrass only due to the look of its growth habit--once again, hard to tell in photos. You may be able to use a search engine to find images that would aid in diagnosis.

  • jeannie7
    14 years ago

    North Texas, your use of such high level of nitrogen does bring up the question....IS IT TOO MUCH?

    Bermuda grass does like nitrogen but soil must be in good health to support such growth.
    Potassium and phosphurus are just as important to soil than does the nitrogen to the grass that's growing in it.
    The 39/0/0....has no mention of the P or K and definitely no trace elements that are vital to a good healthy soil.

    The pictures, in my opinion, shows very well that you have a thatch problem...the high nitrogen brings this about.
    Aside from what type of grass you have---I believe you know Bermuda when you see it...and what I perceive as Creeping Charlie. This can be attacked with any broadleafed weed killer---the best way though is to pull it out. You might also check out the use of 20Mule Team Borax...the laundry additive...as a means to kill the weed if it is indeed Charlie.
    But, if you go ahead with the use of borax do read the caution about its use. When all is said and done, its better I think to not use it...I only mention it because it is directed for use on Charlie.

    The lawn will benefit from your fertilizer feedings that contain the 3 elements...nitrogen (N), phosphurus (P) and potash (potassium)(K). Choose a different bag and make sure it also lists "trace elements" in its make-up as well.
    A 50% nitrogen content I think is more in line with what Bermuda Grass likes...while also containing the other 2.