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Question from Derek

Hey Turf King/Gerry,

Hoping to pick your brain for some knowledge. I have noticed about a dozen small patches of this light green grass in my front lawn toward the end of last year and they have re-emerged this year. This grass grows significantly quicker than the surrounding lawn and is an undesirable light green colour.

I have already top dressed, aerated and overseeded for this season, but I do have seed left over if the best solution is to simply pull out these areas. Is this a weed/invasive grass?

I do not have any of this grass in my back yard which is significantly shadier.

Please advise, I have included pictures to provide more information.

Thank you much,

Derek

Light Green Grass?

Light Green Grass?

Light Green Grass?

Hi Derek

Thanks for reaching out and sending photos

There are basically two possibilities for a lighter green grass with thicker blades that are present in the lawn this time of spring.
1- quack grass or twitch grass
2- tall fescue

Quack grass is a native grass in these parts so can grow from seeds in your lawn - this can come from seeds contained in the soil from sod, soil you purchase or dropped by birds

Tall fescue is not a normal grass found in this area but is sometimes used in certain grass seed mixes one may purchase

How to tell the difference
Tall fescue will pull up in clumps- once you remove that plant it is gone-
Quack grass, on the other hand has underground stems - they look like a root- but they connect one clump to another clump- they grow sideways 2-6 inches deep- if you pull up 2 clump or plants but leave the underground stem that connects them, that stem can regenerate and produce a new plant

It is difficult to tell exactly which one you have for the photo but it is one or the other

Curing the problem

Tall fescue can be pulled up or it can be removed with a thin layer like sod and the reseeded or re- sodded

Quack grass- because the underground stems can be deep is much more difficult

In the old days spraying with Roundup (a liquid herbicide) was the solution - Roundup will kill both quack grass as well as your lawn but a spot spray would get rid of quack grass completely. Unfortunately, it is no longer lawful to use Roundup for this purpose

Digging it out is a big task but can be done

Our lawn library has some tips on quack grass- mowing and care tips that help to crowd it out over time

https://www.turf-king.ca/lawn-library/172-weed-grasses-quack-grass

Please let us know if you need more info

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