Best Management Practices:
Goosegrass
Goosegrass can also grow in highly compacted soils like walkways and parking lots—in fact, goosegrass growing in turfgrass sites is usually a sign of heavy compaction. It is a warm season, annual grassy weed that has a white to silver color at the crown/base, individual plants/tillers originating from the base and a seed head with spikelets. Being a warm season, annual plant means that it only comes back from seed each year, usually germinating in the spring season.
Goosegrass begins its life by germinating in the spring from seed. Pre-emergent herbicides work by killing germinating seeds from weedy plants like goosegrass. Normally, an application of a pre-emergent in late February to early March will work well. Remember, though, that this weed will germinate into the summer—so, a second pre-emergent application in May will be warranted.
There are several pre-emergent herbicides that can be used to control goosegrass in most turfgrass sites including bermudagrass, St. Augustinegrass, zoysiagrass, and buffalograss. Examples include: XL- 2G (Benefin plus Oryzalin), Pendulum 2G or Anderson 11-3-11 (Pendimethalin) and Balan 2.5 G .
If you have goosegrass that escapes the pre-emergent or you do not apply a pre-emergent, you may need to apply a post-emergent herbicide. These herbicides can be effective if used when the goosegrass is very young/immature and actively growing.
CAUTION: Read the labels carefully for the tolerance level of your specific turfgrass for all herbicides.
Best Management Practices courtesy of:
Bes-Tex Supply, LLC P.O. Box 664 San Angelo, Texas 76902 Ph. 325-653-1300
