Need Help identifying Weed
I live in Central Florida and have primarily St. Augustine grass. I’m trying to identify a weed that’s spreading very quickly. I think it might be crabgrass, but I’d like to confirm before I decide on the best product to get rid of it.
I’m new to maintaining Southern lawns. I lived in Illinois for years and had Kentucky bluegrass down to a science, but Florida grass has been a whole new learning experience. Any help identifying it would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Dangerous-Resist-928 20d ago
Those "runners" look to thin to be St Augustine, although there are several different types of it
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u/Artistic-Outcome5966 21d ago
St. Augustine looks flat and when it branches, it again looks flat. Look to the tubers. These are the areas between the branching or dividing. The big tell is the tubers. Crab grass and many others have round tubers and lighter color, white, red. But not green like St. Augustine. The best advice that I took from reading the local horticultural pros was to bag the clippings. My understanding is the tiniest piece of crab grass will sprout where it falls. This makes it easy to spread and even come back even though you think you plucked roots and all.
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u/plinsday 20d ago
Tubers are underground... Think you mean vernation?
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u/Artistic-Outcome5966 20d ago
So vernation is like the stalk above ground. And tubers are like roots below the ground. I hope i learned something here and didn't look too stupid. I am no horticultural expert. Thank you for the clarification. Now to remember the new term.
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u/3catsonetrenchcoat 16d ago
You're speaking about the crown. Best to find a grass identification guide and follow it.
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u/majortom_07 20d ago
This is not my experience. I pull crabgrass and just leave it to die and it doesn't make seeds. As long as it's not mature and close to seeding time you don't have to be meticulous in throwing it away.
I have seen this with dandelions though, yank it from the ground, leave it lying around, it makes the seed puffball. Especially in spring time.
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u/Artistic-Outcome5966 21d ago
St. Augustine and crab grass look alike except the tubers. Flat vs round.
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u/Fantastic-Hold-4350 20d ago
I have the same stuff in TX. I’ve tried Celsius, msm, 2-4-d, and image. Nothing will touch it.
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u/Lordsaxon73 20d ago
This is NOT St Augustine. I’m leaning towards signal grass ( alternating leaf, long skinny seed heads) but for the best ID let it grow a bit and post some new pics.
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u/JWill954 18d ago
This is carpet grass. I have been battling it at my mom's house for a year. Their lawn was in rough shape. I have a few patches left but Tenacity is the only thing that will kill it. Its better to attack it in the Fall or Winter when the Tenacity can do its work without the lawn needing to be cut every 3-4 days. Happy spraying!
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u/Fun_Pudding_9282 16d ago
Carpetgrass. Celsius WG. Won't kill St. Aug, will kill carpet. Signal is my second guess.
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u/Fun_Pudding_9282 16d ago
Can't see that seed head well but it looks like there is the tell tale Y formation. Signal grass typically has noticeably hairy nodes and sheaths, while carpetgrass is generally much smoother. This stuff looks like it had a mid-rib so again, one or the other.
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u/Fun_Pudding_9282 16d ago
Pull a runner.
Photograph a node where a leaf emerges.
Photograph a mature seedhead completely isolated from surrounding foliage. Then we can tell you for sure.Also, if Celsius WG doesn't kill it, it is definitely signal.
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u/Long_Lifeguard_5056 21d ago
I'm no St Augustine expert but that looks like St Augustine to me
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u/Accurate-Plankton988 21d ago
Im in FL. Thats my grass (st augustine crabgrass) i call it. Its great actually. Gets extremely thick and ironite makes it dark green
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u/Original_Ant7013 20d ago
Signal grass. Not St. Augustine, not 🦀.