Having a full green lawn is every homeowner’s dream but can be a nightmare when weeds pop up. Dallisgrass can be one of those nightmares. If left alone it can spread like wildfire.

Dallisgrass is often mistaken for crabgrass. It’s important to be able to distinguish the two so proper treatment can be applied. Dallisgrass grows taller and fuller than crabgrass which grows outward like a crab. Dallisgrass is also more of a circular clump (almost star-like) with coarse textured spiked leaves. These leaves produce 2-10 pods of seeds per spike and thrive on sandy or clay like soils.

Dallisgrass can be difficult to control, since it is a perennial weed, meaning it can come back from the roots year after year. This is why pre and post treatments, as well as lawn maintenance in between are important.

In late winter/early spring (Feb./March), it is important to put a pre-emergent on your lawn. This helps to keep the “waking” roots from “waking up”. This helps the herbicides that are applied throughout spring and summer to kill these weed roots. A post pre-emergent applied in the fall (Oct./Nov.) also helps keep the weed roots from regrowing the following spring.

As with any lawn, it’s important to continue a routine lawn maintenance program throughout the spring and summer months.

Because Dallisgrass can smother your grass, here are some helpful tips:

  1. Keep your lawn mowed between 3-3.5 inches – this helps keep Dallisgrass from growing like it does in shorter cut lawns
  2. Fill the bald spots with sod or seed – Dallisgrass will rapidly take over bare areas
  3. Fertilize – this will feed your lawn keeping it healthy and green
  4. Hire a licensed professional to apply an herbicide – this will help kill the weeds and its roots
  5. Water – watering in the fertilizer and herbicide will help with the roots of your lawn and weeds. Watering the sod and seeds will help your lawn grow and fill in nicely.

Dallisgrass seeds can be spread along your Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia grass in different ways. Wind, animals and even lawn mower blades can spread the Dallisgrass seeds from one lawn to another. This may be the reason you have Dallisgrass and your neighbor doesn’t.

If you’re experiencing weeds, call us today to get started on a fuller, greener, weed-free lawn. 214-321-2847