Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

My front yard is infested with this stuff, used to think it was all other
kinds of noxious weed, but finally pulled some of it, did the identification
via examining the stems and leafs, and zeroed it to quackgrass.

Am I just basically screwed and resigned to pulling it out with my hands?
This stuff is super highly aggressive - and it looks uglier than hell to
boot! I might mention, I don't want to destroy my lawn in the process of
eliminating it. If said task isn't going to be possible, that too is fine
as it narrows down my options.

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 09:23:11 -0700, Eigenvector wrote:
Am I just basically screwed and resigned to pulling it out with my hands?
This stuff is super highly aggressive - and it looks uglier than hell to
boot! I might mention, I don't want to destroy my lawn in the process of
eliminating it. If said task isn't going to be possible, that too is fine
as it narrows down my options.

There used to be a thing called a "quack machine" for trying to get quackgrass
out of fields. My agrostology prof grew up running one -- over, and over,
and over again. And it's absolutely pestilential when you get it in your
gardens. Lots of nice stolons, lots of photosynthetic reserve packed
away.

My two weapons of choice on the homeowner scale are wiped applications of
glyphosate or solarizing.

Either way, you're probably in for several repeats before you're out of
quackgrass.

Kay

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

On Aug 25, 7:42 pm, Kay Lancaster wrote:
On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 09:23:11 -0700, Eigenvector wrote:
Am I just basically screwed and resigned to pulling it out with my hands?
This stuff is super highly aggressive - and it looks uglier than hell to
boot! I might mention, I don't want to destroy my lawn in the process of
eliminating it. If said task isn't going to be possible, that too is fine
as it narrows down my options.

There used to be a thing called a "quack machine" for trying to get quackgrass
out of fields. My agrostology prof grew up running one -- over, and over,
and over again. And it's absolutely pestilential when you get it in your
gardens. Lots of nice stolons, lots of photosynthetic reserve packed
away.

My two weapons of choice on the homeowner scale are wiped applications of
glyphosate or solarizing.

Either way, you're probably in for several repeats before you're out of
quackgrass.

Kay

Your favorite twisting weeder hand tool may reduce the labor involved
in removing quackgrass. The twisting action works better than most
other tools for removing grasses of this type, including crabgrass and
bermudagrass.

Best of luck!

_____________________________
At peace with weeds!

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

"raycruzer" wrote in message
ups.com...
On Aug 25, 7:42 pm, Kay Lancaster wrote:
On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 09:23:11 -0700, Eigenvector
wrote:
Am I just basically screwed and resigned to pulling it out with my
hands?
This stuff is super highly aggressive - and it looks uglier than hell
to
boot! I might mention, I don't want to destroy my lawn in the process
of
eliminating it. If said task isn't going to be possible, that too is
fine
as it narrows down my options.

There used to be a thing called a "quack machine" for trying to get
quackgrass
out of fields. My agrostology prof grew up running one -- over, and
over,
and over again. And it's absolutely pestilential when you get it in your
gardens. Lots of nice stolons, lots of photosynthetic reserve packed
away.

My two weapons of choice on the homeowner scale are wiped applications of
glyphosate or solarizing.

Either way, you're probably in for several repeats before you're out of
quackgrass.

Kay

Your favorite twisting weeder hand tool may reduce the labor involved
in removing quackgrass. The twisting action works better than most
other tools for removing grasses of this type, including crabgrass and
bermudagrass.

Best of luck!

I can give that a try, anything is better than pulling, snapping the root
off - then watching the root spawn 100 more.

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

"Eigenvector" expounded:

I can give that a try, anything is better than pulling, snapping the root
off - then watching the root spawn 100 more.

I always use a fork and get beneath the main plant (if I can find it,
otherwise any end will do) and gently pull it. If you get a good grip
on the stolons you can get quite a few of them at once. Tedious but
worth it to get every last bit. Each year there are fewer and fewer
sprouts.
--
Ann, gardening in Zone 6a
South of Boston, Massachusetts
e-mail address is not checked
******************************

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:34:37 -0700, raycruzer wrote:

Either way, you're probably in for several repeats before you're out of
quackgrass.

Your favorite twisting weeder hand tool may reduce the labor involved
in removing quackgrass. The twisting action works better than most
other tools for removing grasses of this type, including crabgrass and
bermudagrass.

That sort of thing usually fragments the stolons so you wind up with
8 million new little independent quackgrass plants instead of one big one

Crabgrass is a cinch to control.

Kay

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

On Aug 26, 2:42 pm, Kay Lancaster wrote:
On Sat, 25 Aug 2007 21:34:37 -0700, raycruzer wrote:

Either way, you're probably in for several repeats before you're out of
quackgrass.

Your favorite twisting weeder hand tool may reduce the labor involved
in removing quackgrass. The twisting action works better than most
other tools for removing grasses of this type, including crabgrass and
bermudagrass.

That sort of thing usually fragments the stolons so you wind up with
8 million new little independent quackgrass plants instead of one big one

Crabgrass is a cinch to control.

Kay

That sort of thing usually fragments the stolons so you wind up with
8 million new little independent quackgrass plants instead of one big one

A weed twister, like the Ergonica product, grabs a big chunck of
roots, stolons and stems, and quickly lifts up these chuncks for easy
disposal. I've used it on many different types of grasses and it
works very well. Many others have claimed its effectiveness, as
well. Whatever stolons or roots that may be fragmented can also be
easily combed out of the soil with this tool.

Other tools may also help like forks or shovels, as suggested here
http://www.eagleheightsgardens.org/t...ckgrass.shtml:

"Your best choice for long term removal of grass:
Weeding by hand: while the soil is still nice and moist (i.e. early
spring) turn over a shovel-full of soil, break it up, and pull out all
the quack roots. Repeat. Try to find the Zen of it. This can be very
time consuming. Try to do a small area each time you work in your
plot."

Either way, pick your weapon and get to work, before the job gets even
bigger!

___________________________
At peace with weeds!

Any decent way to nix out quackgrass?
 

If you've got time, then water, fertillizer, and frequent use of the
lawnmower will take care of it for you. Quack grass is not competitive in a
well cared for lawn (but it is competitive along the fences and edges and
everywhere that doesn't get mowed every time).

Time = years and years. :(


"Eigenvector" wrote in message
. ..
My front yard is infested with this stuff, used to think it was all other
kinds of noxious weed, but finally pulled some of it, did the
identification
via examining the stems and leafs, and zeroed it to quackgrass.

Am I just basically screwed and resigned to pulling it out with my hands?
This stuff is super highly aggressive - and it looks uglier than hell to
boot! I might mention, I don't want to destroy my lawn in the process of
eliminating it. If said task isn't going to be possible, that too is fine
as it narrows down my options.