KNOW YOUR WEEDS: Quackgrass

KNOW YOUR WEEDS: QUACKGRASS

 

Agropyron repens or Elytrigia repens (known commonly as Quackgrass, Couchgrass, Twitchgrass, Quickgrass, Scutchgrass or Devil's Grass)

This nasty critter is from the family Poaceae. Have you ever tried to pull-out a grass weed only to find that it stretches underground by rhizome to another plant, and another plant and it just seems to be everywhere? That would be Quackgrass. This is an aggressive perennial grass. Each piece of rhizome that gets left behind (even the tiniest bit) can grow into a new plant, making mechanical removal difficult. What a pain, huh? If you have it growing in your garden bed the best way to deal with it is by forking it out, and keep after it and DO NOT let it go to seed! Eventually you will gain the upper hand - but I warn you - not without a battle!  Another control that I recently discovered is mulching permanent ornamental beds with at least 8" of arborist woodchips.  It won't completely stop the Quackgrass initially, but it does seem to slow it down and when it does poke a blade or two above the surface it is easy to pull, and it seems that eventually it gives up the ghost since it never really gets a chance to see the light and photosynthesize.

QUACKGRASS IN THE LAWN: Quackgrass is NOT the cause of poor lawn health, but a symptom! Proper fertilization and effective watering are the enemies of Quackgrass, however, in severe cases re-establishing the lawn (starting over) may be the best strategy. The best plan is to keep your lawn healthy right from the start and you'll never have to 'go there'.

INTERESTING TIDBITS: The rhizomes can be dried-out and ground up for teas or used as a flour source. Mediaeval herbalists used to treat inflamed bladders, painful urination and water retention. It also has antiseptic properties.