Different Kinds Of Ivy Grass

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  • Author Jeffrey Seymour
  • Published March 18, 2009
  • Word count 761

This weed is a perennial with creeping stems that root at the nodes and has foliage that emits a mint-like odor when mowed. Ground ivy is primarily a weed of turf grass and landscapes.

Ground ivy is hard to control because you can't pull it out easily in lawns and many commercial broadleaf lawn weed killers have little or no effect on it. The most common active ingredient in granular and liquid broadleaf lawn weed killers is 2,4-D, but 2,4-D has little effect on ground ivy.

Another common active ingredient, MCPP, or, mecoprop, also has little effect on ground ivy. Dicamba is an active ingredient that does control ground ivy. Dicamba is also called Banvel.

There are several lawn weed killer products available that contain dicamba. Most of them also contain 2,4-D and MCPP. However, you may still need to make repeat applications with dicamba-containing products to completely control ground ivy. Ground ivy spreads via creeping stems that propagate new plants. Moss in a lawn is an indication that the turf is not growing well. Moss doesn't grow in healthy lawns. Lack of fertility, soil compaction, poor drainage, shade and poor soil aeration are the most common cause of moss in lawns.

It is important to consider that moss does not kill the grass; it simply creates unfavorable growing conditions such as shade, poor drainage, poor fertility or compacted soil. These conditions, not the moss, ultimately cause the grass to die out.

If you want to eliminate moss from a lawn, focus on improving conditions for growing grass, and don't worry about the moss -- it will disappear on its own as the grass gains vigor.

Herbicides and chemical control have only short term effects on moss. If herbicide use is not accompanied by proper environmental and physical controls, then the initial effect will be bare dirt or mud. Mosses will eventually return because the lawn deficiency, which led to the moss invasion, still exists. When herbicides alone are used, the symptoms, not the cause, of a weedy lawn are being treated. Furthermore, many of the common herbicides, such as glyphosate, are ineffective against mosses, at least in some conditions. Therefore, if you perceive of the moss in your lawn as a problem, improve conditions for growing grass, rather than using herbicides.

Lime has often been suggested for moss control. Lime will raise the soil pH but will do little or nothing to prevent moss growth. The fact that the soil is acidic has little to do with the growth of moss. In fact, you can see moss growing on limestone and concrete.

If your lawn area is moist and shady, you will have difficulty controlling moss because you have an ideal environment for moss growth. Moss is often troublesome in spring when temperatures are cool and soil moisture high.

Mushrooms, also called toadstools or puffballs, are fruiting bodies of soil fungi. They appear in lawns during wet weather in spring and summer. Mushrooms live on organic matter such as roots, stumps and boards in the soil.

Most don't harm the lawn but are unsightly. Mushrooms that grow in arcs or circles of dark green grass are called fairy rings. The arcs or rings enlarge from 3" - 2' each season as the fungi grows outward. The fairy ring fungus may interfere with water flow through the soil and stress the lawn.

There is no chemical control for mushrooms. Time is the best cure. Once the buried wood has completely decayed the mushrooms will disappear. Break mushrooms with a garden rake or lawn mower for temporary control. This helps to dry the mushrooms and reduces the risk of children eating them. Control individual mushrooms by removing the organic matter. Dig up and remove the wood. Fill and reseed, or sod, as needed.

Bermuda grass is an annual, fine textured "creeping grass" that grows and spreads rapidly during warm summer months. Similar to bent grass, this type of seed is commonly used on golf courses and sports fields.

Due to its rapid and sometimes widespread growth during warm months, Bermuda can quickly take over cool-season grasses while dormant. Herbicides are usually not as effective as simply hand-picking these weeds before they grow out of control. To help prevent this, you can apply a pre-emergence just prior to its growing season (usually spring time) to prevent the seeds from germinating. However, the other extreme is to apply fluazifopbutyl or glyphosate to kill all of the grass, then reseed over it. This is only suggested if you plan on replanting or renovating your lawn afterwards.

For tips on fertilizing lawn and lawn weeds, visit the Lawn Tips website.

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