# IMPOSTOR!



## freddyp (Jun 29, 2020)

Since I am an idiot, I have been caring for this grassy weed like a child, believing it to be St. Augustine and fertilizing it, mowing often, killing off other braodleafs mixed in, etc. Only yesterday, upon noticing the seedheads, did I realize I may be cultivating large quantities of a St. Augustine impostor.

The blades are bit wider, it grows a bit faster, it covers thinner and lays flatter than St. Aug, it's a bit softer, and it's color or sheen is just a bit different than my good St. Aug. Unfortunately, large swaths of the lawn are primarily this mystery grass/weed, including the area around the tree pictured. Zone 8a.

Thoughts on ID and treatment? Thanks all.


----------



## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@freddyp you my good sir appear to be the parent of well maintained carpetgrass. I believe @Colonel K0rn will suggest Celsius to kill it.


----------



## freddyp (Jun 29, 2020)

Thanks very much @Spammage

My extension office (through pics only) has identified this as Dallisgrass. Depending on the picture used to compare, Carpet grass, Dallis grass, and goosegrass all seem to fit.

To me, it looks prettier than most dallisgrass. It clumps like goosegrass. The seedheads look like carpetgrass.

Any way to know for sure? Does it matter?


----------



## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

freddyp said:


> Thanks very much @Spammage
> 
> My extension office (through pics only) has identified this as Dallisgrass. Depending on the picture used to compare, Carpet grass, Dallis grass, and goosegrass all seem to fit.
> 
> ...


It is definitely not dallisgrass - the seed heads aren't even close. Goosegrass grows in a clump with the center turning white. The seed heads aren't really that close there either.


----------



## freddyp (Jun 29, 2020)

It does clump, which was not evident in the other pics - here is a closeup of a clump I've squished and spread out a bit


----------



## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

@freddyp I still believe this is carpetgrass. Do you have any Celsius? If so, it will take out carpetgrass, but not dallisgrass or goosegrass. I mentioned Colonel Korn earlier a little in jest, as he killed the majority of his carpetgrass lawn because he thought it was something else.

edit - actually, that really does look like goosegrass, the seed head is just throwing me off a little. Dismiss may be your best option for goose.


----------



## freddyp (Jun 29, 2020)

Thanks for looking again @Spammage

I have read that goosegrass is an annual, so I'd probably ignore it for now and hope preemergents control it next year. Think that would work?

Dallis is supposed to be a perennial, so I'd need a post to kill it I believe. And if its Carpetgrass, I'd just keep it.

I am pulling by hand but it's about 1/3 of my front yard, in the areas most visible to all the neighbors so I hate to just torch it all. It's shady too so I think my St. Aug would take years to cover back up.


----------



## Colonel K0rn (Jul 4, 2017)

Yep, looks like carpet grass to me! I found the video that Jason Creel made years ago to be very helpful in grass and weed ID. If you positively ID your grass as carpet grass and you want to smoke it off, Celsius is the way to do so. If you do have goose grass, Sulfentrazone is going to be the way that you want to either spot-treat it with, or incorporate it into a late Spring split app along with your 2nd PreM application (I prefer doing split apps for more even coverage and less breakthrough).
https://youtu.be/VoNrtY_H-Ok


----------

