# Is this torpedo grass and how to tackle the problem



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Hey folks! I've been a long time reader and learner from this forum, so I'd like to say thanks for the help thus far. This is my first post, and it's due to what I think is a considerable problem. I've been working on treating my yard and a few others for friends and family. One buddy's yard is going to be a working project to get it turned around as he just bought the house this past winter. He has mainly Bermuda and some centipede and ultimately wants a Bermuda grass lawn. However, this past weekend we were spraying his yard when I noticed something I was pretty sure wasn't common Bermuda. I think it is a whole section of torpedo grass. I went back and dug up a section and sprayed it off to reveal the roots and rhizomes.







Those are the pics of it after being dug up. I am thinking it's torpedo grass. However, the main reason I don't know for sure is because he has such a big section of his yard covered in this stuff. He lives in a neighborhood so I have no idea how it got into his yard. Keeping it cut short with the rest of his grass, it's hard to tell. The following pics show how much of his yard is covered and up close it even looks like thick turf grass when cut short.







So finally to the question.... is this stuff indeed torpedo grass? And if it is, should we use Drive to start to kill it out and hopefully preserve what Bermuda is mixed in and hopefully nurture it back to a Bermuda grass lawn? I just want to be sure on the identification before we move further. Thanks for any help provided.


----------



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Just bumping this up to see if anybody has any input on how I should handle this problem. Thanks for any help.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

It's very hard to tell when it is mowed that low but the white rhizomes right under the green leaf makes me think it is Torpedograss. Quinchlorac will help but it will also ding your 419. The 419 will recover though. Hopefully someone more experienced will chime in with a better solution.


----------



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Ok. Thanks for the response, Redtwin. I'll see if anybody else has any input. If not, I guess we'll move forward with the quinchlorac.


----------



## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

Following. I have same kinda patches in my yard.


----------



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Not much input on this topic. If anybody has any further input please let me know. I'd like some reassurance before we move forward, but if nothing else added, I guess we will plan to treat these sections this weekend. Have to make a decision if we will try with quinchlorac and try to preserve the Bermuda mixed in or just smoke it all with glyphosate and try to start over with new growth in those sections.

@Uptain-Matt please feel free to reply in this topic if/how you treat your similar spots.


----------



## randyinfm (May 22, 2020)

I have the same issue. One whole side of my yard-a 50x20 strip and now spreading on the other side of the yard.


----------



## kyls (Apr 2, 2020)

Same issue here. I hit it with quinclorac about a week ago. didn't seem to touch it. I have resorted to surgically pulling as much as I can without damaging the bermuda. I'm dreading the glyphosate route.


----------



## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

I wonder if MSMA would do anything for it?


----------



## HarryZoysia (Aug 27, 2019)

Man that sure looks an awful lot like common bermuda to me. Hard to tell with the pics though.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

Torpedograss looks a lot like very course common to me as well. That last photo by @kyls looks like common bermuda to me. Adding a ruler or something in the photos for scale helps with identification.


----------



## Jwsjr (May 16, 2018)

I'm battling it also. I'm treating with quinchlorac + Image. Definitely bleaches out the Bermuda. Gly will not kill torpedo....... UNLESS you repeatedly apply it for several months in a row as soon as you see any green sprouts. I'm trying to contain this year and depending on how successful that is I may go the GLY and resod route next year.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

My neighbor has successfully eliminated torpedograss (for now at least) using Quinclorac in his Empire Zoysia.


----------



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Okay, well for now I guess we are going to try to tackle this with quinchlorac. It has been running relatively cool for central AL for a few days. Hopefully get it sprayed early in the morning before it warms up to try to avoid temperature dependent stress on the Bermuda. I will try to keep this thread updated with progress... or lack thereof.

@kyls I am by no means any expert, but the pic you posted looks a lot more like common Bermuda to me than it does torpedo grass. Try digging up a small section of it (about 8-12" square) and pull out the target "weed." Spraying it off with a water hose helps you see what you're working with. What I have encountered has very white rhizomes that are actually hard and pointy if you find the end of one. Hope this helps.


----------



## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

This are some of the pictures of what I have in mine. It is a lighter shade of green and grows faster then surrounding bermuda.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

@Uptain-Matt, I don't know about the third picture but the first two look like common bermuda.


----------



## randyinfm (May 22, 2020)

Did in deep and see if you got roots like this
https://i.postimg.cc/G2zR8f48/A114-AA7-B-5880-40-E4-A9-C0-01002258-D623.jpg


----------



## LushTurf (May 28, 2020)

Yeah, looks like common to me. Not torpedo grass. You should be thrilled!


----------



## Getting Fat (Dec 31, 2019)

if we do have torpedo grass, should quinclorac be used in the heat of summer or is it better to wait until fall/winter to go after the torpedo grass?


----------



## kyls (Apr 2, 2020)

Redtwin said:


> Torpedograss looks a lot like very course common to me as well. That last photo by @kyls looks like common bermuda to me. Adding a ruler or something in the photos for scale helps with identification.


@Redtwin Sorry, here is a picture to scale. the pic above the length was about 7 or 8 inches. This stuff only seems to be where the turf is patchy or damaged from last years drought.


----------



## kyls (Apr 2, 2020)

LushTurf said:


> Okay, well for now I guess we are going to try to tackle this with quinchlorac. It has been running relatively cool for central AL for a few days. Hopefully get it sprayed early in the morning before it warms up to try to avoid temperature dependent stress on the Bermuda. I will try to keep this thread updated with progress... or lack thereof.
> 
> @kyls I am by no means any expert, but the pic you posted looks a lot more like common Bermuda to me than it does torpedo grass. Try digging up a small section of it (about 8-12" square) and pull out the target "weed." Spraying it off with a water hose helps you see what you're working with. What I have encountered has very white rhizomes that are actually hard and pointy if you find the end of one. Hope this helps.


@LushTurf I will try that and see, thanks.


----------



## randyinfm (May 22, 2020)

If you find roots like this, welcome to the club.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

kyls said:


> Redtwin said:
> 
> 
> > Torpedograss looks a lot like very course common to me as well. That last photo by @kyls looks like common bermuda to me. Adding a ruler or something in the photos for scale helps with identification.
> ...


The ones with the pointy ends are most likely torpedograss in my opinion. Torpedograss will certainly take advantage of the thinner areas to pop up.


----------



## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

I got some better pics. I thought the one on right is common bermuda one on left is what i thought was torpedo grass.


----------



## Redtwin (Feb 9, 2019)

The right is definitely Bermuda. The left is not Torpedograss. Maybe Zoysia???


----------



## Spammage (Apr 30, 2017)

Redtwin said:


> The right is definitely Bermuda. The left is not Torpedograss. Maybe Zoysia???


The left looks more like centipede to me, but that isn't a terrific picture.


----------



## Uptain-Matt (Mar 24, 2019)

I wondered about centipede. I have always heard it was slow growing grass. This grows taller than bermuda or zoysia quicker.


----------

