Help needed identifying grass

[EddieWalker]

I have this grass growing in three diffrent areas and it's out of control. As you can see in the picture, it's about four feet tall two weeks after mowing. The bermuda grass arond it is only a few inches tall.

I want to kill it, but would like to know what it's called so I can be sure to buy the right stuff. I know some poisons don't kill everything and this is something I want to die.

Thank you,
Eddie

 

[Huckridge]

Eddie,

Thats look like what we call Johnson grass out here. Livestock will eat it down and you won't see any in pastures with live stock. But in open pasture land, it seems to thrive. It will get taller and thicker with time and continue to spread. I don't know the best way to deal with it because my cows don't let let it grow on my place.

 

[BillyP]

I agree, it's Johnsongrass. The best way to get rid of it is generic Roundup and a wick applicator.

 

[KaiB]

Yep Eddie, Johnson Grass, I can just make out the thick white center stem.

Before it goes to seed, best to apply glyphosate (strong like 5%) either by hand pump spray or brush during a still morning. Mowing will do no good. You would rather loose a bit of bermuda due to over spray than have the Johnson take over (it will).

Once it bolts to seed, the RoundUp won't work well.

 

[Jimbrown]

Wow Eddie I thought everyone in Texas knew what Johnson grass was. It is the scourge of cotton and grain farmers. It seems to sprout anywhere that the dirt is disturbed. You can kill it but I bet the road ditches and the like are full of it and it will come back it always does. It will grow in very poor soil but does need moisture. Wish I had about 20 ac of it.

 

[jinman]

Like bamboo, Johnsongrass was first brought to the US to control erosion. The roots are tuber-like and may be 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter. They form a mass in the soil and hang on for dear life. I've spent hours and hours trying to dig it and bermuda intertwined. It seems that if it's dry, the bermuda will win. If it's wet, the Johnsongrass will take over. It forms a loose seed grain head when mature that is up to a foot long and about 4-6" in diameter, containing several hundred seeds.

 

[KaiB]

It's not wet in Texas, is it?

 

[wushaw]

Eddie, MSMA will work and not kill your Bermuda, I have had good sucess with it along the road, it just needs to be a little dryer and sunnier than what it has been here recently for it to be real effective.

 

[EddieWalker]

Thanks everyone for the help. We really didn't have any idea of what it was, but I have heard of Johnson Grass before. I just don't know my plants very well, and especialy anything about pastures or livestock.

I'm glad Roundup will work as that's prett easy to get.

Eddie

 

[jinman]

Thanks everyone for the help. We really didn't have any idea of what it was, but I have heard of Johnson Grass before.

Eddie, here is some Johnsongrass growing in my garden. It's a little more mature than the plant you took a picture of.