Do you have a lawn that is full of weeds? Are you finding yourself pulling out nimblewill more than grass?
Nimblewill is a weed that is often difficult to identify, but once you do it can be easily removed. However, if left untreated, nimblewill will spread and overtake your lawn. It might be small in size, but it can grow large enough to choke the life out of your prized lawn or garden plants.
Luckily, there are multiple things you can do when dealing with this invasive weed. Read on as we show you how to identify nimblewill and how to get rid of it if you find it growing on your property.
Just What is Nimblewill?
Nimblewill, or Muhlenbergia schreberi, is an annual grass-like weed that grows in patches and has become a common problem across many lawns and open spaces all over the United States. It is native to the USA, most commonly in the Northeast, Southeast, and Midwest areas.
It is often mistaken for other grass that grow in mat-forming growth patterns, such as creeping bentgrass or bermudagrass.
This grass may be used to protect certain crops in the southeastern states because it is resistant to moderately low temperatures and invasive insect species.
Where and How Nimblewill Grows
Nimblewill is a weed that forms dense patches and spreads quickly and aggressively when established in a patch.
It is found in both sunny and shady areas, but it prefers moist soil, so it can be more prevalent around water sources like ponds or lakes. However, it also grows in dry soil, so drying out your lawn will not necessary rid you of it.
How You Can Identify Nimblewill
The Nimblewill weed has purplish or green stems that stand out from the ground, which are topped with furry spikelets and seedheads that look like the top of a long grass.
Nimbleweed essentially looks like other types of turf grass, which is why it’s really hard to exactly identify. However, it grows in clusters and is more wiry and brittle than normal lawn grass.
It is most easily identifiable in the winter or other cool months, because it turns brown more quickly than other grasses. If you have Nimblewill, the winter months will certainly let you know.
How to Remove Nimblewill From Your Yard
Identifying what Nimblewill looks like, and where it grows, is only half the battle. Now it’s time to remove this irritating weed from your yard.
Luckily, there are many ways to treat this weed. Read on to learn about the most common treatment methods you can use to eliminate Nimblewill from your property.
Via Organic Methods
Removing the weed by hand will always be an option for control of any type of invasive plant or weed, but it is especially effective for weeds with small root systems such as nimblewill. It comes out rather easily, and you don’t have to worry about digging down a foot or so to see if you got all of the roots.
When removing nimblewill, make sure your pull all the tap-root out or else it will grow back quickly!
Via Chemical Methods
A chemical herbicide that is effective at killing grass-type weeds will work against nimblewill. For example, this RoundUp Weed Killer is effective against grasses, as is this Compare-N-Save Concentrate herbicide.
Whenever you work with herbicides and weed killers, make sure you read the instructions and precautions on the label before use, as well as using and wearing protective equipment.
Can You Prevent Nimblewill From Growing in Your Yard?
Something as simple as mowing your lawn regularly can help you prevent nimblewill from growing in your yard. Nimblewill seeds do not germinate well on a mowed lawn, however, you must collect the clippings when mowing with nimblewill, or else the seeds will simply be flung throughout your yard and that could be much more of a nuisance.
Keeping your lawn turf healthy and thick will also help you prevent nimblewill from growing in your yard by not allowing it to spread or obtain vital nutrients, as well as having other grasses outcompete it.
In Summary
Nimblewill is an annoying grass-like weed that can aggresively spread throughout your yard if it gets a foothold. It’s important to know how and where it grows, what its identifying traits are, and the best ways to remove it from your yard in order to keep your property looking neat and tidy. It may not seem like much, but it does take time away from other gardening tasks and adds an extra expense for homeowners.
The good news is that it’s not particularly harmful and can be removed with little effort or fuss. You can remove Nimblewill from your yard by using either chemical methods or organic methods depending on what works best for you.
The key thing to remember is that if at all possible, try to prevent this weed from growing in your lawn next year!