Identifying and Eradicating Invasive Grassy Weeds in North Carolina Lawns

Weed ID Resources

Use university sites with photos and control info:

• NC State Turffiles (turffiles.ncsu.edu)
• Texas A&M Aggie Turf (aggie-turf.tamu.edu)
• USDA FS FEIS (fs.fed.us/database/feis/)

Common vining grassy weeds: centipedegrass, carpetgrass, knotgrass, nimblewill, quackgrass.

Soil Test First

Pine trees acidify soil. Test pH and nutrients before renovation. Lime per results.

Renovation vs. Selective Control

• Renovation: Kill all (glyphosate), amend soil, reseed/sod. Best for >50% weeds or wrong grass type.
• Selective: Few herbicides target specific grassy weeds in turf. Often requires professional products (Monument, Manor).

Recommendation

Given neglect, uneven ground, pine history → full renovation. Rototill, amend, grade, establish proper grass (tall fescue or zoysia for NC transition zone).

Leveling

Don't use sand alone—creates layers. Use compost/topsoil mix. Roll after grading.