How To Get Rid Of Fine Fescue Grass? -4 Ways for You

Fine fescue grass is a form of turf sown that is bunching and perennial. This kind of grass grows in clumps and quickly rises from the soil. Fine fescue grass becomes a blight in many lawns, and many are called a weed for its growth habit. In this situation, you may think about getting rid of fescue grass.

You will find it difficult to mow other seeds in the lawn with fine fescue grass. Moreover, the fescue clumps are hard to remove from the soil. So you need to follow the right way. The guild will give you the proper process of removing fine fescue grass. 

How To Get Rid Of Fine Fescue Grass?

Fine fescue grass is a variety of cool-season grass. Many cultivate fine fescue seeds because of their high shade tolerance, and they require low maintenance. Further, it is an eco-friendly choice for lawns. But it becomes weeds in the garden when you want to grow other seeds. It steals important nutrients, space and invites parasites.

If fine fescue grass becomes a disease in your lawn or garden, you need to start the eradication process. Before knowing what kills fescue grass, identify the potential type. Identification is necessary before applying chemical products. Otherwise, the whole lawn will be ruined. 

Fine Fescue Grass Identification

There are high chances that you may mixFescue with Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass. There are a few points that help you to identify the fine fescue grass.

• Fine fescue grass has round rolled vernation in the shoot. Vernation is a term when the youngest leaves are prepared in the shoot. To determine the vernation, cut a cross-section of the shoot, and it will be below the collar region. Then see the leaf arrangement.
• The leaves have a dark emerald green color.
• The blades are narrow and folded. Sometimes veins are not visible and have a dull leaf blade underneath.
• Fine fescue generally grows 3 to 4 inches and has membranous ligule—keeled leaf type.
• No auricles. [known as small ear-shaped projections for the base of a leaf]
• Rhizomatous growth habit or bunch type
• Seed-head looks like an open panicle, very small and with fewer branches.
• Single seeds are quite similar to tall fescue.

Removing Fine Fescue Weed

You can remove fine fescue weed naturally or with chemicals. We will have told several ways to remove them. Follow step-by-step to get a better outcome. 

Natural Ways To Get Rid Of Fine Fescue Grass-

Method 1: Digging the root

If you have a small garden or want to remove fine grass in the short area, then digging them physically will be great. After digging from the root, you can stop grass regrowth permanently. Digging can do with your hands, or you can use a hand weeder tool. It is a time-consuming yet effective task, though.

1. Dig the area where you want to remove the weeds.
2. Locate the center root of the fescue clumps and pull that up with your hands. Make sure you remove the whole root to prevent regrowth.
3. Dry the weeds under the sun
4. Turn the weeds into compost.

Method 2: White Vinegar

Soil with 5.0 to 6.5 pH is ideal for fine fescue growth. If you increase the pH level, it will kill the grass. We are all familiar with the white vinegar hack, and the good news is you can use it to get rid of fine fescue grass.

1. Pour the white vinegar into a spray bottle.
2. Spray the vinegar onto fine fescue grass
3. Repeat every day until the grass has died

Tips:

• Since white vinegar is an acidic substance, you need to wear protective clothing to prevent skin irritation.
• Do not spray on other garden plants or nearby soil.

Method 3: Solarize Fine Fescue Grass

Fine fescue weeds have less heat endurance. If you solarize the weeds naturally or burn them, you can get rid of these fine fescue grass.

1. Cover fescue grass with a thin clear plastic during hot summer days
2. Leave the plastic for 4 to 6 weeks
3. Sun will heat the ground, and it will burn the roots of the grass.

Method 4: Get Rid Of Fine Fescue Grass With Chemicals

Herbicide is the only way to go when you have a large lawn or a more extensive area. This chemical can control 95 percent of fine fescue grass. Here are the steps to apply the herbicide:

Step 1: Ensure Safety Precautions

Before using the chemical, you need to take some safety precautions, such as wearing long-sleeve shirts, long pants, rubber gloves, dust masks, goggles, and closed-toed shoes.

Step 2: Choose A Suitable Spray

To spray the herbicide, you need to pick a suitable sprayer that is designed for these types of chemicals. Then adjust a spray nozzle and test it before adding herbicide.

Step 3: Use Glyphosate-based Herbicide

Check the herbicide label and ensure a glyphosate-based product. Glyphosate means non-selective and translocated that only kills plants in contact. Then it moves down and kills the root. Moreover, it won’t affect the soil.

Step 4: Allow To Grow Fully

To get effective results, let the grass grow fully. Fine grass grows about 3 to 4 inches long, so wait for this length. When you ensure an adequate leaf area, the herbicide will be effective.

Step 5: Prepare Solution

To prepare herbicide solution, you will need:

• 1 quart glyphosate herbicide
• 6 to 7 ounces of a commercial nonionic surfactant or dish detergent
• 2.7 ounces of ammonium sulfate

Mix all the elements maintaining the measurement. Then pour in the sprayer. Make sure you are mixing the solution in a well-ventilated area to avoid inhaling toxic gas.

Step 6: Spray The Herbicide Solution

Attach a flat fan nozzle to the sprayer to apply the solution. Ensure the day is wind or breeze-free to prevent herbicide drift. Spray around the grass surface and wait until the liquid is dripping from the grass leaves. Divide the whole area into small zones to avoid spray backing the recently treated area.

Note: if you apply herbicide in the fall season, repeat the application in the spring to eliminate plants that mow from the seed.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Wrapping Up

Many grow the fine grass for the primary green in the lawn. Soon it takes over the lawn or garden, and you can not plant other seeds. Here you need to know how to get rid of fine fescue grass. In this guide, we have told both natural and pesticide ways to prevent them. Follow step by step to get the expected outcome.

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Jack Grover

Enamored with the world of golf Jack pursued a degree in Golf Course Management at THE Ohio State University. This career path allowed him to work on some of the highest profile golf courses in the country!  Due to the pandemic, Jack began Inside The Yard as a side hustle that quickly became his main hustle. Since starting the company, Jack has relocated to a homestead in Central Arkansas where he and his wife raise cattle and two little girls.