Shelton RossBoreal Alopecurus is a grass species that belongs to the cool season species. Boreal Alopecurus or Alopecurus Borealis is geographic in origin and quick decimates formerly thick, uniform lawns desired by homeowners. Its fast growing canopted habit excludes desirable grasses and lawns become thin and patchy. Fret not if Boreal Alopecurus is becoming a nuisance in the lawns, you are not alone. This detailed article will help you understand what is Boreal Alopecurus, what are its negative aspects and most importantly, how to remove it.
What is Boreal Alopecurus?
Boreal Alopecurus also termed as northern fox-tail is a grass species that is predominantly grown in cooler parts of the world that is in areas with wet soils and short seasons. Some of its features are described below:
High stature – Grows approximately 2 to 4ft over ground.
Fluffy inflorescence – The other grasses have fluffy inflorescence and thus its looks like a foxtail.
Roots – Its root system is more shallow than that of other species of turf grasses, but the speed of its growing can make it more aggressive than desirable plants.
Color – This grass species has a greenish gray boreal Alopecurus color which differentiates it from the Kentucky blue grasses, fescue among others that these grasses are mixed with.
Even though this grass may be attractive in its natural habitat, it transforms into a problem when it grows in lawns.
What is it with Boreal Alopecurus? Why is it so annoying?
Boreal Alopecurus has many disadvantages for homeowners who want to keep their lawns beautiful and healthy. Let us see why it is regarded as a nuisance: There is no damage due to Boreal Alopecurus Krakow about the vacuum cleaner.
High competitiveness: Boreal Alopecurus is a fast-growing weed species that outgrows turfgrass species and utilizes water, sun, as well as nutrients. When it gets a foothold, it will take over your lawn in a couple of seasons.
Rugged patchiness: Many lawns that have Boreal Alopecurus infestation appear patchy and naked in some places, as the thick and tall weeds tend to block in absorption of sunlight and nutrients.
Weak anchorage: Though Boreal Alopecurus deficiency is also a problem as it spreads widely, its anchorage is at a shallow depth. This makes it vulnerable to drought; hence portions of the lawn will die in dry seasons resulting in bare patches.
So, it’s not easy to get rid of it. Once the gnarled weed firmly grabs hold of the lawn, its seed heads scatter far and wide, making it virtually impossible to eliminate the weed entirely. This causes an endless cycle of infestation of the lawn year in year out.
How to Identify Boreal Alopecurus in Your Lawn
Firstly, treat Boreal Alopecurus like a real pest as if it is real. Here’s how you can identify it:
Seed Heads: The most easily recognizable part of Boreal Alopecurus’ s anatomy is the cylindrical fluffy mass of fibrous seed heads that look like foxtails. In comparison to the grass around it, these can be noted for being quite a bit taller.
Growth Habit: Boreal Alopecurus, instead of sprawling on the ground like turf grasses, can grow to a height of about 2 to 4 feet and can therefore be very conspicuous in your lawn.
Color: Apart from its rather dull green greyish color which is out of place among most other grasses, it is said to grow in hard-wearing grass.
Shallow Roots: When dug up, Boreal Alopecurus tends to come up quite easily because of its shallow root system.
Why Does Boreal Alopecurus Invade Lawns?
Well, there have been quite a number of explanations for why Boreal Alopecurus will start being in perfect oppression:
Overwatering: Moisture is one of the most perfect places for Boreal Alopecurus to grow. Overwatering your lawn will cause factors that encourage this grass to flourish hence, expanding its jurisdiction to your lawn further.
Neglected Lawn Care: A neglected lawn is a prime site for the establishment of the invasive grasses. Poor mowing methods, irregularly fertilization, and no weeding can all facilitate the spread of Boreal Alopecurus too.
Spread Through Wind and Animals: Animals or wind can easily cause dissemination of the tufted seed heads of Boreal Alopecurus necessitating the quick establishment of this grass in other zones.
How to Get Rid of Boreal Alopecurus in Your Lawn
Boreal Alopecurus is rather hard to deal with, but not impossible. Thanks to the right combination of physical removal, cultural practices, and chemical control, it is possible to bring back a lawn desperate for attention. Here’s how:
Hand Pulling and Digging
The most direct control technique hand pulling is suited only for small bounds of Boreal Alopecurus. This makes the grass, which is easily uprooted, especially the growing season when it is frequently damp, ideal for Hand weeding and digging. But care must be taken to excavate the entire taproot in order to inhibit its sprouting again.
Steps for Hand Pulling:
Step 1. Firstly, water the area to be treated in order to loosen the soil.
Step 2. Grasp the grass with a weeding tool or your hands, taking care to extract as much of the root system as possible and if possible any soil in which it is embedded.
It is important to properly discard such grasses that have been uprooted so that seed germination does not take place.
Note: Hand-pulling is only feasible if a small area is infested with Boreal Alopecurus. Larger areas that are infested with the Boreal Alopecurus grasses will need a broader strategy.
Cultural Control through Mowing and Other Activities
Regular upkeep of the lawn aids in the control and management of Boreal Alopecurus If you do these actions:.
Mowing Height: Lawns are kept at a mowing height suitable for the grass variety. Roughly, that is a cutting height for cool season grasses of around two point five to three inches. Continuous mowing will ensure Boreal Alopecurus does not go to seed thus preventing its spread.
Fertilization: Fertilized lawns can help in restricting the growth of obnoxious grasses. Balanced fertilizers are to be applied in both spring and autumn seasons in order to aid the growth of healthy grass with well-established roots.
Aeration: Lawn aeration mitigates the compaction of the soil and improves its drainage, therefore, makes the conditions less conducive for Boreal Alopecurus. This should be done at least once a year with fall being the ideal time.
Chemical Control
When cultural practices and manual removal aren’t sufficient, herbicides can be effective in controlling Boreal Alopecurus. Look for herbicides made for this purpose that are suitable for use on invasive grasses. There are two classes of herbicides that you can apply.
Pre-Emergent Herbicides: These prevents germination of Boreal Alopecurus seeds. Apply in early spring when the time of growth is still dormant.
Post-Emergent Herbicides: These destroy the existing Boreal Alopecurus plants. Club the selective herbicide that gets rid of grassy weeds in your flower bed without destroying the grass.
Application Tips:
Do not forget to adhere to the procedures mentioned by the manufacturer when applying the herbicide.
Herbicides should not be applied on windy days to avoid herbicide drift to the pine trees.
Ensure the lawn is watered and moist for about twenty-four hours to forty-eight hours before applying herbicides and do not cut the grass for a few days after the herbicides have been applied.
Reseeding or Sodding
When Boreal Alopecurus has been cleared, it’s good to ensure that the bare patches left are filled up to avoid the re-invasion of the grass. This can be done by:
Reseeding: Use high-quality turf grass seed that is compatible with the existing lawn. Cover the bare patches with the seed and then water them lightly till the grass has taken root.
Sodding: For larger bare areas of the lawn, laying sod may be the best option in a time-crunch situation. However, it is crucial to prepare the existing surface by clearing the area of any remaining Boreal Alopecurus and putting in new top soil before sod is finally laid.
Improving Drainage
Because Boreal Alopecurus grows in the moist areas, the other step to take to make your lawn more unfriendly to this grass is to try and improve the drainage. Here are some of the methods of enhancing drainage in a lawn:
Soil Aeration: As noted before, one way to relieve compaction of the soil and movement of water around the soil is by aerating ones lawn.
Adding Organic Matter: Adding organic content such as compost into the soil helps improve its drainage capacity.
Installing Drainage Systems: Where drainage problems do not seem to go away in a location, there might be need to fix a French drain or other drainages systems to take water from the lawn.
Preventing Future Infestations
Once you are done dealing with Boreal Alopecurus on your lawn, the next step is prevention of more infestations confronting you:
Maintain Proper Lawn Care: Perform lawn maintenance measures, for instance mowing, fertilizing, and watering past the standard in order to promote health of the turf.
Use Pre-Emergent Herbicides: In the first month of spring time, spread pre-emergent herbicides to hinder emergence of new Boreal Alopecurus seeds.
Regular Lawn Inspection: Inspect the lawn sometimes for presence of Boreal Alopecurus. Pertaining it early will make managing it much easier.
Conclusion
Above all, Boreal Alopecurus is one of those persistent and invasive types of grass. But do not worry, because you can restore your lawn the right way. Moderate physical removal, lawn care, safe chemical treatment and measures to prevent this unwanted grass will be combined so that this unwanted grass may finally disappoint you. Being consistent is what will make the difference hence do not be in a hurry but rather carry out these procedures effectively step by step.
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