Goosegrass Control Guide

How to Identify Goosegrass

Goosegrass has three signature features that separate it from crabgrass and other look-alikes:

• Distinctive silvery-white to pale-green flattened stems radiating from a central crown. Pull the rosette apart and look at the base — the "white-foot" appearance is diagnostic. Crabgrass stems are round, green-to-reddish, and not as visibly pale at the crown.
• Tight rosette growth with stems pressed flat against soil. Goosegrass forms compact, low-growing plants 4-12 inches across with all stems lying flat. Crabgrass spreads more loosely with stems often rising 2-4 inches off the ground.
• Distinctive seed head with 2-7 thick spike-like racemes radiating from a central point at the stem tip, resembling a zipper or chicken foot. The seeds are arranged densely on both sides of each spike. Crabgrass seed heads are more finger-like with seeds in two rows per spike.

Growth pattern: goosegrass is a summer annual. NC State Extension says it germinates at 60-65°F soil, usually at least two weeks after crabgrass, and that it grows well in compacted soils and thin, heavily trafficked turf. Sidewalk edges, driveway margins, mailbox posts and parking strips are the usual spots.

The Pre-Emergent Timing Problem

NC State TurfFiles puts crabgrass germination at a 24-hour mean soil temperature of about 53-55°F at a 2 to 4 inch depth for several consecutive days. Goosegrass waits for 60-65°F. That gap is why one crabgrass-timed application can leave goosegrass escapes. The Barricade 4FL label says a single application of 21-48 fl oz per acre controls goosegrass in many areas. Under heavy pressure it calls for 21-26 fl oz per acre, then a second application 60-90 days later.

What the labels let you do on your grass

We compiled the prodiamine caps and the indaziflam restrictions into one table. The Barricade 4FL label sets a yearly maximum by turf species. The Specticle FLO label lists which grasses it may be used on.

Run the numbers before you buy. A tall fescue lawn can take the full heavy-pressure program: 21 fl oz, then up to 27 more. A Kentucky bluegrass lawn hits its 30 fl oz cap with only 9 fl oz left for the second shot. That is about 0.21 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft. On fine fescue, a 21 fl oz first shot leaves just 3. Split the year's cap across both dates instead of front-loading the first one. Going over the cap is a label violation, and the label ties longer control to higher rates.

The second shot also blocks seeding. The Barricade 4FL overseeding table requires 4 months after a 21 fl oz per acre application in the transition zone and 5 months in the north. An early May application clears early September in the transition zone. In the north it pushes seeding to early October. If you plan to aerate and overseed goosegrass zones in fall, leave those zones out of the May application.

Indaziflam (Specticle FLO) is the other route, and only for warm-season lawns. Its label lists goosegrass and allows split applications within 45-90 days. The same label says not to use it on tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass or fine fescue unless thinning or removal is desired. Apply it to a fescue lawn and you trade a goosegrass problem for a turf renovation.

Post-Emergent Options

For goosegrass already up, here is what the labels list by lawn species:

Cool-season lawns (Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, perennial ryegrass):

• Fenoxaprop (Acclaim Extra): lists goosegrass. The rate climbs with plant size, from 3.5 fl oz per acre at the 1 to 2 leaf stage to 39 fl oz at 4 to 5 tillers. That is about eleven times more product for the same weed. The label caps a single application at 28 fl oz on Kentucky bluegrass and 39 on tall fescue and ryegrass. A bluegrass lawn cannot legally get the 4 to 5 tiller rate, so spray while plants are small.
• Topramezone (Pylex): lists goosegrass at 1.0-1.5 fl oz per acre with a crop oil concentrate or methylated seed oil. Tolerant grasses on the label include Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass and centipedegrass.

Bermuda and zoysia lawns:

• Foramsulfuron (Revolver): labeled for bermudagrass, zoysiagrass and buffalograss, and lists goosegrass. The label says cool-season turfgrasses are not tolerant.
• Topramezone (Pylex) in bermudagrass: the label allows a single goosegrass application at 0.5-0.75 fl oz per acre with methylated seed oil. Expect 2 to 4 weeks of bleaching, and the label warns a sequential application may cause significant turf damage.

St. Augustine lawns: none of the post-emergent labels above lists St. Augustinegrass. Glyphosate spot-treatment and reseeding or plugging is the fallback.

Cultural Controls That Matter

NC State Extension ties goosegrass to compacted soil and thin, heavily trafficked turf. Herbicide alone leaves those conditions in place. Three practices address them:

• Mowing at the upper end of the recommended height: 3-4 inches for tall fescue, 1.5-2 inches for bermuda, 2.5-3.5 inches for zoysia. Denser turf leaves less open soil.
• Core aeration of compacted zones: fall for cool-season lawns, late spring or early summer for warm-season lawns. Check the pre-emergent reseeding interval above before you overseed.
• Fertilization to maintain density: use the seasonal rate for your grass (see your grass type guide).

For chronic high-traffic strips along sidewalks, mailbox posts and parking strips, consider whether turf is the right surface. Mulch, pavers or a gravel strip remove the thin lawn edge goosegrass uses.

Why Goosegrass Keeps Coming Back

• Pre-emergent timing mismatch. A crabgrass-only application can run out before goosegrass finishes germinating. Add the label's second application 60-90 days after the first.
• Compaction not addressed. The soil conditions that favored goosegrass are still there next season.
• Seed left in the soil. The NC State publication does not state how long goosegrass seed survives in soil, so we do not give a number. Plan on more than one season of prevention.

Pair the herbicide program with good bermuda, zoysia, tall fescue, or Kentucky bluegrass care to keep the canopy dense.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I tell goosegrass from crabgrass?

Three field markers. (1) Stem color at the crown: goosegrass has silvery-white to pale-green flattened stems radiating from the crown. Crabgrass stems are green to reddish. (2) Growth habit: goosegrass grows in a tight rosette with stems pressed flat to the ground. Crabgrass spreads in a looser mat with more upright stems. (3) Seed head: goosegrass produces thick spikes that look like a zipper, radiating from the stem tip. Crabgrass produces thinner finger-like spikes. Both are summer annuals, but they germinate at different soil temperatures.

Why does my crabgrass pre-emergent not stop goosegrass?

Timing. NC State TurfFiles puts crabgrass germination at a 24-hour mean soil temperature of about 53-55°F at a 2 to 4 inch depth for several consecutive days. NC State Extension puts goosegrass germination at 60-65°F, usually at least two weeks later than crabgrass. A barrier applied for crabgrass can thin out before the goosegrass flush ends. The Barricade 4FL label handles this directly: under heavy goosegrass pressure, make an initial application of 21-26 fl oz per acre, then a second application 60-90 days later.

What is the most effective pre-emergent for goosegrass?

It depends on your grass. Indaziflam (Specticle FLO) lists goosegrass, but its label restricts turf use to warm-season grasses and says not to use it on tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, or fine fescue unless you want the turf thinned or removed. Prodiamine (Barricade 4FL) is labeled on both warm and cool-season lawns. Its label says a single 21-48 fl oz per acre application controls goosegrass in many areas. That low end, 21 fl oz, works out to about 0.66 lb of active ingredient per acre, which is the bottom of the goosegrass range, not a high rate. Stay under the annual cap for your grass: 48 fl oz per acre for tall fescue, bermuda and zoysia, 30 for Kentucky bluegrass and perennial ryegrass, 24 for fine fescue.

My goosegrass is already up. What kills it post-emergent?

By lawn species, from the product labels. Cool-season lawns: fenoxaprop (Acclaim Extra) lists goosegrass, with the rate rising as plants tiller. Topramezone (Pylex) lists goosegrass at 1.0-1.5 fl oz per acre with a crop oil or methylated seed oil adjuvant, on Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescue, perennial ryegrass and centipedegrass. Bermuda and zoysia: foramsulfuron (Revolver) lists goosegrass, and its label says cool-season grasses are not tolerant. Pylex also has a single low-rate goosegrass spot use in bermudagrass, with 2 to 4 weeks of turf bleaching expected. St. Augustine: none of these labels lists it, so glyphosate spot-treatment is the fallback.

Why does goosegrass keep coming back in the same spots?

NC State Extension notes goosegrass grows well in compacted soils and thin turf under heavy traffic, and says a severe infestation may indicate the need for aerification. Typical spots are sidewalk and driveway edges, parking strips and worn paths. Killing the plants without relieving compaction leaves the same conditions for next year. Pair the herbicide program with core aeration of those zones and thicker turf.

Will mowing low or high help with goosegrass?

Mowing at the upper end of the range for your grass helps keep turf dense, and NC State ties goosegrass to thin turf. Typical heights are 3-4 inches for tall fescue, 1.5-2 inches for bermuda and 2.5-3.5 inches for zoysia. We have not found a published figure for how much taller mowing reduces goosegrass, so we do not quote one.

Is goosegrass the same as wiregrass?

Sometimes. The common name wiregrass means different plants in different regions. In parts of the South it refers to Aristida species, a different genus that is mostly a pasture and roadside plant. Elsewhere people use wiregrass loosely for goosegrass because of its tough stems, and some use it for bermudagrass. If a reference mentions wiregrass control, confirm the scientific name. Goosegrass is Eleusine indica.

I never had goosegrass before. Why now?

The usual cause is a change in conditions: new traffic, a compacted strip, thinning turf, or a pre-emergent program timed only for crabgrass. We have not found an extension source documenting a regional northward spread, so we do not claim one. Many homeowners first misdiagnose goosegrass as crabgrass. Confirm the ID with the white, flattened crown, then time a second pre-emergent application for the later goosegrass flush.

Related Resources

• Lawn Weed Identification & Control Pillar: full pillar with all weed types
• Crabgrass Control: the summer-annual grassy weed often confused with goosegrass
• Dallisgrass Control: companion southern perennial grassy weed
• Quackgrass Control: northern perennial grassy weed
• Broadleaf Plantain Control: another compaction-indicator weed
• March Lawn Care: pre-emergent application window
• May Lawn Care: split pre-emergent + post-emergent window
• Bermuda Grass Care: competitive turf to suppress goosegrass
• Tall Fescue Care: cool-season turf management for goosegrass-prone zones
• Tall Fescue Master Guide: full reference on transition-zone lawn management

Sources

• NC State Extension: Goosegrass (germination at 60-65°F, at least two weeks after crabgrass; compaction)
• NC State TurfFiles, Fred Yelverton: Timing of Preemergent Herbicide Applications (crabgrass germination at 53-55°F mean soil temperature)
• Barricade 4FL label (goosegrass rates, 60-90 day second application, yearly caps by turf species, overseeding intervals)
• Specticle FLO label, EPA (warm-season turf only; grasses not to treat; split applications)
• Acclaim Extra label (goosegrass rates by growth stage; per-application caps)
• Pylex label (goosegrass rates; tolerant turfgrasses; bermudagrass spot use)
• Revolver label, EPA (goosegrass in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass; cool-season grasses not tolerant)