A tough and increasingly common pest, goosegrass thrives in high-traffic areas of turf. Often found in compacted soils, wet or dry, goosegrass will out-compete desirable grass species and steal water, nutrients, and sunlight. It can germinate throughout the summer, is well-adapted to mowing heights as low as 1/8”, and a single plant can produce 50,000 seeds. Left unchecked, an established goosegrass infestation will almost certainly return year after year.

How to Identify Goosegrass

• Grows from a flattened rosette
• White or silver stems at the center
• Usually has three to seven stems; mature plant can have as many as 20 stems

Mature Plant

How to Control Goosegrass

As with most weeds, a dense stand of healthy turf is a turf managers best defense strategy. Healthy turf reduces goosegrass germination by limiting the amount of sunlight that reaches the soil surface. Proper soil pH, drainage, aeration, and regularly altering traffic patterns will help keep the turf strong and goosegrass under control.

Bensumec™ 4 LF PreEmergent Grass & Weed Herbicide and SpeedZone^® Broadleaf Herbicide for Turf combined with healthy soil and turf are effective in managing goosegrass. SpeedZone EW in combination with Pylex^® Herbicide also provides effective post-emergent goosegrass control.

Pre-emerge Best Practice

Bensumec™ 4 LF PreEmergent Grass & Weed Herbicide provides proven pre-emergent control of goosegrass, as well as crabgrass, Poa annua, foxtail, lambsquarters, and others as listed. Labeled for use on established bahiagrass, bentgrass, fescue, perennial bluegrass, and zoysiagrass, Bensumec 4 LF can be used on residential lawns, and on golf greens, tees, and bentgrass fairways.

• Apply Bensumec 4 LF prior to goosegrass germination, typically in late winter or early spring.
• Apply Bensumec 4 LF at 9.4 fl. oz. per 1,000 sq. ft. of turf with spray volumes of 2 gallons per 1,000 sq. ft.
• After application, immediately irrigate Bensumec 4 LF with 0.5 to 1 inch of water.

Post-emerge Best Practice

SpeedZone^® EW Broadleaf Herbicide for Turf is proven to deliver fast, dependable post-emergent control of goosegrass and 90 tough broadleaf weeds, including clover, plantain, ground ivy, and spurge. Labeled for use on warm- and cool-season turf species, including Kentucky bluegrass, Poa annua, annual and perennial ryegrasses, tall, red and fine fescues, and other species as listed. It can be used on residential lawns, golf courses, commercial areas, recreation and athletic fields, roadsides, and cemeteries.

• When applied alone to labeled warm- and cool-season turf species, apply SpeedZone^® EW at 4 pt. per acre. A follow up application at the same rate 30 days later may be required.
• When used as a tank mix and applied to cool-season turf or bermudagrass, apply a single application of SpeedZone EW at 4 pt. per acre + Pylex at 0.25 – 0.50 fl. oz. per acre.

Proven Performance with SpeedZone EW

SpeedZone EW^® Broadleaf Herbicide for Turf is a proven tool in goosegrass control. Plus, research has shown a unique, symbiotic relationship when combined with Pylex^® (topramezone*). SpeedZone EW and Pylex are both viable solutions as post-emergent control options. However, tank mixing SpeedZone EW and Pylex together gives results in a lethal control option.

* Pylex Herbicide (EPA Reg. No. 7969-327) contains Topramezone

Goosegrass Control with SpeedZone EW & Pylex

University of Tennessee

Bermudagrass Bleaching – SpeedZone EW & Pylex

Virginia Tech University

Turfgrass managers that have previously utilized Pylex are familiar with the bleaching side effect associated with topramezone. In addition to greater post-emergent control, SpeedZone EW combined with Pylex significantly reduces the bleaching effect of Pylex.