Nimblewill

Weeds

wire-grass, drop-seed

Muhlenbergia schreberi

Photos

Nimblewill3.jpg

Nimblewill is a warm-season turfgrass that will infest cool-season turf. It has excellent winter hardiness which allows it to establish and compete. It will often stay dormant (white-to-tan) until Memorial Day and will go dormant soon after Labor Day. Nimble will has the growth habit of bermudagrass but is hairless and somewhat more upright.

Learn tactics for controlling perennial grass weeds in your lawn

  • Crops Affected: turf

    Management

    The cultural conditions that favor nimblewill are usually hot, full-sun with low maintenance inputs. It may be possible to limit the spread of nimblewill by fertilizing the cool-season turf in the spring and fall when the nimblewill is dormant.

    Mechanical Removal - Due to the perennial nature of nimblewill and its well-developed stolon system it is very difficult to remove by mechanical means. Methods include digging up the offending patches, including several inches of soil and replacing with new topsoil and reseeding. However, any stolons that remain can potentially develop into new plants. Another option is solarization. This method uses clear plastic fastened securely to the ground over the nimblewill areas. Be sure to cut the plastic slightly larger than the patches. Leave the plastic in place for 5-7 days in the spring or summer when the weather is nice. The plastic will help trap the heat close to the soil surface and hopefully devitalize the plant material. After removing the plastic you may reseed the area(s). This method can be very effective for nimblewill because the vegetative tissue close to the surface.

    Similar Species

    Nimblewill resembles bermudagrass (without hairs) and creeping bentgrass (only more stemmy).