Jeff,

With gardening, it is always something, isn't it? I want to know why the plants we WANT to grow can be so difficult sometimes, and the ones that we DON'T WANT just pop up everywhere.

By the way, I am glad that your chamomile seedlings popped up. I would have been really, really shocked if you hadn't had seedlings.

Do you remember when the unwanted grass sprouted? The earlier in the spring that it sprouted, I think the better the chance it might be crabgrass. But, there are many other wide-bladed weedy grasses, like Dallis Grass, so if you posted a pic, it probably would help you get a specific ID. And, do you remember seeing seedheads on any of this grass last year? And, if so, do you remember if the seeds were green or black?

The problem with removing problem grasses is that, often, the weedkillers that will take them out will also remove desirable grasses. Also, some of the most effective grasskillers are arsenicals, and many people do not want to introduce arsenic into their home landscapes, even though certain levels of aresenic exist in nature anyway. (And you have the little guy to think about now, although he probably won't be crawling through the grass for a few more months yet.)

I wish I could tell you that there is a good, safe, organic product that will work on a tough, thick-bladed weedy grass that has very fibrous roots, but there's really not one. There are some organic grasskillers but I just haven't found them to be really effective. Hand-digging doesn't work well, as you have found, because these grasses reseed with wild abandon. Just the act of digging up the existing clump of grass can expose grass seeds in the dirt to light which then induces them to germinate.

You might want to google MSMA and DSMA. They are the two grassy weedkillers I used in Texas many years ago with very good results. That was back before I converted to organics, and I haven't used them in many years, but I assume they are still on the market.

One key thing to remember, though, is that even if you dig it out, it will come back unless you get something else growing in that area that will be thick, healthy and vigorous enough to crowd it out. Do you have bermuda grass in the rest of the yard? Or, is the fescue your main lawn grass? I am thinking it may be too shady under that oak for any grass to thrive, and if the grass stays thin and patchy, then you might need to take out the grass and plant a really lovely, vigorous ground cover under the oak.

What to you think?

Dawn

I have something similar in my yard and have fought it with no happy results. The weed wins every time. This year I'm making the worst area into a pathway - covering it with thick cardboard and wood chips. So there. I have noticed that the weed grabber I bought for pulling up dandelions will actually pull up that monster, too - at least right now, when it's just getting started.

I'll see if I can't dig one up and post a picture of the nasty bugger, roots and all. I have seen seed-heads, and I want to say they are green, but I can't say for certain.

The weeds have always been in the yard since we moved in 2 summers ago. But it was only last year that I decided to get serious about doing something.

The ground underneath the tree gets a good amount of sun because the oak tree is well-pruned with lots of clearance (I'm not sure if I could stand on my tip-toes and touch one of the branches at the point where it grows from the trunk). So I think it should get enough sunlight to support a fescue.

The rest of the lawn is fescue, I'm almost certain.

At this point, I don't really care about chemical use. I've tried doing this the nice way, and it hasn't worked. I forgot to mention earlier that I used Round-Up on the clumps of weed last year in some places. Unfortunately it did leave behind spots where nothing would grow for a while.

I like my yard a lot and I enjoy working on it. I thought when I got some grass to sprout last season, my problems were over. But no such luck.

Anyway, I'll keep at it. I'll see if I can post a picture and then with a better diagnosis, I'll decide what the next tactic should be.

Maybe you could google "images grassy weeds Oklahoma" and see what comes up that resembles your weed. The only tyrant weed in my yard is bermuda. I can tolerate the crabgrass because it looks pretty no matter what, and it's easy to remove.

BTW, did you mention which kind of chamomile you and Dawn grow? Is it Roman or German?

Susan

Susan:

I have done image searches, but the problem is they all look the same to me. However, based on Dawn's description, it is NOT Dallis Grass. Other than that, I don't know.

It's German chamomile, and it already has little flowers. I'm going to dig up the sprouts and move the plants as soon as I can figure out where to plant them.

I frigging love fresh chamomile. It's so tasty. And besides that, the plant really seems to give other plants around it a boost. The tomato plant I had beside my chamomile last year was more productive than the one on the opposite side of the garden, and they both got equal sunshine and water.