How to Control Bahia Grass

Bahia grass is an extraordinarily aggressive and hearty perennial weed commonly found in the Southeastern United States. It grows rapidly, is drought tolerant, and grows in numerous soil types. Therefore, it is commonly used for erosion control, pasture seeding, feedlots, and planting in roadway medians. However, it also makes it nearly impossible to find a southern lawn that does not have at least some bahia grass. 

Bahia grass is easily recognizable by its distinctive V-shaped seed head and its black-lined seeds.

It is characterized by light green color, broad leaves, and a solid growth pattern. The V-shaped seed head is easily recognizable. Also, black seeds line the structure of the head and are a means for the plant to reproduce.

As seeds fall from the seed head, they germinate. This multiplies your Bahia grass problems. So if the grass is left unmanaged, it aggressively spreads in your lawn. Ultimately, it endangers other types of grass in your yard. Many homeowners think it is impossible to control bahia grass, but it isn't. Read on to find out how!

Best Practices for Controlling Bahia Grass

Ridding your lawn of this pesky grass can be difficult. Digging up and removing Bahia is the most effective method of killing it. Still, manually removing grass is not easy or practical for most lawns. Therefore, managing the growth and spread of Bahia grass should be your main priority.

Maintaining a healthy lawn is the first line of defense against a Bahia grass invasion. Notably, a lush, thick lawn canopy crowds out invading grasses and weeds. Also, densely seeded lawns starves potential foreign weeds and grasses of nutrients and space.

Frequent mowing and cutting Bahia grass prevents seeds from developing on the seed head. It also slows the invasion of your lawn. Consequently, a homeowner should mow every seven to ten days and maintain a grass height of three to four inches.

Herbicides that Target Bahia

A post-emergent herbicide that contains Metsulfuron is recommended for most cases of bahiagrass infestation.

The herbicide we recommend is Quali-Pro Fahrenheit Herbicide. If you follow the label, it can be safely applied to bermuda, centipede, and St Augustine.

Apply Post-emergent herbicides when your grass is begins to grow in the spring. The early application of herbicides helps slow the spread of unwanted weeds and grasses like bahia.