Bentgrass (commonly referred to as Creeping Bentgrass), is a perennial turf known to grow rapidly and go dormant in hot weather. Native to Europe, it was most likely brought to the Americas during colonization. If not planted, Bentgrass is not something fun for any homeowner to suddenly find. Bentgrass tends to grow well in cooler climates, so if you spot it growing in the summer, chances are you’ve noticed an eyesore of patchy, brown turf. Worse than the ugly aesthetics, however, is the fact that the dormancy periods bentgrass experiences in the heat often allows for an infestation of other types of weeds.

Prone to Lawn Disease

Once commonly used in golf courses, it’s not unusual to find bentgrass popping up in weed form from time to time. If it previously existed in your yard, Creeping Bentgrass can be difficult to fully eradicate without professional help. It’s also proven to be a finicky grass, and more prone to lawn diseases than other species so watch out for additional hurt if this creeping grass sets in.

Unlike turf grasses common to yards today, Bentgrass forms a dense mat of leafy material through the use of stolons. Bentgrass stolons are long and aggressive runners that travel horizontally across the soil, and produce nodes that root themselves in the ground to form new plant copies. Through this method, a single bentgrass blade can propagate many times over.

Bentgrass Identification

Bentgrass identification involves searching turf for grass blades with tiny vines connecting each other. Bentgrass blades tend to grow long and thin. Its texture is smooth and fine. Look for light green color in cooler weather, and browning sheaths and blades that wilt as the summer warms up.

Bentgrass will take over your lawn if given the chance and is difficult to eradicate without killing good grasses as well. To prevent Creeping Grass from showing up, make sure to frequently rake through the thatch layer of your lawn. Thorough, infrequent waterings will keep remaining thatch from harboring water and providing good conditions for weeds to grow.

Pull creeping grass out at the roots the second you notice it sprout to avoid infestations. For larger applications, a herbicide combined with a mechanical approach and overseeding may be your best bet.

Many in your position wonder how to get rid of bentgrass. The truth is, you might need a multi-step approach to fully eradicate your Creeping Grass. The best Bent Grass killer you have at your disposal is a Senske Lawn Care professional. Our experts understand Bentgrass identification, will locate problem areas, diagnose causes, and apply an approach proven to help you get rid of bentgrass in your lawn. More than that, we’ll teach you the proper steps to take to avoid the problem from ever taking root again.