Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Fighting finger grass with weed killers
• Part 2 of 3: Kill finger grass
• Part 3 of 3: Lawn maintenance to prevent weeds
• Tips
• Warnings

Finger grass in an annoying and common weed that likes sun and high temperatures. Finger grass is an annual plant and dies at the end of the year. This grass species spreads thousands of seeds that start to grow in the spring. With preventive measures, eradication and proper lawn care, you can keep this stubborn intruder out.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Fighting finger grass with weed killers

1. Prevent finger grass from growing by using a preventive weed killer. Preventive weed killers provide the top layer of the soil with a chemical layer. When the finger grass seeds start to sprout, they will absorb the herbicide, preventing germination and killing the seeds.
2. Use a preventative weed killer at the end of winter or at the beginning of spring when the soil temperature is stable around 12 degrees at a depth of 10 cm. This should coincide with the flowering of the forsythia (also known as the Chinese bell). Purchase an affordable soil thermometer if you are unsure when to apply the preventative weed killer.
   • Always control finger grass with a preventive weed killer in combination with fertilizers. Fertilizers help to thicken the turf, eventually killing the seeds left behind that survived the initial fertilizer treatment. Apply the fertilizers in combination with your preventative weed killer for better results and better value for money.
3. When you are going to use a weed killer, read the label carefully. No matter how small the label on the package, it will contain valuable information on when to apply it and on safety precautions. Look for herbicides that contain the following active ingredients: dithiopyr, prodiamine or pendimethalin.
4. Re-seed or use a weed killer, but never do it at the same time. The weed killer that you use to destroy the unwanted finger grass is also able to attack the soft, beautiful grass that you want to keep. This means that you must sow during one season and use the weed killer during another season. Sow your lawn at the beginning of the fall and use a weed killer in the spring. Make sure to maintain a buffer of at least 50 days.
5. Apply general, or post-emergence weed killers in the summer if you notice finger grass. These will also kill your normal grass, so only apply post-emergence weed killers if finger grass has predominated or if you are dealing with large patches of finger grass.

Part 2 of 3: Kill finger grass

1. Remove the finger grass by hand when the plants are still young. Finger grass can spread very quickly. If you allow the weeds to grow for an entire season or if you accidentally forget to remove a patch, you can experience rampant weeds. As soon as you see finger grass, you should weed it by hand.
   • Early weeding of finger grass is an effective way to control the spread of the weeds. Young finger grass has only two to four stems and no splayed end.
   • If you are going to remove the weeds by hand, you should spray the finger grass well with water beforehand. This loosens up the soil and makes it easier to weed the plant root and all.
2. Cover the soil with a protective layer (mulch) after removing the weeds by hand. With the application of a ground cover after removing the weeds by hand, it is more likely that the remaining roots of the plant will not be able to grow again. You create an extra barrier, as it were, through which the finger grass has to grow.
3. Resist the temptation to also weed full-grown finger grass. Full grown finger grass usually contains dozens or maybe hundreds of seeds. If you pull one full-grown plant out of the soil, you can end up with a sod with 5000 seeds in it. These fall out of the plant during weeding and end up on your lawn.
   • Instead of weeding mature finger grass, you could spray it or let it die naturally in the fall. Cover the area with a preventative weed killer in the spring to keep the seeds from germinating.
4. Spray a general weed killer over larger patches of finger grass that have not yet spread their seeds. General weed killers take about two weeks to fully take effect, this is also about the same time it takes finger grass to disperse seeds, negating the effect of the weed killer.
   • Apply the weed killer on a hot day with little to no wind.
   • For best results, apply the weed killer when the soil is moist but the finger grass itself is dry. Spray the area well in the late morning and don't apply the weed killer until the afternoon.
   • You may need to apply the weed killer twice, however this will depend on the instructions unless you are dealing with very young finger grass.

Part 3 of 3: Lawn maintenance to prevent weeds

1. Provide your lawn with enough water, not small amounts. Spray your lawn with a large amount of water about once a week. The large amount of water, as opposed to small amounts, will promote a more robust root system that is also more resistant to heat.
2. Mow your lawn at least once a week. By mowing your lawn regularly (twice a week) you can reduce the growth of all types of weeds by as much as 80%. If you don't have time to mow your lawn twice a week, mow it once a week and leave the clippings on the lawn so it can act as fertilizer. The clippings make it more difficult for finger grass to germinate.
3. Use fertilizers that don't contain too much nitrogen. Fast-acting lawn fertilizer is a temporary solution; it will keep your lawn looking nice and green in the short term, but will strip your lawn of nutrients in the long term, making it easier for finger grass to grow. Use only 0.9 to 1.8 kg of nitrogen per 92 square meters. The total amount depends on the size of your lawn.
4. Aerate the soil to loosen the soil. Soil compaction is a form of soil degradation in which the soil structure is lost because the soil is compressed. When dealing with this higher density, the permeability of water and air decreases. This will take away the ability for common grass roots to grow. Finger grass and other weeds thrive in such conditions. Work your lawn every season with a scarifier (verticulator) if you suspect that the soil is too compact, especially if the soil consists largely of clay.
5. Overseed your lawn. Overseeding of your lawn is necessary to promote proper growth. While you only need to reseed the areas where finger grass previously grew, it's a good idea to reseed the entire lawn every two to three seasons.

Tips

• A full and thick lawn is the best prevention.
• Use synthetic weed killers sparingly, as such weed killers often contain chemical compounds that can be harmful to humans, pets, beneficial insects (such as earthworms) and other parts of the ecosystem.
• Corn gluten is a safe, effective and natural alternative to synthetic preventative weed killers.
• If finger grass nevertheless germinates despite the use of preventive weed killers, you can pull the seeds out of the soil with the help of pliers. The grass grows from a central root and spreads long strings in the shape of fingers (hence the name). Removing these parts by hand is very difficult, therefore pliers are necessary and very effective, as the number of germinated plants will be small. Try to do this as early as possible, as finger grass grows very quickly and quickly gets out of control, until frost kills the plants.
• If you are dealing with finger grass, you should mow your lawn regularly until the maximum height which is recommended for your grass type. Regular mowing prevents finger grass from blooming and spreading seeds, and also makes it easier for your lawn to crowd out all other weeds.
• Check other websites for more specific tips related to the area where you live.

Warnings

• Do not apply a preventive weed killer too late in the autumn, as you will not achieve the desired result. Finger grass often appears at the same time as the flowering of dogwood and a preventive weed killer has no effect on finger grass that is already in bloom.