Nimblewill

Biological Name:

Muhlenbergia schreberi

Natural Habitat:

Nimblewill: This grass is native to North America, and can be found in a variety of habitats, including meadows, pastures, and lawns.

Description:

Nimblewill is a type of flowering plant that is commonly found in fields and other grassy areas. It is a member of the Poaceae family which also includes plants such as wheat and corn. Nimblewill is an annual or perennial plant that produces small white or green flowers and clusters of seeds. The plant is often used as a cover crop to improve soil health and suppress weeds. It is also known for its ability to tolerate a wide range of growing conditions including wet or dry soils. In some areas nimblewill is considered a weed because of its ability to invade cultivated areas and cause allergies and other health problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: How do I get rid of nimblewill in my lawn?
A: Chemical control. Presently only one herbicide available to homeowners, Tenacity (active ingredient mesotrione), provides selective control of nimblewill in cool-season lawns such as Kentucky bluegrass, tall fescue, fine fescues and perennial ryegrass.
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Q: What is the difference between nimblewill and Bermuda grass?
A: Nimblewill grows in a very dense mat, and will root at the nodes. It has very slender, thin leaves, which can be confused with bermudagrass. However, nimblewill has a membranous ligule, which can be distinguished from the hairy ligule of bermudagrass.
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Q: What does nimblewill look like?
A: Nimblewill is a thin, wiry grass that is pale green or gray-green in color. It spreads by aboveground shoots or stolons, often forming circular spots in the lawn. Nimblewill also spreads via seeds. Plants flower and produce seeds in late summer/early fall.
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Q: Is there a pre-emergent for nimblewill?
A: There are no preemergence herbicides labeled for control of nimblewill and limited options are available for postemergence treatment. It is likely sequential applications of postemergence herbicides will be required to control nimblewill, as it is a perennial species that grows from stolons.
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Q: What is the white fluffy stuff on grass?
A: What is Powdery Mildew? Powdery Mildew on lawn is caused by a fungus and usually first seen as isolated fine, grey-white, cobwebby growth seen on the upper surface of the leaf blades.
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Q: How do you use tenacity for nimblewill?
A: ”
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Q: How do you control Carpetweed?
A: Your best bet when dealing with carpetweed is making sure they don’t germinate to begin with by laying out a pre-emergent herbicide such as Isoxaben 75WG. Apply 0.5 oz. or 14 grams of Isoxaben 75WG per 1,000 sq. ft. This will wipe out the carpetweed before they pop up out of the ground.
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Q: Does nimblewill spread?
A: Nimblewill spreads by seeds and by stolons. The seedheads are formed from mid-summer on. They are a slender spike. The stolons are very thin and wiry with small, rounded, bead-like nodes.
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Q: Do I pull weeds after tenacity?
A: Answer: No, We would not recommend pulling up any weeds because the product will not get into the root system, and the weeds may come back at that point.
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Q: What herbicide kills Bermuda grass?
A: Triclopyr (Weed-B-Gon and Turflon) is a selective herbicide that kills broadleaf plants, but will suppress bermudagrass in cool season turfgrasses.
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Q: Is nimblewill invasive?
A: Nimblewill is an invasive southern weed grass that is becoming a more common problem in our service area. It is a fine-textured, wiry grass species that forms dense mats as it grows and spreads.
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Q: What does nimble grass look like?
A: Nimblewill is a thin, wiry grass that is pale green or gray-green in color. It spreads by aboveground shoots or stolons, often forming circular spots in the lawn. Nimblewill also spreads via seeds. Plants flower and produce seeds in late summer/early fall.
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Q: How do you control Ironweed?
A: Mechanical Ironweed Plant Control Early mowing followed by a subsequent mowing a month later has been shown to give the greatest control. Mowing by late May to early June followed by mechanical intervention when plants are 6 to 8 inches (15-20 cm.) tall can reduce up to 87 percent of the population.
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Q: What herbicide kills horehound?
A: Herbicide (active ingredient & concentration)Example of commercial productWithholding periodDicamba (500 g/L)Kamba 5007 days2,4-D ester (600 g/L)LV Estericide® 6007 daysMCPA (340 g/L) + Dicamba (80 g/L)Kamba M7 daysTriclopyr (300 g/L), **Picloram (100 g/L)Grass-up™, Conqueror®**Nil
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Q: What plant kills knapweed?
A: Glyphosate effectively controls knapweed plants, but will also destroy competitive grasses and forbs.
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Q: How do I get rid of Artemisia?
A: You can smother it (black plastic or layers of newspapers covered with mulch). Or you can exhaust the root system by continuous pulling or removal of the leaves (this is difficult.) You can also use a systemic non-selective herbicide that contains glyphosate that will travel down and kill the roots.
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Q: Is nimblewill a crabgrass?
A: As a result, nimblewill is often mistaken for crabgrass. However, the dead crabgrass foliage mats and that of nimblewill remains upright for positive identification.
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Q: What herbicide kills crabgrass but not grass?
A: Actively growing crabgrass in your lawn calls for selective, post-emergent herbicides, such as Image All-In-One Lawn Weed Killer or Image Herbicide Kills Crabgrass, that kill crabgrass and leave your lawn grass untouched.
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Q: How do you get rid of nimblewill organically?
A: Hand pulling or digging out a patch and adding some new soil and seed is a good way to keep small patches from becoming big patches. Nimblewill does best in poorly-drained soils that stay moist. We like to recommend Liquid Aeration in the Spring and Fall to help loosen the soil.
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Q: What kills crabgrass permanently?
A: If applied very carefully, a broad-spectrum herbicide such as glyphosate (RoundUp) will kill crabgrass. Take care not to allow the spray to drift, as this chemical will also kill desirable turf grasses.
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Q: What grass looks like crabgrass but isn t?
A: It’s understandable to confuse Quackgrass for Crabgrass, as they have some similar characteristics. Both have a coarse leaf blade and are light green in color, causing them to look different than the rest of the lawn.
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About the author

Samuel is a gardening professional and enthusiast who has spent over 20 years advising homeowners and farm owners on weed identification, prevention and removal. He has an undergraduate degree in plant and soil science from Michigan State University.