Why Identification Matters Right Now
This time of year it's very important to know the difference, and be able to identify the difference between dallisgrass and crabgrass in your Midlothian or Prosper lawn. They are both full grown and thriving, and it's very common for people to mistake one for the other.
Why You Must Know the Difference
The reason you have to know the difference is because you deal with each of them in very different ways:
Crabgrass control:
- Can be prevented with pre-emergent herbicide
- Annual plant that sprouts from seeds each year
- Dies with first frost
- Relatively easy to control with proper timing
Dallisgrass control:
- Cannot be prevented with pre-emergent
- Perennial weed that returns year after year
- Must deal with individual plants as they appear
- Requires different herbicides and approach
Visual Differences Between the Two
If the weeds were side by side, you could easily tell them apart:
Dallisgrass characteristics:
- Taller, upright growth habit
- Coarse texture
- Grows in clumps
- Light green to gray-green color
- More prominent in mature lawns
Crabgrass characteristics:
- Broader leaf blades
- Grows lower to the ground
- Spreads outward in a mat-like pattern
- Often looks similar to St. Augustine at first glance
- Lighter green than most turfgrasses
The Best Identification Method: Seed Heads
However, the best way to identify the difference between these two weeds is with the seed head:
Crabgrass seed heads:
- Very small and fine
- Growing out of the top of the stem
- Multiple thin, finger-like projections
- Purple or reddish tint common
- Delicate appearance
Dallisgrass seed heads:
- Much larger and more prominent
- Have small black spots on them (fungus)
- Grow off the side of the stem (not the top)
- Multiple stems radiating from center
- More substantial, visible from distance
Control Strategies for Each Weed
Preventing and controlling crabgrass:
- Apply pre-emergent in early spring
- Spot treat with post-emergent herbicides
- Improve lawn density to prevent emergence
- Maintain proper mowing height
Controlling dallisgrass:
- Hand removal (dig out entire root system)
- Spot treatment with specific herbicides
- Multiple applications often needed
- No prevention method available
- Requires persistent management
Common Misidentification Problems
Treating dallisgrass like crabgrass leads to:
- Wasted time and money on ineffective pre-emergents
- Continued weed problems despite treatment
- Frustration with "failed" control methods
- Persistent infestations that worsen over time
Professional Weed Identification and Control
Know the difference! It could save you a lot of headache and get you better results in the long run! At Vista Lawn and Pest, our comprehensive fertilization and weed control programs in Midlothian and Prosper include proper weed identification and targeted treatments for both dallisgrass and crabgrass. We use the right products at the right time to effectively control both weeds in North Texas lawns.
Watch the video below to see dallisgrass and crabgrass side by side and learn the key identification features that separate these common lawn weeds.
For professional weed control and lawn care services in Midlothian and Prosper, contact Vista Lawn and Pest.
