Dallisgrass vs. Crabgrass: Know the Difference for Better Control

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.

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