permaculture

["Don Titmus" <ujgs2@4dirs.com>]

Crabgrass and Burmuda Grass are similar but different

Burmuda is Cynodon dactylon

Don...Mesa, AZ where Bermuda is the kudzu in my area.....



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawrence F. London, Jr." <lfl@intrex.net>
To: "permaculture" <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Friday, June 15, 2007 8:33 PM
Subject: Re: [permaculture] crabgrass & bermuda graa/Charles waters' book


> Michelle Maggiore wrote:
> > Hi...
> > Is bermudagrass  the same as crabgrass? I found by accident this year 
> > that
> > an area that had a winter cover crop of rye did not have ANY  bermuda 
> > grass
> > (in an area heavily prone and surrounded by it). Unfortunately, I did not
> > plant rye grass in all the new beds I built over the winter, so I am 
> > looking
> > for a summer alternative until I can plant rye grass in there in the 
> > fall.
> > The calcium defiiciency sounds like a probability here, too. The book 
> > sounds
> > very interesting; will try to get a copy from interlibrary loan.
> > Many Thanks,
> > Michelle in VA
>
> What he was calling crabgrass was actually Bermuda grass, the single worst 
> weed I have ever encountered.
>
> Crabgrass:
>
> Weed  Smooth crabgrass and large crabgrass
> Scientific Name Digitaria ischaemum and D. sanguinalis
> Family Grass Family (Poaceae)
> Life Cycle Summer annuals
> Reproduction Method Reproduce primarily by seeds. Large crabgrass can also 
> reproduce by long, rooting tillers.
> Appearance Both crabgrasses are much-branched and upright or prostrate. 
> Large crabgrass is normally mat forming, often
> has purple stems, and can grow to more than 3 feet in height. Smooth 
> crabgrass is usually 15 inches or less.
> Leaves The leaves of large crabgrass are pale blue green, pubescent on 
> both sides, and with margins that may be rough.
> They are flat, sharply pointed, 1/4 to 2/5 inch wide, and 2 to 6 inches 
> long. Smooth crabgrass leaves are normally dull
> green, sometimes purple tinged, and with margins that may be rough. They 
> are sharply pointed, sparsely pubescent near
> the base, 1 to 4 inches long, and 1/8 to 1/4 inch wide.
> Flowers Large crabgrass flowers are borne in a raceme with 3 to 13 
> purplish finger-like spikes up to 6 inches long.
> They occur in whorls at end of stout stalks during August and September. 
> The flowers of smooth crabgrass are borne in a
> raceme with 2 to 6 finger-like, purplish spikes up to 4 inches long, and 
> at end of flowering stalks. They also occur
> August and September.
> Occurrence Both crabgrasses can be found in most warm, moist, fertile 
> lawns in sun where turf is thin or mowed too
> short. They will tolerate hot, dry, compacted soils after establishment, 
> and may spread aggressively to crowd out
> desirable grasses.
> Non Chemical Control To control without chemicals maintain turf density 
> and health through proper culture; avoid light,
> frequent irrigation, spring cultivation, short mowing, and summer 
> fertilization. They can also be hand-pulled or
> mechanically removed.
>
>
> --
> Lawrence F. London, Jr.
> Venaura Farm
> lfl@intrex.net
> http://market-farming.com
> http://market-farming.com/venaurafarm
> http://venaurafarm.blogspot.com/
> http://www.ibiblio.org/ecolandtech
>
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