To remove Centipede grass, use selective herbicides containing Sulfosulfuron, or fluazifop-p-butyl which target centipede but not other grasses. Apply repeatedly as the label directs when Centipede is actively growing. Or manually dig out patches. Mow frequently to discourage its spread. Overseed with desired grass like Bermuda to crowd it out.
Eremochloa ophiuroides, also called the Centipede grass is widely used as a sod grass. Centipede grass is loved by the Southerners of the US.
Centipede grass can even grow in poor soils. This is probably the reason why it takes over the other types of grass lawns.
Centipede grass is known to interfere with Bermuda, Zoysia, and St. Augustine grass lawns. Patches of Centipede grass won’t look nice in the middle of a lawn.
It becomes crucial to get rid of Centipede grass in your lawn. There are various ways to do this.
How do I get rid of Centipede grass on my lawn?
Roundup/Glyphosate can get rid of Centipede grass effectively but it is a non-selective herbicide, so it kills even desirable grass.
Centipede grass can be killed in many ways but you may want to change your strategy depending on the type of lawn it is in.
Centipede grass even grows in pastures. In such a situation, you may need to follow a completely different strategy.
How do you get rid of Centipede grass in Bermuda grass?
To remove Centipede grass from Bermuda grass, use selective herbicides containing active ingredients like Sulfentrazone, Sulfosulfuron. These target centipede grass while leaving Bermuda unaffected.
Apply according to label directions when the Centipede is actively growing for best results. Or manually dig out clumps of centipede repeatedly to exhaust the spreading stolons over time.
Rake up the Centipede stolons and fill the area with Bermuda plugs. Care well for these Bermuda plugs and you might see a full Bermuda lawn.
There’s a specific reason why you are seeing Centipede grass on your Bermuda lawn. Centipede grass thrives in acidic, low-nutrient soils.
Specifically, Centipede grass loves soil with a pH below 5.9. If the Centipede grass is growing in soil, it means the soil lacks adequate Phosphorous.
If you fertilize your Bermuda grass lawn regularly, I am sure Centipede grass will not survive in the lawn.
Try to increase the pH of the soil above 5.9 and the Centipede grass should die. Fertilizing the lawn regularly has the same effect.
Will Quinclorac kill centipede grass?
Yes, Quinclorac can get rid of the Centipede grass.
Get the soil tested and act accordingly. If you want to get rid of the Centipede grass immediately, then spray Quinchlorac on the patch of Centipede grass.
Will MSMA kill Centipede grass?
MSMA can be used at a concentration of 0.75 oz per thousand square feet. This solution doesn’t hurt your precious Bermuda grass too.
Tip: Mow as low as possible to get rid of the Centipede grass naturally.
Will Centipede grass take over Bermuda?
Yes, Centipede grass may take over your Bermuda lawn if the conditions are suitable for Centipede grass growth.
Acidic and low-nutrient soil favors the growth of Centipede grass. The only way to fix the situation is by raising the pH and adding fertilizer to the soil.
How to kill Centipede grass in Zoysia
To kill Centipede grass in Zoysia, use fluazifop-p-butyl herbicides which target Centipede grass but not Zoysia. Apply repeatedly as the label directs during active centipede growth. Or manually dig out Centipede patches and re-sod with Zoysia. Mow frequently and fertilize Zoysia to encourage its growth over the Centipede grass.
Centipede grass tries to take over Zoysia lawn if the soil acidity is low and the soil doesn’t have abundant Nitrogen and Phosphorous.
Fusilade II herbicide is the answer to all of your problems. This herbicide can get rid of the Centipede grass without harming your Zoysia lawn.
Mow your lawn as close to the ground as possible. This helps to get rid of the Centipede grass gradually.
How to get rid of Centipede grass in St Augustine
To remove centipede grass from St. Augustine, use fluazifop-p-butyl herbicides which target Centipede grass but not St. Augustine. Apply repeatedly during active centipede growth as the label directs. Or spot-treat with glyphosate. Manual digging and resodding with St. Augustine can also effectively remove Centipede over time.
Apply these selective herbicides repeatedly during the active growing season according to label directions to achieve control. Spot-treating individual centipede patches with glyphosate is also effective.
For small infestations, carefully dig out Centipede grass clumps and re-sod those spots with St. Augustine.
Promoting vigorous St. Augustine growth through proper mowing, watering, and fertilization helps it better outcompete centipede invaders over time.
Following integrated pest management practices can rid St. Augustine lawns of unwanted centipede grass.
How to get rid of Centipede grass in the pasture
Here are a few steps you can follow to get rid of Centipede grass in the pasture.
- Fertilize the area well, Centipede grass only grows in low-nutrient soils.
- You can burn the patches of Centipede grass with a propane torch.
- Get rid of patches of Centipede grass by using Glyphosate. Reseed the areas with Bahia plugs.
- Rotational grazing is a good cultural practice to keep the pasture in good shape. You can build a wire fence with a single wire to achieve this.
- Application of 2,4-D in the middle of the summer is quite effective in getting rid of the Centipede grass.
One needs to be careful when trying to eliminate weeds/invasive grasses in the pasture. You don’t want to harm your farm animals.
This is why I always advise people to follow cultural control methods and natural ways to get rid of weeds/invasive grass.
What can kill Centipede grass?
Non-selective herbicides containing glyphosate or glufosinate are effective at killing centipede grass. Apply repeatedly as the label directs. Mowing frequently will also discourage Centipede. For selective removal, use Sulfosulfuron, or fluazifop herbicides which target Centipede but not other grasses.
Will Drive herbicide kill centipede grass?
I heard people say that the Drive XLR8 herbicide can damage or even kill the Centipede grass. This herbicide is usually sprayed to get rid of Crabgrass.
Can you use Roundup on Centipede grass?
Yes, one can use Roundup/Glyphosate to get rid of Centipede grass in their lawns/pastures.
Roundup is a non-selective herbicide that kills any plant that comes its way. So, one needs to be cautious when using it.
Will Sethoxydim kill centipede grass?
No, Sethoxydim doesn’t kill Centipede grass in your lawn/pasture. This herbicide is used to kill weeds that trouble the Centipede grass.
So, if anything you’ll be favoring the Centipede grass if you use Sethoxydim.
Does 2 4 D kill Centipede grass?
Yes, 2,4-D can kill the Centipede grass patches in your lawn/pasture if these patches are small. Apply abundantly so that the entire patch is drenched in it.
You can achieve maximum efficiency by spraying the Centipede grass in the early summer as this is the dormant season.
Will Vinegar kill Centipede grass?
Yes, Vinegar will kill Centipede grass but it’s also harmful to your lawn grass. So, if you want to get rid of Centipede grass without harming your law, try a different technique.
Does Lime Kill Centipede Grass?
Lime can kill the Centipede grass patches in your lawn. Large quantities of Lime is known to be harmful to Centipede grass.
You’ll increase the pH of the soil by adding lime to it. Centipede grass as you know can’t survive in soils with a pH of more than 5.9.
Will Cimarron Plus kill Centipede grass?
No, Cimarron Plus will not kill Centipede grass. Even if mixed according to the instructions Cimarron Plus will just slow down the growth of Centipede grass.
Will Poast kill Centipede grass?
‘Poast’ has Sethoxydim in it as an active ingredient. Poast is used to get rid of weeds in the Centipede grass, you can’t use it to kill Centipede grass.