What Kills Quackgrass?

If you’ve spotted fast-spreading, coarse, bluish-green grass invading your lawn, there’s a good chance you’re dealing with quackgrass. This aggressive weed may look like a type of turfgrass at first, but don’t be fooled—quackgrass spreads quickly through underground rhizomes and can easily crowd out your healthy grass if not dealt with properly. So, what kills quackgrass—and how do you keep it from coming back?

Let’s dig into it.

🌿 What Is Quackgrass, Exactly?

Quackgrass is a perennial grassy weed known for its fast growth and deep root system. It thrives in disturbed soil and is tough to remove because even the smallest piece of root left behind can sprout new growth. Unlike crabgrass, which is an annual, quackgrass comes back every year—so simply pulling it out by hand rarely solves the problem long-term.

If you’re not sure whether you’re dealing with quackgrass or another lawn invader, check out our Lawn Weeds Identification Guide for Texas to compare photos and descriptions of common problem weeds.

❌ What Kills Quackgrass?

Quackgrass is notoriously resistant to most selective herbicides—the kind that kill weeds without harming your lawn. That means your go-to broadleaf weed killer won’t do the trick. The most effective way to kill quackgrass is to use a non-selective herbicide, which will kill everything it touches, including your good grass.

Because of that, spot-treatment is key. Carefully apply the herbicide directly to the quackgrass, wait for it to die, and then reseed or sod the bare patch. You may need to repeat this process multiple times since quackgrass roots are persistent.

🌱 How to Prevent Quackgrass from Coming Back

Once you’ve treated the quackgrass, the next step is making your lawn healthy and thick enough to resist future invasions. That means regular mowing, watering, and—most importantly—fertilizing. A strong, dense lawn can outcompete weeds naturally.

Need help building up your lawn’s defenses? Our lawn fertilization services are designed to strengthen your turf, improve root growth, and keep weeds like quackgrass from gaining a foothold.

What is the best product to kill quackgrass?

The most effective product for killing quackgrass is a non-selective herbicide. It kills the weed down to the root, but it also kills any surrounding grass, so it should be used carefully as a spot treatment. Some homeowners opt for multiple, targeted applications to fully eradicate the weed before reseeding.

Does vinegar kill quackgrass naturally?

Household vinegar may burn the leaves of quackgrass, but it won’t kill the root system—so it’s not an effective long-term solution. Stronger horticultural vinegar (20% acetic acid) can do more damage but still struggles to eliminate deep rhizomes. If you’re looking for natural methods, repeated manual removal combined with soil improvement is usually more effective.

What is the best tool for removing quackgrass?

A long-handled weed puller or garden fork works well to loosen the soil and pull out as much of the quackgrass root system as possible. Since quackgrass spreads by rhizomes, it’s important to extract the entire root, not just the top growth. For large patches, using a spade to dig out and replace entire sections of turf may be more effective.

✔️ Final Tips

Quackgrass spreads underground, so removing surface growth isn’t enough. Don’t try to dig it up unless you’re removing a large section—rhizomes can snap and regrow. Always follow label instructions when applying herbicides, and reseed promptly after treatment to avoid new weed growth.

Need a Hand?

Quackgrass is tough, but it’s beatable with the right approach. If you’re tired of fighting it on your own, Ryno Lawn Care can help with targeted treatments, soil health improvements, and ongoing lawn care plans to keep your yard looking its best. Let’s take your lawn back—one weed at a time.