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Problem solving

Annual meadowgrass

Symptoms

This grass can make itself at home all around the garden, particularly in beds, borders, the lawn and paving. It has fluffy flowerheads that disperse seed and keep the weed coming.

Find it on: all over the garden

Time to act: all year round

Meadowgrass

Annual meadowgrass, Poa annnua, can be found growing all year round, carrying out its short, six-week cycle of germinating, flowering and setting seed. This being the case, if it isn't appearing in large clumps, getting in the way of other plants or ruining your display, it might not be worth fighting it.

Solution

Organic

Use a handfork to remove the grass, digging it out from the root. This is best done before the plant flowers and sets seed. Do not compost flowering plants, or it will spread seeds through the compost.

Chemical

Annual meadowgrass is quite resistant to weedkillers, but if it's appearing on your patio, driveway or between paving (ie. away from other plants), you could try to control it with a patch weedkiller. Avoid spraying weedkiller on a windy day and near other desirable plants.

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