Weed/grass Id

[Meadowlark]

This plant appears here during cool weather only. It is especially fond of growing right up against onion seedlings and other garden veggies intertwined with their roots. It is a "bunching" type plant. It isn't crab grass or dallis grass.

Anyone have an ID? TIA

 

[Sheal]

It looks like couch grass. Do you know what the seed head looks like Meadowlark?

 

[Meadowlark]

No, I never knowingly let it go to seed...

Looking online it does look like what you suggest...but the description of "couch" says it is a warm weather plant and here it never shows other than cool season months?

Thank you @Sheal

 

[Sheal]

A picture of the seed head if possible would confirm it. Has it got hairy leaves?

It grows everywhere here in Britain whether the weather's warm or not. It's a gardeners nightmare as it spreads via running roots and seed and difficult to eliminate.

 

[Meadowlark]

A picture of the seed head if possible would confirm it. Has it got hairy leaves?

No hairy leaves...and I will try to get a photo of seed head although as mentioned I never let it grow to maturity knowingly.

It grows everywhere here in Britain whether the weather's warm or not. It's a gardeners nightmare as it spreads via running roots and seed and difficult to eliminate.

Maybe warm is a relative thing depending on your normal climate. Here in what is considered the cool season, it hit 80 deg F today.

Warm would-be upper 80's, low 90's..and hot would be above 95 deg F. I have never seen it when it is "hot" here.

And I agree it is a nightmare here as well...especially in the onion row.

 

[cpp gardener]

It looks much more like Annual Bluegrass which is a, mostly, cool-season weed. Very smooth light green leaves with a “boat-like” leaftip.
There is the very beginning of a flowerstalk in the lower left of your picture. It won’t be more than a week before you have noticeable ones in your garden. It is extremely difficult to control, even with chemicals.

 

[Meadowlark]

The description of annual bluegrass matches as well as the online photos.

No chemicals in my garden but controlled with this...

 

[cpp gardener]

Every. Single. Season.
That’s what I meant by control. Maybe eradication would be a better word. Not easy to do with that species. There are Sportsturf Managers that have spent years trying to get rid of it in professional stadiums. You might not be able to see it during games on TV, but they know it’s there.

 

[Sheal]

Couch grass is native to Britain so it's unlikely to be that Meadowlark.

Couch Grass | RHS Advice

Discover how to control couch grass or embrace it as part of a wildlife-friendly garden.

www.rhs.org.uk

Bluegrass is more likely I think, even thought that's a British native too.

Poa pratensis | smooth meadow grass

Find help & information on Poa pratensis | smooth meadow grass from the RHS

www.rhs.org.uk

 

[Meadowlark]

Yes, the thing that really points to Bluegrass to me is the cool season preference....and this plant definitely has that preference. Now that I'm more aware of it, I'm noticing it in various locations around the yard and in pastures...it seems to be everywhere in the cool season.

 

[Sheal]

Does it die off when it's hotter? Like couch grass it is said to spread via runners, so perhaps the leaves die but the roots remain alive.

 

[Meadowlark]

Wel, I have only noticed it Dec. through early March. After that it isn't to be found in the garden...elsewhere I'm not sure but will pay closer attention this year.

 

[cpp gardener]

For the most part it is an annual that dies out when it gets hot. It’s more likely to die out in a vegetable garden or truck farm situation where it dries out more in the summer. In turf it can become a perennial and be a pain all year round.
This one is Poa annua, not pratensis.

 

[scarecrow garden in China]

The description of annual bluegrass matches as well as the online photos.

No chemicals in my garden but controlled with this...

View attachment 112269

How does this control soil moisture? I'm very curious.

 

[Meadowlark]

How does this control soil moisture? I'm very curious.

Control the weed, with a little elbow grease.