Keeping your lawn green and weed-free can feel like a never-ending battle. One of the most common points of frustration for homeowners is telling the difference between the common weeds crabgrass and coarse tall fescue.
Crabgrass and fescue can look similar at first glance, especially in the early spring, but they behave very differently and require different control strategies.
If you’re staring at a sprawling patch of weeds outside of your home, understanding what type you’re dealing with is the first step toward getting rid of them. At ExperiGreen, we’ve helped homeowners take back their lawns and eliminate stubborn weeds.
In this guide, we’ll break down the key differences between crabgrass vs. fescue, show you how to identify each, and share proven treatment options.
Table of Contents
What Is Crabgrass?
Crabgrass is a warm-season annual weed that thrives when temperatures rise. Once it gets going, it can quickly overtake thin or stressed turf.
Crabgrass prefers bare or thin areas of your lawn where it can get plenty of sunlight. If left unchecked, it can rob your desirable grass of water and nutrients.
Here are some quick facts about crabgrass:
- Lifecycle: Crabgrass grows annually, meaning it lives for one year, sprouting in late spring and dying with the first frost.
- Seed Production: Each plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds, and these seeds can remain viable for about three years.
- Germination: Seed germination begins when soil temperatures reach around 55°F for several days in a row.
- Appearance: Crabgrass is a light green color, with wide, flat blades and a sprawling, star-shaped growth habit.
What Is Coarse Tall Fescue?
Coarse tall fescue is a perennial grass, meaning it comes back year after year. While it looks like a thin-bladed type of grass, it’s often considered a weed.
Because it blends with other cool-season grasses in color but not in texture, coarse tall fescue can create unsightly patches in lawns that are otherwise uniform.
Here are a few quick facts about coarse tall fescue:
- Lifecycle: Coarse tall fescue is a perennial grass, which means it remains green for much of the year and comes back every spring.
- Growth Habit: It often forms dense clumps rather than spreading rapidly across bare soil.
- Appearance: Fescue has thick, coarse blades that are darker green than crabgrass.
- Resilience: Fescue is highly tolerant of heat, drought, and even some herbicides.
Head-to-Head Comparison: Crabgrass vs Coarse Tall Fescue
It can be tough to figure out what kind of grass you’re looking at when you find a patch in your yard. Here’s a side-by-side look to help you quickly identify which grass is taking over:
| Feature | Crabgrass | Coarse Tall Fescue |
|---|---|---|
|
Lifecycle |
Annual |
Perennial |
|
Growth Timing |
Germinates late spring when soil warms to ~55°F |
Starts growing in early spring |
|
Growth Habit |
Low, spreading, star-shaped growth |
Upright, dense clumps
|
|
Blade Texture
|
Wide, flat, light green blades
|
Thick, coarse, dark green blades
|
|
Root System |
Shallow roots |
Deep, extensive roots |
|
Control Methods |
Pre-emergent in spring; post-emergent in summer |
Targeted herbicide and reseeding |
Why Misidentification Happens
Crabgrass and coarse tall fescue can appear remarkably similar, particularly in the early spring. That’s when tall fescue’s clumps start to green up ahead of most lawn grasses, creating irregular patches that make them look like weeds.
Crabgrass, on the other hand, won’t appear until late spring or early summer, when soil temperatures are warm enough for germination. By then, tall fescue has already established its clumps and blends more with the rest of the lawn.
When comparing tall fescue vs. crabgrass, remember:
- If it appears in early spring, it’s likely fescue.
- If it appears in late spring, it’s crabgrass.
- If it grows in clumps, it’s fescue.
- If it grows in sprawling mats, it’s crabgrass.
Control Strategies for Crabgrass
Because crabgrass grows from seed each year, prevention is the most effective approach.
Typically, a pre-emergent herbicide applied before the seeds germinate prevents the crabgrass from growing in the first place.
Proper lawn treatment for crabgrass comes in two stages: early prevention and weed control once the grass emerges:
Prevention Tips:
- Apply a pre-emergent herbicide in early spring before soil temperatures reach 55°F.
- Keep your lawn thick and healthy, as dense turf shades the soil and reduces crabgrass germination.
Control After Emergence:
- Use a post-emergent herbicide labeled for crabgrass while the plant is still young.
- Hand-pull small infestations before they seed.
Control Strategies for Coarse Tall Fescue
Since coarse tall fescue is a perennial grass, it won’t die off in winter. It’ll simply go dormant and then reappear again once the weather warms up. Removing it often requires more direct action.
Treatment Tips:
- Spot-treat clumps with a non-selective herbicide in the fall.
- Reseed bare areas with your preferred turfgrass to prevent reinfestation.
- Maintain a healthy, fertilized lawn to reduce opportunities for fescue clumps to establish.
When to Call the Experts
If you’re not sure how to identify crabgrass vs. fescue, it’s time to bring in the professionals. Whether you’re battling a seasonal crabgrass invasion or trying to remove stubborn tall fescue clumps, early identification and tailored treatments are essential.
At ExperiGreen, our lawn fertilization & weed control program is designed to target specific weeds, improve turf density, and keep your yard healthy year-round. Our trained specialists know the exact timing, products, and techniques to manage these tricky invaders and restore your lawn’s beauty.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I apply pre-emergent for crabgrass?
Most lawns need one application of pre-emergent in early spring, before soil temperatures reach 55°F. In areas with longer growing seasons or larger patches of crabgrass, a second application in late spring can extend protection.
Can I prevent coarse tall fescue entirely?
While it’s nearly impossible to guarantee you’ll never see coarse tall fescue again, you can greatly reduce its chances of taking over. Keep your lawn thick through regular overseeding, fertilization, and proper mowing. You’ll also need to promptly remove small clumps before they spread.
Does crabgrass come back every year?
Crabgrass does not survive the winter, as it dies with the first frost. However, each plant produces thousands of seeds that can sprout the following spring if not controlled. That’s why annual pre-emergent applications are key.
Can pre-emergent herbicides stop coarse tall fescue?
No. Pre-emergent herbicides target weed seeds, and coarse tall fescue is a perennial grass that grows from established roots. Controlling it requires targeted spot treatments and long-term lawn care.
