Independent LawnMowing Contractors Of Australia Forum
Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 42

Thread: Identifying runner type grasses

  1. #16
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    bayside melb
    Posts
    3,223

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    first one is cape weed, second one is a canon lens cover, proly 2.8-3.5 50mm
    Cheers Fred.

  2. #17
    Dedicated Member Cranbourne Lawnmowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Cranbourne vic
    Posts
    2,680

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    Attachment 7628

    I pulled this up from my garden. According to fred's description I reckon its couch. ANyone agree or diagree? Anyone able and willing to post some pics of buffalo and kik?
    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    Thanks mate, appreciate it. Funny thing it's not even my mower. It's a pic i copied from the forum and saved for future reference. I know there not runner grasses but I came across these two weeds today. The grass was really thick with them. Anyone know what they might be? The one with the fibrous roots has a silver look to it. The other has a tap root. Neither had flowers. Attachment 7629Attachment 7630
    First one looks like crows feet , I've heard it called summer grass too, normally comes up in the warmer months. Second one is cape weed and the third I'm not sure about . I've being trying to find out what that is for a while now .

  3. #18
    Dedicated Member Cranbourne Lawnmowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Cranbourne vic
    Posts
    2,680

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    kik.jpgbuffalo.jpg

    Difference in kik and buff

  4. #19
    Senior Member DavidS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in Australia
    Posts
    1,610

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Main difference between Buffalo and Kikuyu is that Buffalo only has stolons which run along the top of the soil where Kikuyu has stolons and rhizomes. Rhizomes run below the soil surface, so if you dig a small section out you can tell straight away if there are no runners below the surface the grass is a Buffalo. Kikuyu also has a different shaped leaf and is also a different green to buffalo.

  5. #20
    Senior Member DavidS's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    Somewhere in Australia
    Posts
    1,610

  6. #21
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Can Bearer
    Posts
    1,700

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Quote Originally Posted by Redeye View Post
    that mower looks familiar....
    Thought it was yours redeye. Lucky it wasn't something more embarrising.

  7. #22
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Can Bearer
    Posts
    1,700

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    I agree with capeweed and canon lens cover.

    From what i can make out from the links DAVIDS posted
    Couch - perrenial, spreads by stolons and rhizomes
    Crows foot - annual, fibrous roots

    I think its couch because, although that picture i posted doesn't show it, there are stolons. The flower spikes for couch, crabgrass look the same. From what I am reading also Crabgrass is a summer grass. Doesn't seem to be any mention of crabgrass spreading by stolons. Here is another pic which shows the stolons and the roots coming down. Dunno what the third one is, had no luck so far. couch stolons.jpg

    There is a reasonable description of common turf weeds here although the photos are poor http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.ne...ds.html#bindii

  8. #23
    Senior Member BeetleJuice's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2011
    Location
    South Australia
    Posts
    1,813

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses


  9. #24
    MEMBER Fred's mowing's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    bayside melb
    Posts
    3,223

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Quote Originally Posted by steveo View Post
    I agree with capeweed and canon lens cover.

    From what i can make out from the links DAVIDS posted
    Couch - perrenial, spreads by stolons and rhizomes
    Crows foot - annual, fibrous roots

    I think its couch because, although that picture i posted doesn't show it, there are stolons. The flower spikes for couch, crabgrass look the same. From what I am reading also Crabgrass is a summer grass. Doesn't seem to be any mention of crabgrass spreading by stolons. Here is another pic which shows the stolons and the roots coming down. Dunno what the third one is, had no luck so far. couch stolons.jpg

    There is a reasonable description of common turf weeds here although the photos are poor http://toolboxes.flexiblelearning.ne...ds.html#bindii
    Yes, that's couch.
    David gave you the answer to the third one, wild radish.
    We get most of the weeds that your link has, also another really prevalent weed we get around here is Shepherd's purse.
    As with a lot of common plant names its a bit weird.
    Ive never seen a shepherd, let alone his purse , it relates to the shape of the seed pod.
    Cheers Fred

  10. #25
    Senior Member steveo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Can Bearer
    Posts
    1,700

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    There are some really weird names out there for sure. Had to laugh when I heard the name sour sod. Of all the things they named a weed after me. Mankind must have struggled for thousands of years against the little blighters. They say prostitutes are the worlds oldest profession but gardeners wouldn't be too far behind them. Once looked in an old herald sun from 1930 and in the classifieds where very similar gardening ads to what you see today. I'll go back to my beer now.

  11. #26
    Senior Member Mow And Go's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2013
    Location
    Revesby NSW
    Posts
    969

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    think that's bad ...I have Patersons curse ...funnily enough spelt the same way as my surname which is the less common lol
    I dont break things ...I just use them beyond their operational limitations
    www.mowandgogardening.com.au

  12. #27
    Senior Member seliment's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Mount Dandenong, Vic
    Posts
    632

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Quote Originally Posted by Mow And Go View Post
    think that's bad ...I have Patersons curse ...
    Cross your western border to SA and it becomes Salvation Jane -- but its still a weed.

    Joe

  13. #28
    Senior Member NLALM's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    Newcastle NSW
    Posts
    1,760

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    That's one reason why it is hard to give accurate advice, different states different names, another reason to learn the botanical names.

  14. #29
    Member 33293's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2020
    Location
    Victoria
    Posts
    32

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Hi everyone - I've got a lot of learning to do in this space. This old thread is a good start...

    Would anyone be able to recommend any books that would assist with identifying turf and weeds?

    Many thanks in advance!

  15. #30

    Default Re: Identifying runner type grasses

    Quote Originally Posted by 33293 View Post
    Hi everyone - I've got a lot of learning to do in this space. This old thread is a good start...

    Would anyone be able to recommend any books that would assist with identifying turf and weeds?

    Many thanks in advance!
    Maybe the same one I use to self diagnose "Google"

Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •