How To Get Rid Of Invasive Nimblewill Using Natural Ingredients

If you have a lawn just about anywhere in North American (but especially in the east), there's probably some nimblewill sprouting in it. Nimblewill (Muhlenbergia schreberi) is actually a native grass that forms a fine-textured, fast-spreading mat. Since it can tolerate almost anything from full sun to dense shade, it can quickly take over in areas where your turf grass struggles to grow.

Luckily, a combination of hand-pulling, agricultural vinegar, and patience is all you need to eradicate those nimblewill patches and reclaim your lawn. While the vinegar you use in your home usually has a concentration of around 3% to 5% of acetic acid, agricultural vinegar — or horticultural vinegar — usually comes in higher concentrations of 20% or more. Before you reach for the bottle of distilled vinegar you probably have in your kitchen, know that agricultural vinegar may be a better choice. However, there are a few things you should know before using it.

Few conventional herbicides can kill nimblewill without also killing the grass you want to keep. That's where agricultural vinegar comes in. The potent vinegar works like a nonselective herbicide, killing 90% or more of the plants you spray it on within 24 hours. There is a catch, though. While it can wreak havoc on any plant, it doesn't always kill the roots and many grasses are only burned temporarily. That's actually why you can use it to control nimblewill in your lawn without completely killing your grass. Nearby turf grass might burn back temporarily, but it'll typically recover. However, since nimblewill is a grass itself, that means the weed also won't be easily killed by vinegar.

To effectively control nimblewill with vinegar, then, early and consistent treatment is key. Try to catch the plant while it's still young and saturate it.  Apply it at full strength — and remember to wear protective clothing and gloves, because this stuff can burn your skin (via Purdue University). Be careful to minimize the amount of vinegar that accidentally lands on your turf grass. Then, repeat the treatment again each week to kill off any new growth as it emerges. For larger or more mature weeds that are likely to survive a vinegar attack, pull by hand. Then, treat the weed with vinegar to burn off any remaining pieces or young shoots left behind. To keep nimblewill away, reseed the area with a turf grass or a eco-friendly grass alternative that can tolerate the soil and light conditions in that spot.