By AJ Binkley, UT Certified Lawn Care Professional
If you've walked out to your lawn recently and noticed thick, green grass blades that seem to grow twice as fast as everything else around them, you're dealing with one of the most frustrating lawn problems in Middle Tennessee: invasive grass species that have found their way into your otherwise beautiful fescue lawn.
After helping homeowners across Columbia, Franklin, Spring Hill, and surrounding areas deal with this exact problem for over a decade, I can tell you that you're not alone, and there are solutions, though none of them are particularly easy.
Those thick, fast-growing blades that stand out like a sore thumb? Most likely you're dealing with quack grass · a perennial weed grass that's become increasingly common in Middle Tennessee lawns, especially this year.
Here's how to identify quack grass:
I've seen a significant increase in quack grass problems across Middle Tennessee in 2026, and I'm not the only one. Homeowners nationwide are reporting similar issues, particularly those who used certain brand-name seed mixes this year. The problem often starts with contaminated grass seed. When you think you're buying quality fescue seed, you might unknowingly be introducing quack grass and other weeds into your lawn. Once it's there, it spreads rapidly through underground root systems called rhizomes.
Here's the frustrating truth about quack grass: there is no selective herbicide that will kill it without also damaging your good fescue grass. This makes it fundamentally different from most other lawn weeds, which can be selectively eliminated with the right herbicide.
Quack grass is also a perennial, meaning it comes back year after year and actually gets stronger over time. Unlike annual weeds that you can sometimes control with pre-emergent herbicides, quack grass laughs at pre-emergents because it's already established.
If you only have a few dozen problem spots, hand removal can work, but it requires dedication:
The reality: This only works for very small infestations. If you have hundreds of problem spots, this approach will consume your entire summer.
Since we can't spray selectively, some homeowners get creative with precise application methods:
Glyphosate "painting": Use a small brush to apply non-selective herbicide only to problem blades. Requires steady hands and lots of time. Effective but extremely labor-intensive.
Foam applicators or sponge tools: Special tools that let you apply herbicide to individual grass blades. Faster than brush painting but still time-consuming.
For moderate to heavy infestations, killing off problem sections and reseeding often makes more sense:
This approach is faster than spot-treating individual plants and gives you a fresh start with better seed.
Sometimes it's easier to start over entirely: kill the entire lawn with glyphosate, wait for complete kill, then prepare soil and reseed. Expensive but guarantees you're starting clean. Best option if contamination is widespread (more than 30% of your lawn).
Timing is everything here. Our hot, humid summers make major lawn renovation challenging. Fall is your best window for any significant reseeding projects, both for germination rates and to avoid summer stress on new grass.
Choose your replacement seed carefully. After dealing with a contamination problem, invest in certified seed from reputable dealers. Look for blue tag or gold tag certification, which indicates higher quality standards and testing.
Consider your soil. Many Middle Tennessee lawns have compacted suburban soils that stress good grass and make it easier for aggressive weeds to take over. If you're doing major renovation, consider core aeration as part of the process.
Buy quality seed from reputable sources:
Maintain a healthy, thick lawn: Dense, healthy fescue is your best defense against weed invasion. Follow proper fertilization and watering practices. Keep your lawn thick enough to crowd out potential invaders.
There are definitely times when professional intervention makes sense:
Will quack grass eventually die out on its own? No. Quack grass is a perennial that actually gets stronger and more established over time. The problem will only get worse if left untreated.
Can I just overseed over the problem areas? Generally not recommended. Quack grass grows so aggressively that it will outcompete new seedlings. You need to eliminate the quack grass first, then reseed.
Is there really no selective herbicide that works? There are some specialized products like Pylex, but they're extremely expensive (around $400 for a small bottle) and not labeled for homeowner use. Even these aren't 100% selective and can damage fescue.
How can I tell the difference between quack grass and crabgrass? Crabgrass is an annual that dies with the first frost and has a more sprawling growth habit. Quack grass is perennial, stands more upright, and has thicker, more substantial blades.
If you're dealing with a significant quack grass problem and want professional help developing a solution, that's exactly the kind of challenge we handle regularly at Mr. Lawn Care.
We serve homeowners throughout Columbia, Franklin, Spring Hill, Brentwood, and the surrounding areas. Give us a call at (615) 490-4082 or email [email protected] for a consultation.
Been solving lawn problems in Middle Tennessee for over a decade. Quack grass infestations have definitely increased this year, but they're still very manageable with the right approach. Got questions about those thick grass blades in your lawn? Feel free to reach out.
Every summer somebody calls it crabgrass. Nine times out of ten it is dallisgrass, it came in with the builder's straw or the builder's seed, and the only window that matters is open right now.
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If you've noticed thick, fast-growing grass blades that look different from the rest of your lawn this year, you're dealing with contaminated seed issues affecting homeowners nationwide. Learn how to identify and eliminate quack grass and Johnson grass.
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Not sure whether to use core aeration or liquid aeration for your overseeding project? Learn when each method works best for seed establishment in Middle Tennessee, from dealing with Bermuda invasion to managing muddy paws.
Read More →The fall seeding window is open now. Get a free quote from a UT Certified lawn care professional, no obligation and no sales pressure.
