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How to keep torpedo grass out of flowerbeds

Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:02 am
Posted by TheRange
Member since Aug 2017
150 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:02 am
Its hard to keep up with torpedo grass getting into the flowerbeds. As it is now I just pull it up by the runner and then have to repeat in just a matter of weeks. Anybody have any success keeping it out of flowerbeds?
Posted by Tifway419
Member since Sep 2022
1039 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:09 am to
Sell your house and move.

Jk jk, but seriously…sell your house and move.
Posted by ronk
Member since Jan 2015
6530 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:20 am to
Realistically you aren't going to get it out. Just be diligent in spraying glyphosate to minimize it.
Posted by tide06
Member since Oct 2011
13154 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:53 am to
If torpedo grass looked better it would be the perfect lawn grass. Its the bamboo of weeds.
Posted by magicman534
The dirty dell
Member since May 2011
1660 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 10:53 am to
I typically use Weedeater to cut a defined borderline between the Grass and flowerbed. Then the trough that I make where the grass meets the flowerbed I hit with round up once a month or so. I’m also diligent about weeding the garden once a week.
Posted by Antib551
Houma, LA
Member since Dec 2018
1190 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 11:07 am to
I dont know what type of grass you have, but if you have St Aug or Centipede and want to keep it out for longer than a couple of weeks, you have 2 options and you won't like either. Torpedo in Centipede can be supressed by sethoxydim, but not killed.

Option A: Move, seriously. Sell your house and buy one without torpedo. Scan every yard on the street, if one have torpedo, keep driving.

Option B: Nuke your entire yard and flowerbed to bare dirt from the street to the slab. Keep it that way for about a month to ensure all grass is dead, including torpedo. Then replant lawn with Bermuda or zoysia and replant flowerbed with fresh new plants (do not try to save older ones in pots, there will be a torpedo seed). Then stock up on quinclorac and be diligent when you see it creeping from a neighbor.

You can't remove torpedo from your life, you have to remove yourself from torpedos life...
Posted by Daponch
Da Nortchore
Member since Mar 2013
1030 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 6:44 pm to
We have trenched and installed a plastic bamboo barrier that’s made to stop running bamboo rhizomes. It’s not cheap so you have to decide how much you like the landscape bed you are trying to protect
Posted by Antib551
Houma, LA
Member since Dec 2018
1190 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 7:44 pm to
quote:

We have trenched and installed a plastic bamboo barrier that’s made to stop running bamboo rhizomes. It’s not cheap so you have to decide how much you like the landscape bed you are trying to protect
won't stop it...
Posted by meeple
Carcassonne
Member since May 2011
9705 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 8:16 pm to
quote:

trenched and installed a plastic bamboo barrier

Curious, how deep? Never heard of this.
Posted by Knuckle Checker
Member since Jan 2019
417 posts
Posted on 4/17/23 at 8:39 pm to
You just have to embrace the torpedo. It doesn’t look that bad if you keep it cut short. It’s kind of like balding, some guys swoop it over or get a toupee but it’s just awkward, you need to shave it off.

If I ever get torpedo I’ll probably just kill off my other grass and just go straight torpedo lawn. If it’s all uniform it doesn’t look bad.
Posted by Gorilla Ball
Member since Feb 2006
12064 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 4:49 am to
If you have a local co-op they can offer you someThing very specific to use. My previous yard had it and it was a battle for the 15 years that we lived there. Don’t pull it, it only gets worse.
Seriously as others have said - move.
Posted by TheRange
Member since Aug 2017
150 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 8:31 am to
I have zoysia around the flowerbeds, and for the most part you cant tell i have torpedograss mixed in. The only areas you can really tell are around the flower beds because they constantly run into the beds.
Posted by TheRange
Member since Aug 2017
150 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 8:32 am to
How long have you had the barrier down and did it actually make a noticeable difference? This is the kind of response I was hoping for.
Posted by Delacroix
Member since Oct 2008
4005 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 10:35 am to
I have a massive torpedo grass infestation in my centipede. I tried everything, including a complete roundup of my yard with reseeding... but the stuff never dies. it all came back.

Like others have said, pulling it is useless. Now I just make sure to keep it under control in the flower bed by spraying with glyphosate when I see it. Barriers are useless as well. they always find a way through.
Posted by Tifway419
Member since Sep 2022
1039 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 3:09 pm to
quote:

Barriers are useless as well. they always find a way through.

That grass is like a dang torpedo!
Posted by Daponch
Da Nortchore
Member since Mar 2013
1030 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 6:29 pm to
Yes it will if you go deep enough. I’ve done it several times and it’s a lot of work but definitely is effective.
Posted by Daponch
Da Nortchore
Member since Mar 2013
1030 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 6:31 pm to
We hand dig out all the rhizomes to determine the effective depth. Usually the rhizomes are within the first 6-8 inches. I have installed barriers 24in deep and it ain’t fun but it’s effective
Posted by Daponch
Da Nortchore
Member since Mar 2013
1030 posts
Posted on 4/18/23 at 6:33 pm to
You have to remove all the rhizomes that are growing in the landscape bed for it to be effective. All plants with torpedo roots in them are tossed. I have had to remove all the soil from the bed and replace it before but that is usually a worst case scenario
Posted by TheRange
Member since Aug 2017
150 posts
Posted on 4/20/23 at 3:00 pm to
How deep we talkin?
Posted by meeple
Carcassonne
Member since May 2011
9705 posts
Posted on 4/20/23 at 3:03 pm to
Sheet piling
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