How to Get Rid of Monkey Grass

Ground covering plants are notoriously hard to eradicate. They have robust root structures that grow out sideways and spread quickly. Monkey Grass is one of these ground covering plants that is a nuisance for many gardeners and homeowners.

The fact that Monkey Grass grows in many different climates and is so drought-resistant means that you will want this guide if you have it. Monkey Grass is one of those ground covering plants that won’t go away simply with mowing.

You need the roots destroyed completely either with herbicide or with tactical destruction of the roots with gardening tools and digging techniques. Read on for the best ways of how to get rid of Monkey Grass. 

Different Ways of Getting Rid of Monkey Grass

Eradication of the roots is the only and best method of getting rid of Monkey Grass. Because you need complete root destruction for the complete removal of Monkey Grass, you could choose a few different options. 

The two main options include using herbicides, such as glyphosate, the active ingredient in Round-up, or digging up the Monkey Grassroots entirely. You can also pour boiling water over it or thin out its leaves. 

Monkey Grass is a stubborn ground covering plant that usually won’t go away by mowing it down. Even if you use a weed trimmer and cut the Monkey Grass down to the dirt at its stalk, the remaining roots can regrow next season or even weeks later. 

The methods detailed below give you the steps needed for either chemical or non-chemical removal of Monkey Grass. Both ways completely get rid of this stubborn and aggressive growing ground cover. 

Get Rid of Monkey Gras with Round-Up

Herbicide, such as Round-up, uses an active ingredient called glyphosate that gets into the plant’s root system, getting targeted and kills the roots ultimately. Monkey Grass will die entirely if sprayed with Round-up herbicide. However, eradication of Monkey Grass eventually may require several applications of Round-up herbicide at different intervals. 

Getting rid of Monkey Grass requires using glyphosate, the active ingredient in Round-up, or tearing up all the roots. The herbicide treatment could take several applications. 

Below are the safest and surest steps for using herbicide to get rid of Monkey Grass: 

• Make sure that you have a herbicide product that has the active ingredient called glyphosate. 
• Carefully spray the Monkey Grass and avoid getting any herbicide on surrounding grass or plants that you want to keep. Spray directly at the base of the Monkey Grass near the dirt. 
• Repeat this application of glyphosate two or three times until the entire Monkey grass plan begins dying. 
• You know that the treatment has worked when the shriveled Monkey Grasas plant dies, and you can pull the roots all out with the stalk. 

Because of its stubborn nature and root system, Monkey Grass will probably not disappear after only one season of spraying herbicide. The Rhizomes that lay dormant in the soil will return with shoots next season. Herbicide should get sprayed repeated for several seasons in a row for the total eradication of Monkey Grass. 

Dig up the Roots

The root system of Monkey Grass is not very deep, but it is robust. The sprawling roots of Monkey Grass give this plant its creeping ground cover characteristic and what makes it so difficult to eradicate completely. As the roots branch out, they lay rhizomes in the soil, which may be dormant for a season. 

Digging up the roots of Monkey grass is a less invasive tactic for getting rid of Monkey Grass than spray herbicide. However, this method requires hard work, physical labor, and persistence. 

Maybe you like the monkey grass but don’t like where it is located. In that case you could transplant the monkey grass to a new location by digging up the roots.

The roots of Monkey Grass don’t grow down deep, so there is no need for a large shovel and a deep hole. However, the roots could be much more comprehensive than the plant itself. So, finding the root structure circumference is the essential first step. Cut small holes in the dirt until you see where the roots end. 

Once you find the outer edge of the roots, follow them around with your shovel and cut out the entire circumference of the root system. Next, use your shovel and push it down into the soil, then lift with the shovel level to the ground so that the roots are riped upwards with the stalk of the Monkey grass plant.

Do this all around the root structure. Finally, take the Monkey Grass clump by the stem and pull upwards. The loosened roots should come up with the stalk. Visually inspect the hole and dig up any more visible roots to ensure that the Monkey Grass gets wholly removed.

On the other hand, just because the roots are not visible does not mean that rhizomes are not lying dormant in the soil. In future seasons, pull out the Monkey Grass shoots before they become formidable clumps that require digging. After a few seasons of the shoots, you should be Monkey grass free. 

After the Monkey Grass is Gone

When you have killed the Monkey grass and removed the dead roots and stalks, there are some measures you should take to keep the Monkey Grass from reappearing. Because of its stubborn and resilient nature, even herbicide may not kill all of the Monkey grass, and it could come back. 

After killing Monkey grass, put down a grow tarp to keep it out for at least one entire season. Also, repeat the herbicide method of removal for many seasons afterward. 

Because the rhizomes in the Monkey Grass will stay dormant in the soil, the herbicide may not kill it in the first season of spraying. Several seasons of application may be needed for the complete removal of all Monkey Grass from your property. Consistency is the key to eradicating Monkey Grass. 

In Conclusion

If you have Monkey Grass in your yard and want it gone, don’t worry. These methods of eradication are sure to get that ground covering removed for good. Just make sure that you follow our steps and stay consistent with the process for several seasons, and you should be Monkey grass free in no time.