Some weeds are a nuisance. Others feel like a full-time job. If you're a landscape professional in the Southeast, you know torpedograss and doveweed fall squarely in that second category. These two weeds can turn beautiful warm-season lawns into patchy, problem-filled messes. Controlling them takes more than a single spray.
Here’s what makes them so tough and what you can do about it.
Torpedograss: The Underground Menace
The images above show Torpedograss aggressively growing near and into lawns.
Torpedograss (Panicum repens) is the definition of invasive. It spreads through a deep, dense rhizome system below ground, making it incredibly difficult to control, let alone eliminate. Those underground runners keep pushing new shoots to the surface even if you kill the top growth. You’ll often see it busting through sod seams, sidewalks and flower beds. It prefers wet areas like lake banks and ditches where water pools.
It’s especially problematic in St. Augustinegrass and centipede, where few selective herbicides are labeled for these varieties. You have some chemical options in bermudagrass and zoysia, like quinclorac, but the results can still be inconsistent and slow. Full eradication usually requires multiple applications and re-sodding in severe cases. Glyphosate, a non-selective herbicide, may burn it back, but will also kill healthy grass.
Best approach:
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Treat early before it aggressively spreads.
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Focus on cultural control with the homeowner: dense turf, deep, infrequent watering and regular mowing.
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For bermuda and zoysiagrass lawns, use multiple spot treatment applications of quinclorac.
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For St. Augustine and centipede lawns, hand-pull (if an option) where you can when you first see signs of the weed. Otherwise, spot spraying with Glyphosate will kill the weed and those sections of the grass. You will lose areas around the torpedograss and possibly need to resod or plug those areas to get the grass back. Use a narrow spray application to protect the surrounding healthy grass as best as possible.
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Be honest with homeowners. Total control is a long-term process, not a one-and-done treatment.
Doveweed: The Summer Sneak Attack
Doveweed invading a lawn.
Doveweed (Murdannia nudiflora) is another lawn nuisance that flies under the radar—until it’s everywhere. This late-emerging summer annual thrives in wet or poorly drained areas, where it blends in with turfgrass and quickly takes over once temperatures rise.
Doveweed is particularly tricky because it germinates after most spring pre-emergents wear off. That means even lawns with a solid pre-emergent program can still see a flush of doveweed in late spring and early summer. Once established, it grows aggressively and is hard to spot until it's spreading fast.
Control challenges:
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It’s often misidentified due to its grass-like appearance.
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Few post-emergent herbicides are consistently effective without turf damage (although newer herbicides like Surepyc are showing some success)
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It's highly responsive to moisture—overwatered lawns are prime real estate.
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Post-emergent herbicides often also require a penetrant to get through the waxy cuticle of the leaf.
Best approach:
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Use split applications of pre-emergent herbicides (like atrazine, indaziflam, or simazine) to extend control into doveweed’s germination window.
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Celsius WG and a new brand called Surepyc IQ are effective post-emergents on St. Augustine, bermuda, zoysia, and centipede. The initial application should be made in mid-June to early July.
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Treat dove weed plants early in their growth cycle (typically later summer and early fall.) Young plants are much more easily controlled; once they get too large, they are more challenging to kill.
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Reduce irrigation and improve drainage wherever possible.
Doveweed in mulch.
Tough Weeds Need Smarter Strategies
The key to managing torpedograss and doveweed? Layered control combines cultural practices, herbicide programs and homeowner education.
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Don’t rely on one product or one application of herbicide
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Don’t expect overnight results.
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And most importantly, don’t let your clients think you’re not trying just because the weeds are persistent. These are repeat offenders that require season-long management.
Make a plan, set realistic expectations and stay consistent. With the right strategy, even the toughest weeds can be kept in check. Always remember to read chemical labels and follow proper instructions.
Whether you're a landscape professional or a homeowner, Sod Solutions has the turfgrass and tools to help you take control and keep it that way.
