Seedheads – They are NOT a weed…
It’s that time of year, again. The weather is getting warmer, the grass is growing almost faster than you can cut it, and just when the grass starts to get nice and green, these little white feathery things show up out of nowhere! So, what are they called, and how can you get rid of them?
These are called seedheads, and believe it or not; they’re not a weed! As the name might have suggested, seedheads are how many grass varieties reproduce (through a process known as inflorescence). That’s right; your lawn reseeds itself!
But, wait! Before you try bagging your clippings to sell to your neighbor (and at the price of a bag of premium seed, we wouldn’t blame you), it is important to note that most grass seed needs to be on the plant for over a month before it is viable; and most homeowners (not to mention HOAs) will want to mow well before then. Additionally, it is important to limit top growth in tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass lawns in order to encourage the plants to grow out (through its rhizomes) and down (to create a deep, thick root structure). So, if you can’t use it to seed your lawn, it’s just an eyesore. We recommend keeping your mower blade sharp and keeping a regular mowing schedule. We also recommend leaving your clippings down, they increase lawn nutrients, reduce watering needs, and maybe a little extra seed in the soil.
