The gramigna is a relatively common weed, recognizable by the large stem from which leaves similar to blades of grass branch off. It is also known as canine tooth, red weed or doctors' weed. Unfortunately it is one of the most difficult weeds to eradicate, even if it is not impossible. Try one of the following methods to get rid of it.
Steps
Step 1. Choke the weed
It can be nearly impossible to kill this weed without affecting the life of nearby plants, but if you don't mind having small patches of dry grass, then this is a good method. Place cloth or dark plastic on the tufts of grass (cut the plastic to the appropriate size) and take some stones to anchor the edges. This blocks sunlight and rainwater irrigation, and effectively clears the grass in a 3-4 week period.
Step 2. Cook the herb in the sun
Instead of depriving it of the sun, why not overheat it and kill it for too much sunshine? Place clear plastic over each area of grass and secure it with stones or poles. This creates a "greenhouse effect" under the plastic, causing excessive heat to the soil in which the weed grows. It will take several weeks to complete the job, but you should be able to get rid of most of the weeds.
Step 3. Use a herbicide
Unfortunately, there are no herbicides on the market that selectively kill only the weed (there are other more expensive professional products). Therefore, using a herbicide ensures that you get rid of the weed, but it also destroys any other grasses or plants nearby. The only product that works well for this task is Roundup, which is available at garden stores and nurseries.
If you want the herbicide to be more selective only for the weed, use a brush and spread the product directly on the leaves, instead of spraying or pouring it all over the area
Step 4. Dig
The grass grows by forming specific roots, called rhizomes, which grow deep in the soil and are very resistant. So it is almost impossible to completely remove them by digging, but you can try with some small success. It uproots the grass with the surrounding soil to a depth and width of about 30 cm. Remove any roots you can see, but avoid breaking them (as each one could sprout into a new patch of grass). Fill the hole with new soil, and cover with black plastic or thick mulch to prevent a new weed area from forming.
Step 5. Suppress the weed with another crop
If you don't mind planting something other than grass to block the weed, then you can effectively eliminate it by sowing a more vigorous green plant. Try planting buckwheat, which dominates the weed and takes up most of the land. When buckwheat blooms, you can suppress any further growth of the weed by plowing the soil.
Keep planting buckwheat for several seasons. Eventually you will be able to completely eliminate the weed
Step 6. Maintain and manage the weed
If you don't want to kill your lawn or spend too much time clearing weeds, don't! You can effectively manage it in your lawn by forcing it to blend in with the rest of the grass. By increasing the amount of nitrogen fertilizers, you can facilitate the well-being of the favorite herb you have sown. Cut it often, also to limit the appearance of the weed.
