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MSU Soil Testing Update
Published on May 15, 2023
Join Michigan State University Extension educators to learn what’s new in the soil testing process from Michigan State University (MSU). -
White Clover
White clover is one of the most common weeds of turfgrass. It is frequently included on lists of difficult-to-control weeds. White clover, as with all legumes, has the ability to survive under low soil nitrogen conditions. It can be identified by the three leaflets attached to one petiole.
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Common Purslane
Common purslane is a mat-forming summer annual that thrives in all soil types. Common purslane has multi-branched red stems with thick fleshy leaves that cluster at the end of the branches.
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Common Milkweed
Milkweed is easily identified by its upright growth habit and large (entire) leaves. All plant parts will exude a milky white latex when broken.
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Orange Hawkweed
Orange hawkweed is a creeping perennial of low maintenance turf, roadsides and native areas. It can be an indicator of low soil fertility or slightly acidic soils. Hawkweed spreads by stolons and rhizomes creating colonies that form patches.
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Wild Strawberry
Wild strawberry is a trifoliate (three leaflets) weed that spreads by aggressive stolons. The leaves and fruit of wild strawberry are smaller than that of its cultivated cousin. Wild strawberry is usually found in low maintenance areas and prefers well-drained soils.
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Microdochium Patch
This is the most important disease in areas with extended periods of cool wet weather. Symptoms appear as reddish brown to copper-colored spots in the turf.
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Yellow Woodsorrel
Yellow woodsorrel is a common summer annual in cool-season turf. Yellow woodsorrel is one of the latest germinating summer annual weeds. Often, infestations of oxalis can be associated with spring-timed broadleaf weed control applications.
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Gray Snow Mold
This disease is important in northern regions of the United States, where snow cover remains on the ground for extended periods, usually 3 months or more.
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Bull Thistle
Bull thistle is a clumping biennial that forms a thick taproot in its first growing season. The leaves of bull thistle are covered with 'soft' hairs and needle-like spines on the margin.
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Curly Dock
Curly dock is a long taprooted simple (non-branching) perennial that grows in a rosette. The 6-8" long elliptical or lance-shaped leaves of curly dock have entire but wavy margins (not toothed). The youngest leaves smooth margins that get progressively more rippled as the leaf matures. The appearance of the mature leaves resembles leaf lettuce (very curly).
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Take-All Patch
Take all patch is an important disease on bentgrass, particularly newly established stands of creeping bentgrass turf. The disease first appears in late spring or early summer, as a patch of bronze or bleached turf.
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Tall Fescue
Tall fescue is a clumping perennial cool-season turfgrass. Its coarse texture and aggressive growth habit make it objectionable in many situations because it does not mix well with other turfs.
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Yellow Foxtail
Yellow foxtail is a clumping annual grass that commonly invades Michigan turfs. Young plants can be difficult to distinguish from other grasses like crabgrass. Yellow foxtail produces a characteristic 'foxtail'-like seedhead.
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Rust
Rust diseases are characterized by yellow to dark brown urediospore infestations that, from a distance, make turf stands appear orange or yellow.
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English Daisy
English Daisy is an escaped ornamental plant that can sometimes be found in lawns and pastures. Prefers heavy, moist, fertile soil and can tolerate mowing heights down to 1 inch.
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Powdery Mildew
Turf affected by the disease have a grayish white cast, with initial symptoms appearing as white patches on the leaf blade.
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Perennial Sowthistle
Perennial sowthistle is common in roadside and low maintenance turf and somewhat less common in landscapes. It prefers slightly alkaline or neutral soils, fine-textured, rich soils. Perennial sowthistle will not thrive on coarse sandy soils.
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Common Lambsquarters
Like many other summer annual broadleaf weeds, common lambsquarters is generally considered an 'establishment weed.' Common lambsquarters needs cultivation (bare, loose soil) to establish.
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Red Sorrel
Red sorrel is a perennial weed of low-maintenance sites characterized by dry, infertile and often low pH soils. Red sorrel will survive at neutral pH but is usually not as prevalent because the turf will be more competitive under these conditions.