Groundcover - Mondo Grass
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  (September) We have installed a field stone walkway on the north side of our house. The landscaper installed miniature mondo grass between the stones and it seems to be doing fine. What can we do to encourage spreading and fill-in; and what can we do to keep weeds out of the bare areas? 

  Mondo grass, Ophiopogon sp. will begin to spread once it gets established. Keeping it watered when dry and light applications of a slow release high nitrogen fertilizer can help. Lightly mulch the bare areas until it spreads in, and keep any weeds hoed out or pulled. If grass is the primary weed problem, use a grass-specific herbicide such as Ornamec, Poast, or Grass-b-gone. Mondo Grass is not a true grass, but a member of the lily family, so these herbicides won’t hurt it. Broadleaf weeds won’t be hurt either, so use a hoe.

  I seem to be having a problem with weeds in my mondo grass. I thought I remembered reading an article either last year or the year before about this problem. Is there something I can spray that will kill the weeds, but not my mondo grass? The mondo grass is near a crape myrtle, but not around the tree. 

  If the weeds are grassy weeds, even the common bermuda grass, then yes, there is a spray that will kill the grass without hurting your mondo grass. Mondo grass is not a true grass, but a member of the lily family. Grass-specific herbicides include Poast, Fusilade, Grass-b-gone, and Over-the-top. They only kill grass, not other weeds. The best time to use them would be in early summer, as the grass is becoming established.

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