How to get rid of foxtail grass in your lawn and yard
Here’s how to get rid of foxtail: pull or spray the plants while they are young, before the bristly seed heads ripen, and stop next year's seedlings with a spring pre-emergent. Most foxtail in lawns is an annual that comes back only from seed, so every seed head you remove now means fewer plants next summer.
Contents
"Foxtail" is a name shared by several grasses with bushy, bristly seed heads. In lawns, it usually means yellow or green foxtail, two summer annual grassy weeds that behave much like crabgrass. In dry yards and fields, especially in the West, "foxtails" often means wild barleys whose sharp seed heads are a hazard for dogs. The fix depends on which one you have. For the bigger picture on grassy weeds, broadleaf weeds and sedges, see our guide to lawn weeds.
Which foxtail do you have?
| Type | Life cycle | How to recognize it | Where |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow foxtail | Summer annual | Long, sparse, silky hairs at the base of the leaf blade on the upper surface; flattened, often reddish stem base; dense upright seed head that turns yellowish | The foxtail most common in lawns |
| Green foxtail | Summer annual | Smooth leaf blades with no long hairs; seed head green, slightly smaller, tip often bent | Lawns, gardens, fields |
| Giant foxtail | Summer annual | Tallest (up to about 5 feet); short fine hairs over the upper leaf; long seed head that droops | Fields, vacant lots, neglected edges |
| Knotroot foxtail | Perennial | Looks like yellow foxtail but spreads by short, knotty rhizomes | Mostly warm, moist areas |
| Foxtail barley and wild barleys | Short-lived perennial or annual | Seed heads with long, stiff, barbed bristles that break apart when dry | Dry yards, roadsides, pastures; the "foxtails" that hurt dogs |
All the Setaria foxtails (yellow, green, giant) have a fringe of short hairs where the leaf meets the stem and turn brown and die with the first fall frost. If a clump stays green over winter, it is not an annual foxtail. Young foxtail is easy to confuse with crabgrass, which hugs the ground and sprawls outward; foxtail grows more upright, and the difference becomes obvious when the seed heads appear.
Why foxtail shows up
Yellow and green foxtail sprout from spring through early to midsummer, once soil reaches about 65 °F, with the most germination between 70 and 85 °F. Seed heads form from July to September, and each plant can drop thousands of seeds. Like other summer annual grasses, foxtail takes hold in thin, stressed turf, bare soil and lawns mowed too short. New lawns started from topsoil of unknown origin are another common source, because the seed rides in with the soil.
How to get rid of foxtails in your yard by hand
- Act before the seed heads ripenThe single most important step. Once the bristly heads dry and shatter, you have planted next year's crop.
- Pull or dig on moist soilAnnual foxtail has a fibrous root system that comes out easily after watering. Pull from the base; for knotroot foxtail, dig to get the rhizomes.
- Bag the seed headsClip and bag any heads already formed before you pull or mow. Do not compost them unless your pile runs hot.
- Fill the gapIn a lawn, patch the spot with soil and grass seed in the right season. In beds, cover bare soil with 2 to 3 inches of mulch; our mulch for weeds guide covers how deep and which type.
Mowing alone will not clear foxtail. Yellow foxtail tolerates mowing well and can set seed below the blade, and wild barleys often respond to cutting by sending up new seed heads on shorter stalks. In larger areas, mowing just before seed heads form reduces the seed supply, but plan to remove the plants too.
Weed killer for foxtail grass
Pre-emergent: stop it before it sprouts
Because annual foxtail returns from seed, a pre-emergent herbicide is the most efficient long-term control in lawns. Prodiamine, pendimethalin and dithiopyr all control yellow and green foxtail when applied in spring and watered in. Foxtail germinates a little later than crabgrass, so an application made on the crabgrass schedule normally covers both, provided the product is still active when foxtail sprouts. Remember that most pre-emergents also stop grass seed.
Post-emergent: kill young plants in the lawn
| Active ingredient | On foxtail | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fenoxaprop | Controls foxtail species, including yellow foxtail | Works on plants up to about 4 to 5 tillers; can injure some Kentucky bluegrass in high heat. |
| Topramezone | Controls foxtails, including yellow foxtail | Best on plants with fewer than 4 tillers; treated weeds turn white before dying. |
| Mesotrione | Labeled for yellow foxtail | Usually needs a repeat application; not for fine fescue. |
| Quinclorac | Labeled for foxtail | Strong on crabgrass, but university turf trials have found it unreliable on yellow foxtail. |
Spray young, actively growing plants on a calm day, with adequate soil moisture and temperatures below about 85 °F. Check that your grass type is listed on the label: warm-season grasses such as St. Augustine and centipede tolerate fewer of these products. The weed control calendar shows when to watch for foxtail in your region.
Outside the lawn
Along fences, in gravel and on patches you plan to replant, a non-selective herbicide such as glyphosate kills foxtail and every other plant it touches, roots included. Contact sprays such as pelargonic acid or vinegar-based products burn young foxtail down quickly but may need repeating. Our weeds in gravel and weed and grass killer guides explain the trade-offs. Read and follow the label every time.
Foxtails and dogs
Dog owners: the dried seed heads of foxtail barley and wild barleys carry barbed awns that move in only one direction and can work into paws, ears, nostrils, eyes and skin. Remove these grasses before the heads dry, keep them out of dog runs, and check your dog's coat, paws and ears after walks through dry grass. If your dog keeps shaking its head, sneezing hard or licking a paw, call your veterinarian.
In dry Western yards, wild barleys sprout in the cool season and set seed in spring, earlier than lawn foxtails. Dig, hoe or pull young plants before seed spikes form; that timing matters more than the method.
How to get rid of foxtails in a pasture
In pastures and hayfields, foxtail is a sign of a thin or overgrazed stand. The long-term fix is a dense, competitive forage: correct fertility, avoid overgrazing, and graze or mow before seed heads form. Herbicide choices for pastures depend on your forage species and whether animals graze or you cut hay, so ask your local extension office for a program suited to your field.
Keeping foxtail out for good
- Mow high: 3 to 4 inches for most cool-season lawns, so the turf shades the soil.
- Water deeply and less often to favor deep grass roots over shallow weed seedlings.
- Feed and overseed thin areas in fall so bare soil is gone by spring.
- Use clean soil when you renovate or fill low spots.
- Never let a plant go to seed: a few minutes of pulling in July saves hours next year.
Common mistakes
- Relying on mowing to "keep it short" while it sets seed below the blade.
- Spraying quinclorac on yellow foxtail and expecting the same result as on crabgrass.
- Using a broadleaf weed killer: foxtail is a grass, and dandelion products do not touch it.
- Waiting until August, when plants are large and seed heads are already shattering.
FAQ
What kills foxtail grass but not my lawn?
Grass-selective products labeled for foxtail. Fenoxaprop and topramezone are the most reliable on yellow foxtail; mesotrione also lists yellow foxtail on its label. Quinclorac labels list foxtail, but university turf trials have found it weak on yellow foxtail. Treat while plants are young, and use only products labeled for your grass type.
How do I get rid of foxtails naturally?
Pull or hoe plants before they form seed heads, bag any seed heads you find, mow lawns high so the turf shades the soil, and cover bare soil in beds with 2 to 3 inches of mulch. Because annual foxtail returns only from seed, a couple of seasons of stopping seed production shrinks the problem sharply.
Does mowing get rid of foxtails?
Not on its own. Lawn foxtail survives regular mowing and can form seed heads below the mower blade, and foxtail barley tends to send up new seed heads on shorter stalks after it is cut. Mowing before seed heads form reduces seed production in larger areas, but pulling or treating the plants is what removes them.
Why are foxtails dangerous for dogs?
The dry seed heads of some foxtail grasses, especially foxtail barley and wild barleys, carry stiff, barbed awns that only move forward. They can work into a dog's paws, ears, nose, eyes or skin. Check your dog after walks through dry grass, and call your veterinarian if it keeps shaking its head, sneezing hard or licking a paw.
When should I apply pre-emergent for foxtail?
In spring, before foxtail germinates. Foxtail starts sprouting when soil reaches about 65 °F, later than crabgrass, so a pre-emergent applied on the usual crabgrass schedule usually covers it as long as the product is still active. In areas with long seasons, a second application may be needed to cover the full germination period.
Related
- Lawn weedsCommon lawn weeds by type (grassy, broadleaf, sedge), what each one says about your lawn, and the right control and timing to get rid of weeds in grass.
- CrabgrassHow to get rid of crabgrass in your lawn: pull young plants, kill it with the right active ingredient, stop next year's seeds with a pre-emergent on time.
- Pre-emergentA pre-emergent herbicide stops weed seeds before they sprout. Which active ingredient to choose, when to apply it by region, and how to water it in.
- Weeds in gravelWeeds in gravel grow in the soil and debris between stones. Rake or pull them, spot-spray what’s left, then add fabric and enough gravel to keep them out.
Updated October 3, 2026