# Weed ID



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I've got a small spot of ground that we haven't really started doing a refurb on - it's limb and brush free - been bush hogged over the years, but am thinking about making what I call "goat" hay to clear it and get the thatch off by making a few small squares. It is polluted with appears to me to be sweet vernal grass. Stuff is about knee high is on it's way to seed if I don't cut it soon.

However, when I pull it and give this "vernal" grass a smell, there is nothing. No smell that can hardly be detected. I've read that one of the identifiers of sweet vernal grass is a "sweet" smell. Not sure what "sweet" smell is supposed to smell like. I think vanilla grass is another name for vernal grass. There ain't no vanilla smell to this stuff.

What have I got?

















Thanks!
Bill


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

That is sweet vernal grass for sure. There is a ton of it growing around here......it thrives on sites that are too poor even for fescue like graded out areas and highway embankments. It also is present in poorly managed hay fields. To me the smell of it when fresh is not what you would call sweet and when it gets more mature there is not much smell besides a grassy odor. I think I have heard that the sweet part of the name came from the fact that it can give off a somewhat sweet smell when it's cut and drying.


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