How do you get rid of Kikuyu growing in your lawn?

Struggling with kikuyu invading your lawn? Learn why it spreads, when you can control it, and when it’s best to manage or live with it.

In Short

Kikuyu is one of the most aggressive lawn grasses in Australia. Once it invades, complete removal is rare. In couch lawns, it can sometimes be suppressed; in other lawns, it must be carefully spot-treated, and in many cases, the most practical option is to learn to manage it rather than fight it.

Can You Really Get Rid of Kikuyu Grass?

If there is one thing to be said about kikuyu, it’s that it is HIGHLY invasive. That can be a good thing and a bad thing—but if it’s invading your lawn and you don’t want it, it’s clearly a bad thing.

So if you have kikuyu creeping into your lawn, the question we get asked all the time is:
Can you actually get rid of it?

The honest answer is: yes… and no.

How Kikuyu Gets Into Your Lawn

Kikuyu is more aggressive than any other common lawn grass in Australia. Its ability to spread and take over is unmatched, and there isn’t a lawn variety available here that can truly compete with it long term.

It spreads in several ways. Seed can blow in from around the neighbourhood or be dropped by birds. Runners spread underground from neighbouring lawns, parks and nature strips. Contamination is also common, with mowing contractors unknowingly carrying runners or seed on their equipment.

Given how widespread kikuyu is in South Australia, most lawns are never far from a source of re-infestation.

Why Kikuyu Is So Hard to Control

What you see above the surface is usually just the tip of the iceberg. Kikuyu has an extensive underground network of runners called rhizomes that spread where they can’t be seen.

Hand pulling it is no more effective than trying to kill a daisy bush by picking the flowers off it. You may remove what you can see, but the underground plant remains and quickly sends up new growth.

Even digging the area out and replacing the soil often doesn’t work. Runners frequently remain under paths, garden beds and edging, ready to re-invade. On top of that, dormant seed in the soil can germinate long after you think the problem is solved.

Kikuyu also protects itself through drought-induced dormancy. It can look completely dead during dry conditions, then recover rapidly once moisture returns. This is why it so often seems to “come back from nowhere”.

So What Are Your Choices?

If kikuyu is invading your lawn, you realistically have two options.

You can allow it to take over and learn to manage it. When well maintained, kikuyu can look excellent. It is hard-wearing, drought tolerant, fast repairing and has strong year-round colour.

Or you can take steps to control it. This usually involves chemical control, either selective or non-selective, depending on what type of lawn you have.

Selective Chemical Control (Couch Lawns Only)

If kikuyu is invading a couch lawn such as Santa Ana, Windsor Green or TifTuf, selective suppression is possible.

Selective herbicides can be applied across the entire lawn and will target kikuyu without killing the couch. That said, eradication is unlikely. Re-invasion from surrounding areas is common, so the goal is suppression rather than elimination.

The most well-known product for this purpose is Monument Liquid by Syngenta. It is one of the only chemicals registered for suppressing kikuyu in couch lawns. It is a commercial Group B herbicide with strict application requirements and must be applied by a licensed sprayer. It also has significant exclusion zones near waterways and other vegetation, which makes it unsuitable for most home garden situations.

Other suppression options include selective herbicides containing the combination of DSMA and MCPA, often sold as paspalum killers. While kikuyu may not be listed on the label, these products can burn back kikuyu growth on the surface without harming couch lawns. Because kikuyu is so aggressive, repeat applications are usually required.

The best time to spray is during the warmer months, when kikuyu is actively growing and able to absorb the chemical effectively.

Non-Selective Control (Buffalo, Fescue, Rye and Others)

If kikuyu is invading buffalo, tall fescue, rye or bluegrass, selective control is not an option. Any chemical strong enough to affect kikuyu will also damage these lawn types.

In these situations, the only realistic approach is careful spot spraying with glyphosate (for example, Roundup). Glyphosate is non-selective, meaning it kills all grasses it contacts. Extreme care is required to apply it only to the kikuyu.

Even small amounts can cause noticeable damage, as glyphosate can travel up to 10 cm within the plant it contacts. Winter is often the best time to spot spray, as warm-season lawns are less active and collateral damage is reduced.

When Doing Nothing Might Be the Best Option

If your lawn is already more than about 25% kikuyu, removal is often unrealistic. In these cases, the cost, effort and frustration involved in trying to remove it can outweigh the benefits.

When managed properly, kikuyu is an attractive, durable and drought-tolerant grass. Many people who initially wanted to remove it ultimately choose to embrace it once they understand its strengths.

Final Thoughts

Kikuyu is relentless. Understanding that is the key to managing expectations. While you may not be able to eliminate it completely, you can control it, suppress it, or choose to manage it as your main lawn.

FAQs: Kikuyu in Lawns

Can I completely eliminate kikuyu from my lawn?
In most cases, no. You can suppress it and manage it, but complete removal is rare due to underground runners and seed re-infestation.

Will hand pulling or digging it out work?
No. Kikuyu regenerates from underground rhizomes. Hand pulling or digging usually makes little difference long term.

Can kikuyu be selectively removed from buffalo lawns?
No. There are no selective herbicides that remove kikuyu without damaging buffalo, fescue or rye lawns.

What is the best lawn type to control kikuyu in?
Couch lawns offer the best chance of suppression using selective herbicides, though repeat treatments are usually needed.

Is winter a good time to spray kikuyu?
Winter is best for spot spraying with glyphosate, as surrounding warm-season lawns are less active and damage is reduced.

Is kikuyu really that bad?
Not necessarily. When managed well, kikuyu is tough, drought tolerant, fast repairing and visually appealing. For some lawns, learning to live with it is the smartest option.