How to Get Rid of Monkey Grass

Monkey grass is a favorite choice of gardeners since it substantially adds to the aesthetic appeal of the garden. It is also called Ryu or the Dragon’s Beard. It is commonly used for creating exotic borders around flowerbeds in lawns. It is also grown along the walkways, adorned with stepping-stones. Monkey grass is preferred since it doesn't harm other plants like weeds do and it needs minimal maintenance. 

Monkey grass is often confused as a member of the Lily family and called liriope or mondo grass. It is actually Ophiophogon japonicus, a grass type native to Japan. Its long leaves and white flowers look beautiful but if it isn't regularly pruned, it can become highly invasive. Like most other grass types, monkey grass tends to spread quickly through underground runners. A garden overburdened with monkey grass can soon be ruined as it covers other plants, cutting-off their oxygen and sunlight supply. Removing Monkey grass is difficult and you need to use a combination of the following methods:

1. Using Tarps—Monkey grass growth can be restricted through regular thinning of the leaves. This involves ripping apart the clubbed leaves. This is combined with conventional gardening techniques like covering the pruned grass with a tarp. The regular thinning ensures that the overlying, protective foliage is removed and the tarp captures sufficient heat inside to damage the Monkey grass. 

2. Manual Removal—The simplest and most effective method is manual removal of monkey grass. For this, you need to dig around the monkey grass bed. Just pulling out monkey grass doesn't help as the roots are spread deep. You will have to dig-up the grass with a shovel or a garden hoe. After digging-up the area, you should water it profusely. This helps to choke any leftover grass roots that weren’t removed. 

3. Creating Root Barriers—This is the preferred way for permanently getting rid of monkey grass. This method carries on from digging and watering the soil. While the soil bed is still wet, install 12-to-18 inch long root barriers into the soil. The barrier could be landscaping fabric, plastic sheet or even some mulch. The barriers ensure that the Monkey grass roots and rhizomes cannot spread any further. Deep-seated rhizomes are gradually destroyed, as the barrier cuts-off their nutrition supply. Summer is regarded as the best time to install barriers as the high temperatures assist in drying-out the Monkey grass. 

4. Using Other Plants—After digging-out the monkey grass, you can plant fast-spreading vines like mandevilla, red honeysuckles or jasmines. These vines quickly cover the area around them, depleting the remaining monkey grass roots from sunshine and moisture. Vines can be grown for just a season or two for completely removing the Monkey grass and then uprooted. 

5. Commercial Applications—Many herbicides are retailed specifically for Monkey grass removal. However, just spraying once doesn't solve the problem. You need sustained application of the herbicide. Many gardeners apply the herbicide after having cut through the Monkey grass spread with a shear, as the herbicide is able to penetrate deeper through the cut surface.