Question
I'm looking for some advice on how to kill liriope (we call it monkey grass).  The people that lived here before us really liked it and now the whole backyard is full of it.  I'm wondering if there is any way to get rid of it short of digging it all up.  I've tried Round-up and even stronger brush killer but none have seemed to work.  It is under trees so I would like to be able to kill the monkey grass and not harm the trees.  Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!
Brent

Answer
Mondo grass (monkey grass) is related to liriope but not the same plant. Both can be eradicated with round-up but several applications are needed, and you need to bruse (trash) the foliage first to allow entry wounds where the herbicide can penetrade. Use early fall as spring applications are not going to kill it.

If you spray round-up under the canopy of the trees, it should be safe, as the round-up is taken up through the leaves (green stems and leaves) and does not translocate in the soil.