Which statement best describes the life cycle of summer annual turfgrass weeds?

• A. Germinate from seed in spring, mature, set seed and die by winter.
• B. Germinate from seed in late summer, overwinter, produce seed the following spring and then die.
• C. Germinate from seed in spring and overwinter.
• D. Germinate from seed in winter and die in fall.

Answer: (B)

Summer annual weeds in turf often start their life cycle as the warm season begins, then push through to seed production before they die as temperatures drop. The statement that best fits this pattern describes seeds germinating in late summer, the plants surviving through winter, then producing seed in the spring and dying. This captures the two-season timing: late-season emergence, winter survival, and spring seed set leading to death, which is how many summer annuals persist and re-seed in turf systems. The other patterns describe life cycles that complete within a single growing season or rely on different timing for germination and seed production, which don’t match how these weeds commonly behave in a turf setting.