Dig under the foxtail and turn the plants under the soil, packing them down into the dark, hot conditions. Doing so can impede growth and help kill off this pesky grass. Work by moonlight, at dawn, or at dusk. There is some speculation that turning the soil exposes the foxtail to a bright flash of light, thereby stimulating the plant and making it grow faster. If you turn the soil at night instead of during daylight hours, though, you can reduce this effect by as much as 78 percent. Alternatively, you could dig out the weeds one by one and dispose of them elsewhere, away from the contaminated area. Make sure that you remove the entire plant, including the roots, and not just the top portion.  Remove the seed heads first to prevent them from spreading and repopulating the area with additional foxtail. After removing the seed heads, dig beneath the plants using a long, slender weeding tool to get at the long roots. Note that weeds are easier to pull when the soil is wet and the weeds are young. Foxtail is no exception to the rule. Pull the foxtail from its base if working by hand. Wear thick gardening gloves to protect your hands as you work. You could try using a mower or weed-wacker to cut off the tops and flowering heads of the foxtail. You will need to continually re-trim the foxtail throughout the season, though, since the plant will send up another flowering head as the summer progresses. If you do opt for the mower or weed-wacker option, make sure that you clean the blades afterward to prevent the accidental spread of foxtail seed. You should also rake the lawn to remove all the heads. Taking these additional steps will improve your chances of removing the foxtail with only a surface mowing. If you like the ease and effectiveness of herbicides but do not like to use harsh chemicals on your vegetation, you can use vinegar instead. Vinegar is a natural and fairly tame acid, but it has been known to be effective in the removal of weed-type grasses like foxtail.  A typical USDA-approved vinegar is five-percent acetic acid. Pour the vinegar directly onto the foxtail at the ground level. The basic idea is to get it as close to the roots as possible. Use enough vinegar to soak the soil beneath the foxtail. It does not need to be soggy, but it should be damp to the touch. Wait a week or two after the first application and monitor the effects. Dead or dying foxtail should be pulled as soon as possible. Foxtail that is still growing even after you use the vinegar should be soaked with another round. Reapply the vinegar as needed. Note that vinegar tends to be more effective when used on fox tail at the seedling state. It might not help quite as much on mature plants. While the concept of pouring urine onto a lawn or other area of vegetation may make you cringe, it can be just as effective as vinegar when used as an herbicide. Urine is a strong, organic alkaline substance, so it can kill foxtail in the same way that a chemical herbicide might.  You can purchase "predator urine" products at garden stores. These products are usually used as deterrents or repellents against small garden pests, but they can also be used for herbicidal purposes. A cheaper and even more effective solution would be to use human urine. Collect the urine in a bucket and pour it straight onto the base of the foxtail, aiming for direct contact with the roots. As with many other control methods, you might need to use multiple applications of urine or use this organic herbicide in conjunction with physical removal methods. Remove the clumps of foxtail by hand or with a garden hoe once you notice them dying off. If the foxtail is still fairly young, kill the new growth as soon as possible by covering it with some form of mulch. Mulch can prevent sunlight and air from reaching the foxtail, essentially depriving it of the nutrients and light necessary for growth.  The foxtail will need to be trimmed close to the ground before you can apply mulch and use it as a way to get rid of the weed. If you have other plants and vegetation that you are trying to preserve, spread the mulch in between the plants and along the rows. Make sure that it covers the foxtail. Organic mulches like wheat straw, shredded leaves, and wood chips work well. Spread about 2 inches (5 cm) of mulch. You could also layer damp black-ink-only newsprint beneath the mulch to improve its ability to inhibit growth.
Turn the soil. Pull or dig out the weeds. Apply vinegar. Use urine. Smother the area with mulch.