What is Crabgrass?
Crabgrass is a lawn weed, an ugly and persistent one at that. People who tend their lawns will tell you that there is nothing worse than crabgrass. It grows low to the ground and spreads out like a crab, stretching its legs. Its pale green color makes it a real eyesore in otherwise dark green lawns. Understanding how crabgrass works helps will help you have a crabgrass free lawn.
Many people believe that there is no end to crabgrass. Once it gets into their lawn, they can’t kill it. What you should know is that crabgrass is an annual weed. That means that it only lives for a single year. Within that year, every crabgrass plant drops thousands of seeds that will germinate the following growing season.
Post-Emergent
The first thing you should do when you spot the first sign of crabgrass in your lawn is try to get rid of it. You can do this by pulling it out by hand or by using a post-emergent herbicide. Doing this as soon as possible will prevent it from producing more seeds. If opting for a post-emergent, make sure to read the labels carefully so that you don’t damage your lawn. Here is a list on the best reviewed herbicides on amazon: https://products.bestreviews.com/best-kill-crabgrass. Remember that even though this step was taken, you will need to use a pre-emergent next growing season in case the plant produced seedlings.
Pre-Emergents
Pre-emergents work by inhibiting seed germination, preventing seeds from becoming established plants. Apply a pre-emergent in early spring, when the temperature warms between 55 to 65 degrees Fahrenheit. Just like with post-emergents, read the labels to see which is best for your type of lawn.
Even though crabgrass is very frustrating to deal with, following these simple steps will have your lawn crabgrass free year-round. Lawn care is just one of the things we specialize in at Groundcare Landscape. Contact us for more help.
