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How To Get Rid Of Crabgrass In Your Lawn

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How To Get Rid Of Crabgrass Without Damaging Your Lawn

Crabgrass Control – How to Get RId of Crabgrass in Your Lawn

Heres how to get rid of crabgrass quickly and effectively

At this time of year, crabgrass rears its ugly head across countless lawns. Thats why so many of us are frantically Googling how to get rid of crabgrass at the moment. Crabgrass essential looks like an unkempt blotch of grass, with blades which sprawl out in different directions to resemble a crab. Its an annual weed which can be rather problematic to remove from lawns and patios alike, much like dandelions.

These plants will not only survive, but flourish in hot and dry climates, which makes them a nuisance despite the heatwaves. Add to that, crabgrass is bad news for your lawn it will sap and limit the nutrients your grass receives, resulting in stunted growth. Plus, if left unchecked, crabgrass will spread its seed before it finally dies in the fall, so you could end up with the same problem next year. Dont worry though here we will take you through how to get rid of crabgrass step-by step, while keeping your precious lawn unscathed.

If your lawn has seen better days, be sure to also check out how to revive dead grass,7 signs that you are cutting your grass too short that could be damaging your lawn’s health and read about the best time to water your lawn according to the experts.

Q: Does Crabgrass Die In The Winter

A: Well-established crabgrass has tolerance to light frost, but generally wont take constant frost-and-thaw cycles. It wont survive hard frosts and freezes. If you live in the southern half of the US, it might survive year-round. Northern dwellers will see their crabgrass die off during cold months, making use of pre-treatments easier.

Is It Really Necessary To Get Rid Of Crabgrass

Crabgrass is often more unsightly than unpleasant. It doesnt pose any danger to the human or animal inhabitants of a garden. However, it can be a problem in a lawn or elsewhere in a garden due to the methods it uses to survive better than neighboring plants.

Many people believe that crabgrass simply thrives on lawns because it crowds out nearby plants. But in fact, this plant actually produces its own natural herbicides which kill nearby plants. These allelopathic chemicals affect the microbial life in surrounding soil which can significantly inhibit the growth of other plants nearby. Toxins it produces can also have a direct toxic effect on other plants. In other words, crabgrass does not play well with others.

This allelopathic effect might mean that you dont want to grow it in your garden, or at the very least, that you want to restrict its growth in certain areas. That said, like many other allelopathic plants, it can still find a place in a productive, biodiverse garden.

Crabgrass is a particularly hated plant. But much of the animosity towards it has, unfortunately, been drummed up by an industry that loves to sell gardeners on the idea of using harmful, wildlife and plant-killing pesticides and herbicides to create a perfect mono-crop of neatly trimmed grass.

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Mowing The Lawn Too Short

You want your grass to be around 3.5-4 tall. When the grass is too short, it allows more sunlight to hit the soil, which in turn allows crabgrass to flourish. If you prefer really short grass, you may want to consider seeding with green clover which shades the soil and provides a canopy, even when the grass is short.

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You want to mow frequently to keep the grass a consistent height and do not mow than 1/3 of the grass blade at any time. Crabgrass needs plenty of light to germinate, so you want to keep the grass as long and thick as possible. This way, youll have shade at the soil surface. If you cut too close, you get patches of sun hitting the ground, and this makes it easy for crabgrass to grow.

How To Kill Crabgrass Naturally

How to Get Rid of Crabgrass

Weeds are inevitable in any lawn or garden, but there are good weeds and harmful weeds. Good weeds are typically considered plants with some benefits, like clover .

Then there are the pesky bad weeds like crabgrass that just take over and make your lawn look terrible.

So, how do you get rid of crabgrass naturally? Read on for all the information you need to know including some effective organic solutions to help you get rid of crabgrass and other frustrating lawn weeds.

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How To Eradicate Crabgrass Without Chemicals

You work hard to keep your lawn pristine and immaculate, so a weed infestation is an incredibly frustrating issue. Crabgrass is arguably one of the most frustrating weeds. Its invasive and extremely difficult to eradicate, and it can take over your grassy oasis in the blink of an eye. It produces hundreds of thousands of seeds per plant and can grow in all areas of your lawnfrom the lushest, sunniest spots to the barest, darkest corners.

Treating and killing crabgrass can be handled easily with tough chemical treatments. But if you want a more natural crabgrass killer that doesnt require using substances that can be harmful to your lawn and your family, youve come to the right place. Here are some ways to eradicate crabgrass without the chemicals.

Weed Killers Come With Problems

Sure, you may say that simply spraying weed killers is easier than making sure your lawn is always in top condition, however, that ease may come with a price and not just what you pay with money.

There are serious, scientifically-founded claims that glyphosate, one of the main ingredients of many commercial herbicides, is carcinogenic. In a groundbreaking court ruling, a couple was awarded 2 billion dollars in punitive damages for getting lymphoma, presumably from hefty RoundUp use over 30 years.

Although not everyone agrees on the level of damage the long-term use of herbicides can cause, the evidence is surely something to consider when deciding whether to use them or not and how much.

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What Causes Crabgrass To Grow

Crabgrass is attracted to bare soil areas, sunlight and water. It generally grows where your grass and lawn are weaker and also along the sides of driveway, road and walkways .

To be clear, crabgrass is NOT the cause of poor lawn health rather, it is a symptom of poor lawn health. And, if you dont treat it, it will return each year.

As youll see, your best defense against crabgrass is a strong offense .

Here are the reasons you can develop crabgrass:

Strategic Watering To Kill Crabgrass But Save The Lawn

How to Get Rid of Crabgrass (4 Easy Steps)

Crabgrass and some other similar weeds love water, and they grow well when watered often. The best way to discourage crabgrass from coming back is to make sure the lawn is healthy and thick.

To boost healthy grass growth while stunting these weeds with shallow roots, one has to water less frequently but in a heavier quantity.

This will help the lawn grass thrive, and weeds struggle and eventually die out. A once-a-week watering boosts deep root growth, while frequent short waterings help grow shallow roots.

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Controlling Crabgrass In The Spring

An effective way to eliminate crabgrass is to apply a pre-emergent herbicide before the crabgrass seed in your lawn can germinate. Timing when you apply the pre-emergent herbicide is very important. If done too early, while it is still too cold, crabgrass will most likely grow anyway. If applied too late, you may not see much benefit either. You should consider applying a pre-emergent herbicide when soil temperatures in your area approach 55 degrees F.

Many resources exist to help determine when this occurs, such as the growing degree day tracker from Michigan State University. This tracker can be helpful if you live in the Great Lakes region of the United States.

Avoid Mowing Too Short

One of the most common reasons for the spread of crabgrass is when you mow the lawn too short. If you mow too closely , crabgrass will reveal itself as thin, bare patches in the lawn.

Therefore, it is crucial that you only mow to the height required by the specific type of grass youre growing .

This is even more important when the weather is hot and dry when crabgrass thrives. This is disadvantageous, too, in that most other types of grass tend to slow their growth during these hot, dry periods.

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When To Put Down Crabgrass Preventer On Lawn

If you choose to apply a preventative weed killer to your lawn, it is critical to time the application correctly. The most effective time to apply pre-emergent is in the early spring when soil temperatures are still cool.

1UMass Extension Turf Program, Biology and Management of Crabgrass, University of Massachusetts Amherst, May 2011.

Soil temperatures need to consistently be above 55 for a few days for crabgrass seeds to germinate. Therefore, the best time to apply pre-emergent is when soil temperatures are between 50 and 55, just before germination occurs. A general rule of thumb is to time application to late March or early April when the dogwoods and forsythia plants begin blooming.

Some essential tips for applying a pre-emergent:

  • Apply a pre-emergent product just before it rains, so the rain washes the herbicide into the soil. Or water it using a sprinkler.
  • Also, keep timing in mind if you plan to overseed areas of the lawn since a pre-emergent will stop turf seeds from establishing. Some products are effective for up to 12 weeks after application.

Can We Prevent Crabgrass Before It Becomes A Problem

How to Get Rid of Crabgrass: A Step

The good news is that yes, we can take specific measures to prevent crabgrass from taking over our lawns. One of the main ways in which you can prevent crabgrass is by maintaining a healthy lawn throughout the year. Crabgrass loves bare, warm soil, so if you can water your lawn and keep it healthy, you reduce the risk of crabgrass popping up in the spring.

Applying nutrient-rich fertiliser regularly to your lawn supports your grasses to grow regardless of the weather and can be an excellent way to offset the arrival of those pesky weeds. Replacing dry patches of lawn with new pieces of turf where possible is also really helpful, as it is from these patches that crabgrass emerges and begins its takeover.

In addition to these natural lawn care methods, you can also prevent the spread of crabgrass by treating your lawn with specific pre-emergent chemicals. However, dont fall into the trap of misusing the chemicals, as this could spell disaster for the health of your lawn in the long-run.

In order for pre-emergent chemicals to be useful, timing is paramount. You need to monitor your soils temperature and only apply the chemicals when the soil is reaching 55 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature of optimal growth for crabgrass. You then need to apply the chemicals again approximately six weeks later.

There are lots of pre-emergent chemicals on the market, but some of the best include:

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Herbicides Might Be A Remedy But Not The Solution

Remember the common saying treat the disease, not the symptom, which is the epitome of good health care? The same applies to lawns stricken with crabgrass.

Crabgrass invades thin lawns, cut too low, underwatered, under-fertilized, and poorly drained. Essentially whenever there is a poorly maintained lawn, crabgrass will eventually start to take over.

Therefore, using different weed killers is not a final solution to the problem. As long as the conditions are not right, it will keep returning. Its a bit like trying to treat a broken arm with painkillers.

Q: Can You Plant Grass Seed With Crabgrass Preventer

A: Since most preventative crabgrass treatments reduce germination, its not recommended. Wait four months at the minimum before reseeding. If that puts you in the hot summer months, wait until late summer or early fall to seed again.

You can overseed to repel crabgrass, too. In the fall or the early spring, heavily seed the area instead of using preventer. The good grass will take over the lawn, and then you can simply remove any stray clumps of crabgrass that might appear.

Ready to conquer the crabgrass now? I know I am. In fact, Im going to go dig a persistent clump out of the yard as soon as I finish writing this! Do you have any preferred solutions for your crabgrass growth? Share your tips in the comments below.

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How Get Rid Of Crabgrass Without Damaging Your Lawn

Although it has the word grass in its name, crabgrass is actually a type of weed.

Its an annual weed that spreads quickly because of how it produces many seeds every season. Its not always easy to spot weeds in your lawn, but crabgrass has coarse and yellow leaves so you can see it clearly among your green leaves.

What conditions attract crabgrass? This type of weed loves compacted soil and it germinates in the spring and summer when soil temperatures are between 55 and 65 degrees. You might think that crabgrass is a weed you can ignore in your lawn, but this isnt true. Just one plant can produce about 150,000 seeds! To eliminate crabgrass effectively, heres what you should do.

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Use Vinegar To Kill Crabgrass

How to Get Rid of Crabgrass

Did you know that some essential household items can also be effective in eliminating crabgrass?

Simple household bottles of vinegar like white vinegar or apple cider vinegar contain 5% acetic acid. When sprayed on plant leaves, the acid disrupts a plants pH levels and causes it to dry out and die. Make sure you target only the crabgrass since the acid is harmful to all plants and could hurt your garden or turfgrass.

You can also use a vinegar-based product called Harris Organic Vinegar Weed and Grass Killer. The Harris product is a ready-to-use vinegar herbicide thats safe to use around children and pets.

One application of this product will kill crabgrass within 24 hours, which means it doesnt require any waiting time before you can walk across your lawn.

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Using Crabgrass Prevention To Control Crabgrass

The most effective way to get rid of crabgrass is to make sure that you dont get it in the first place. A healthy and thick lawn is essential to be able to accomplish this.

A healthy, crabgrass free lawn will start with proper watering practices. Water your lawn deeply for long periods about once a week. Do not water frequently and shallowly, as this will encourage crabgrass to grow. Deep watering will encourage your grass to grow deep roots and they will be able to reach water better than the crabgrass weed.

Proper mowing will also help to keep crabgrass out of the lawn. Frequent mowing to the proper heights, normally between 2.5 and 3 inches depending on the type of grass, will make it more difficult for crabgrass to grow.

Appropriate fertilizing and annual dethatching will also encourage a thick and strong lawn, which will prevent crabgrass from being able to establish itself.

How To Kill Large Patches Of Crabgrass

If you have an area of your yard that has been completely taken over by crabgrass with little to no healthy grass left, you can solarize the area and reseed for a healthy lawn.

Solarizing Crabgrass

The following process works best if done on the hottest and sunniest days of the year. Begin by mowing the weedy area using the lowest blade setting on the mower. Next, use a garden hose to spray the area generously with water.

Finish by laying clear plastic over the weedy area and secure the edges down with stones or bricks. Leave the plastic in place for about six weeks. Remove the plastic and reseed the area with grass seed for your area.

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How Do Crabgrass & Weeds Spread

First, you should know that it doesnt take much for crabgrass to spread. Between mid-summer and early fall, a single crabgrass plant produces thousands of seedsas much as 75,000 a pieceand these seeds get mowed off and dropped to the soil below. Those seeds lay dormant in the soil until the time for germination is just right.

With those kinds of numbers, its easy to see how your lawn could become completely overrun by crabgrass. Even if you only forgot to treat for crabgrass this past spring, there could be hundreds of thousands of crabgrass seeds that sprout and cause you a big mess come summer or fall.

While most broadleaf weeds are not quite as aggressive as crabgrass, and wont crowd out healthy turf quite as successfully, their seeds can also be easily scattered. Just walking through your grass can spread weed seeds around your yard. Some species even project their seeds 10-15 feet away when the time is right for their proliferation.

How To Get Rid Of Crabgrass In The Lawn

How Do I Get Rid of Crabgrass?

Crabgrass loves hot, dry conditions. Take care of it before it becomes a problem.

Crabgrass gets its name because it grows low to the ground with stems that radiate out from the center of the grass clump, resembling crab legs. Seeds begin to sprout in mid-spring, as soon as the soil temperature reaches 55 °F, and crabgrass can quickly become a problem during the summer because it is able to grow vigorously in hot, dry conditions. Crabgrass is an opportunistic annual weed that will grow in the thin and bare spots in your lawn. Before it dies in the fall, a single crabgrass plant produces thousands of seeds that can germinate the following spring.

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