How Can I Control Crabgrass?

Do you want to prevent crabgrass from emerging?

Has the crabgrass already become established in your lawn?

Do you want to kill crabgrass without chemicals?

If crabgrass has become established in your lawn you'll need to use a pre-emergent herbicide. A pre-emergent herbicide is a crabgrass killer that works by eliminating the crabgrass seedlings as they germinate. Apply the herbicide when the ground temperature rises above 60 degrees Fahrenheit. For newly seeded lawns, wait until you've mowed your lawn three times before applying the herbicide to avoid killing the new grass seedlings. Apply the herbicide uniformly across your lawn. Wear protective equipment such as gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and a mask. When using lawn treatments or lawn-care products, always follow package directions.

If crabgrass hasn't become established in your lawn you may be able to prevent it with proper lawn maintenance alone. Regularly mowing your lawn will help promote lush, green growth. Nip out weeds when you see them stop them competing with the grass and scatter grass seed into bare patches to get them growing again. Water established lawns in long, heavy intervals rather than shallow, frequent ones. Spike the turf with a fork to aerate trampled areas to help bring them back to life, and rake out dead growth in autumn to maintain a lush, greensward. Use fertilizer at least once a year, following the package instructions.

You can control crabgrass by first pulling it, and then cultivating healthy new grass. Water the problem area with a sprinkler or garden hose, then wait about 30 minutes to allow the water to soak in. Using a pitchfork or weeding tool, remove young crabgrass when it's big enough to rip out, roots and all. Add organic compost to the area in question. Work the soil so that it is thoroughly incorporated. Seed the area with grass seed, and then place a layer of weed-free straw over the top. Throughout the season, pull any remaining crabgrass plants that sprout up.

If the crabgrass seeds have already sprouted and crabgrass has appeared in your lawn you can kill it with post-emergent herbicide products. Apply these herbicides only to the crabgrass that's visible. Read and follow the manufacturer's directions on the product carefully. Apply the herbicide on a calm, sunny day, ideally in the morning after the dew has dried. Post-emergent herbicides work best when temperatures are 60 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure the soil is moist before applying the herbicide. If not, you should water the area fairly extensively using a garden hose or sprinkler system on the day before treatment.