crabgrass 1Crabgrass Severity

Crabgrass is one of the worst lawn weeds in the world, and when found in home lawns the homeowner should never hesitate in removing or killing Crabgrass as soon as possible. Due to the severity of the weed and how fast it can spread, Crabgrass simply must not be ignored.

Identifying Crabgrass

Crabgrass is easily known by most people, it is most noticable by it’s wide leaf blade and grass like appearance, this grass however will send out tough stems with fingers of seed heads at it tips. Crabgrass will become most prominent when it leaf blades grow faster than the surrounding lawn to reach out and become taller than the other turf.

The seed production of Crabgrass is extremely prolific, a single weed can send out thousands of seeds in every season, so it’s easy to see how it spreads so quickly to take over and ruin an entire lawn.

crabgrass 2How To Control Crabgrass

Ongoing control of Crabgrass involves regular year round lawn mowing which will aid in constantly removing new weed seeds as they are produced and before the mature. Regular lawn mowing will also aid the lawn to grow more green leaf and thicken up to become healthier, this allows the lawn to out-compete any Crabgrass infestations.

This control of Crabgrass continues by doing everything possible to grow a healthy lush green lawn which can out-compete many different weed types including Crabgrass.

crabgrass 3How To Kill Crabgrass

Early and small infestations of Crabgrass can most easily be removed with a shrap knife which takes the weed out at the root, being careful not to spill any seeds on the lawn during the removal.

Crabgrass is most easily controlled with the use of Pre-Emergent Crabgrass Herbicide. This will be applied to the lawn before the Crabgrass germinates for the new season. The herbicide is watered into the lawn so it reaches the into the soil where the crabgrass seeds are existing. Pre-emergent Crabgrass Herbicide is normally applied in Early Spring, and will have little effect on the weed once it has developed leaves.

Post-Emergent herbicides for Crabgrass are also available, these should be applied as early as possible in the growing season. Crabgrass must be as young and as weak as possible in order that these herbicides will work. once the weed matures it can become extremely difficult of impossible to kill Crabgrass with herbicides.

Crabgrass Herbicide Warning

Some Crabgrass killers can also very effectively kill some lawn types.

Take note of the label of the Crabgrass Herbicide you are considering buying – to be sure it is safe for use on your lawn type. If you are unsure of your lawn type, take a section of the lawn into your local Nursery for identification by their trained staff.