There are not many things that destroy the look and feel of a yard faster then an infiltration of crabgrass. This blue-green weed that grows low to the ground while spreading its long spindly leaves like crab legs, spreads quickly and can be very difficult to eliminate once established.
As with most cases, the best way to ensure crabgrass control is through prevention. Crabgrass prevention can be achieved by creating an environment unsuitable for crabgrass growth by making sure the grass isn’t mowed too short, as well as watering and fertilizing early in the growing season. Watering and fertilizing early in the growing season will also help grass grow thick and healthy and not allow crabgrass to gain valuable nutrients needed to grow.
What do you do though if crabgrass is already sprouting up in your yard and it’s too late for these preventative measures? Here are a couple of techniques that you can use to control and get rid of crabgrass.
One quick way to remove crabgrass is to pull out the young seedlings as they sprout. It is very important, however, to take a close look at the seed head of the young crabgrass. If the seed head is still closed then it is fine to go ahead and pull it out, but if the seed head is opened, and has a fork like appearance, it is too late to pull the weed out. Doing so will just make it easier for the crabgrass to release up to 5,000 new seeds into your yard.
Post Emergence spray, used after the seed has turned into a plant and started to grow, can also be used to deal with a crabgrass problem. The spray can be used while crabgrass is growing, when its roots are too deep to pull out by hand. Spray results will vary depending on the age of the plant. It’s important to be careful when spraying crabgrass because if too much is used, it can impact the surrounding grass. If you choose to spray, it’s important to do it before the weed has started to seed. Keep in mind that dead crabgrass will remain brown and unsightly until winter weather causes it to deteriorate.
Crabgrass can be a large eyesore. Without professional assistance it can be almost impossible to deal with and source of frustration for lawn owners. Contact us today at (877) 944-4007 or click to receive your Free Estimate and allow our technicians to eliminate crabgrass from your lawn.
