Crabgrass solution for last years infestation?

[&JAG]

My poor yard got killed last year by the crabgrass and now I'm all gun ho about getting it better again. What can I do to help out this situation? Any help would be great...

[sticknstring]

You could try a pre-emergent and then spot-spray problem areas with gly later on. My yard's full of crab and quack both - nasty stuff.

[Tom7227]

I have had very good luck with a product that contains Dimension crabgrass preventer. Google it and you'll come up with dealers. It isn't cheap but it gets the job done. You can also buy it as a spray but it costs big bucks, like $100 a gallon, which will last you for probably 10 years unless it goes bad somehow. No idea what the shelf life on the liquid is,

The first think you will do incorrectly is to apply it too early. As the expert on this forum keeps repeating - wait until the soil temperature hits 55. You may have to also use a spot treatment method in the areas that still pop up.

Finally it is a multi-year effort. I have had pretty good luck having used the Dimension for 3 years now. I still get some plants but I go out with the blowtorch and nail them before they get to the seeding stage.

[LwnmwnMan2]

You could try a pre-emergent and then spot-spray problem areas with gly later on. My yard's full of crab and quack both - nasty stuff.

You won't want to hit them with glyphosate later on, unless you're also going to remedy the soil situation.

If you just hit the plant, and do nothing else, you then have bare ground which the CG seeds can easily re-establish themselves.

You can use a product called "Drive 75" for post emergent control of Crabgrass, or I know Ortho or other common brands are now producing products that can be bought at Box stores / Garden Centers.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

I used pre emergent last year and it worked great. It was a Scott's product. Followed the advice on this forum and I couldn't be happier. This year, I want to seed two small spots and control crabgrass on the entire lawn. I have one small spot (about the size of a frisbee) on the north side of the home that needs seed, but I've never had a crabgrass issue on that side of the home. On the east side I have a spot that is smaller than the one on the north side that needs seed and has had some crabgrass around it in the past. Anybody have an opinion on what products to use to seed two small spots and control crabgrass on the entire lawn? Thanks in advance for any help!

I also don't know if this helps, but the north and east sides of the home are very small areas of lawn. 80 % of the lawn (and crabgrass problem) are on the west side of the home. Thanks again!

[LwnmwnMan2]

Most Crabgrass products work by not allowing seed to germinate.

I THINK Scotts has a product now that is supposed to allow you to seed as well as control Crabgrass, but I'm not 100% sure.

I think I heard an ad for it a year or two ago, but that's all I know.

[jvb724]

Another thing which needs to be addressed is cultural practices which can greatly reduce crabgrass. Crabgrass germination is greatly dependent on high soil temperatures. Keeping these soil temperatures down reduces crabgrass. The best way to keep cool soils is having a thick, dense turf. A thick turf is also your best defense for weed control. Proper mowing, fertilizing, and watering are key to any good lawn. By mowing high (3-3 1/2 inches especially during the heat of summer), this encourages a more dense turf, which in turn shades the soil , which helps keep the soil temperatures lower, which helps reduce the chance of crabgrass germination. Mowing too short is one of the biggest problems homeowners have with their lawns. Mowing higher also gives the lawn a darker green color. Watering correctly is another very impotant cultural factor in maintaining a nice lawn and also helps with crabgrass control. Alot of times crabgrass tends to take off when the turf is stressed out in the heat of summer due to a lack of moisture in the soil. A moist soil helps keep the soil temperatures lower which in turn reduce the opportunity for the crabgrass seeds to germinate. Crabgrass in turf is a constant battle, but with proper cultural practices and chemical controls, it can be reduced greatly.

[Mid-Lake Rock]

LwnmwnMan and jvb - thanks for the replies. I think I'm going to avoid putting pre emergent near the two spots that I want to seed. 90% of the crabgrass issue is on the other side of the house where the sun beats on the lawn all day. I'm going to make sure I set my mower deck higher than normal and maybe do more watering. The pre emergent worked wonders last season so I'm going to keep checking soil temp and put it down when ready. Thanks.

[Boxcar Wllie]

With the recent weather being so warm, when should I put down the pre-emergent crabgrass preventer. I just buy the fertalizer/pre-emergent stuff at the local FF. It says to put it down the middle to late spring but we might already be there!

[Tom7227]

A bit off the point - is it possible that the south side is going to warm up more quickly and need to be treated before other parts of the yard or are thing going to pretty much even out. The original poster keeps mentioning that one part of his yard has more crabgrass than others. Why might that be?

[LwnmwnMan2]

A bit off the point - is it possible that the south side is going to warm up more quickly and need to be treated before other parts of the yard or are thing going to pretty much even out. The original poster keeps mentioning that one part of his yard has more crabgrass than others. Why might that be?

Yes, a south facing lawn will green faster than a north facing part, even if it's the same yard.

Just the same way a driveway on the southside of a house will melt off in the winter vs a drive on the north side of a house.

There are multiple reasons why one area of lawn has more crabgrass than others.

That area may be higher, therefore any water runs off quickly, causing more of a drought issue, the soil from excavation from building the house may be pile up in that area, with lesser amounts of quality top soil, so the "good" grass has a harder time establishing, shade issues, without seeing the yard, possibly doing soil samples that about all you can talk about on a message board.

[LwnmwnMan2]

With the recent weather being so warm, when should I put down the pre-emergent crabgrass preventer. I just buy the fertalizer/pre-emergent stuff at the local FF. It says to put it down the middle to late spring but we might already be there!

Yes, it's hard to hold off with the days being so nice out.

However, here in the Wyoming / Chisago City area we've been running temps in the 49.8-50.3 degree range for soil temps.

The temps are forecast to moderate SOMEWHAT over the next 10 days, with highs in the 50's-60's and lows in the 30s-40s.

We are looking at starting our applications after the 1st of April. We will head south, into the heat island of the cities and work our way north.

Remember, you're going to miss more Crabgrass by applying early, than by being a week or two late.