Crab grass ??

[JohnMickish]

Why does the crabgrass grow very thick on the North side of my asphalt driveway (the driveway runs East-West and catches full sun) even though I use name brand crab grass peventer? I fertilize it as well as the rest of my lawn and this area probably gets more water than the rest of my lawn. There used to be two pine trees on my neighbors lot so the soil is maybe a bit more acidic than it should be. This is driving me nuts.

[LwnmwnMan2]

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Why does the crabgrass grow very thick on the North side of my asphalt driveway (the driveway runs East-West and catches full sun) even though I use name brand crab grass peventer? I fertilize it as well as the rest of my lawn and this area probably gets more water than the rest of my lawn. There used to be two pine trees on my neighbors lot so the soil is maybe a bit more acidic than it should be. This is driving me nuts.

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One thing to do, get a soil sample from the area with the heavy crabgrass, and then another from a couple other areas in your yard.

Find a local county extension office and get an analysis of the soil.

Next, you say you "fertilize" the area as well as the rest.

What are you using for fertilizer?? Do you use a crab grass preventer?? Or do you just use straight fertilizer.

You're going to have to use a pre-emergent on this area, probably with split applications.

You can do the first application (weather dependent) around April 15th, unless it stays cool and damp like the weather is now, then you can probably move it back a week or so. Yesterday soil temps in Wyoming-Forest Lake area were 38 degrees, and they're talking snow for Tuesday-Wednesday.

Then do a second application again in about 4-5 weeks, so around Memorial day. You won't have to use the pre-emergent over the whole yard, you can get a different product, just straight fertilizer, or a weed-n-feed to go over the rest of the yard.

Even if you were to use round-up, completely kill off everything that's in that area, chances are there's so many seeds from the crabgrass, that next year you're going to have the same problem.

I know I have a tendency to promote a certain store here, but here's another option.

Find a Lesco. They sell a product called Dimension which is in a little water soluable packet. It'll be about $20-30. What you do, is put the packet in a 5 gallon bucket (maybe smaller) and it'll dissolve. Then you can use a 1-2 gallon spot spray and concentrate on just this area with crabgrass preventer.

What's nice is, Dimension even has some effect on crabgrass after it germinates, so you could use it all spring, just shake it up real good before you spray it, the material will want to settle after it sets.

This way you're not applying fertilizer each and every time you're trying to spray another crabgrass plant, getting spotting growth, or streaks where the spreader went over.

[JohnMickish]

Thanks. I know where Lesco is. I use Scotts crab grass preventer pre emergent early in the spring and then use regular weed and feed later like you said.

I was thinking this area might be problem due to the heat that the driveway retians.

[LwnmwnMan2]

You'll see earlier germination because of the fact that your ground temps will warm up quicker there.

Another thing you may want to consider....

Is this area along your driveway prone to having a set of wheels on it?? Whether backing out / driving in, or maybe parking a car, boat, trailer there to keep out of the access to the garage easier??

How about in the winter?? Is it an area where snowmelt / runoff from the driveway goes?? A slight slant in that direction, so the salt is doing damage to the grass that you'd like to have there??

You might want to look at it a little closer. It may end up being something where you'll want to put some limestone / class 5 in that area to give yourself a little buffer between the driveway and grass, an area if it IS getting compacted by use, may well be better served doing that.

One other follow up. I was in my Lesco this morning, and you cannot buy individual packets as I was thinking you could. The smallest amount you can buy, would be 16 packets, and price on that was about $300, or roughly the $20 / packet. So, unless you get 15 other people to go in with you, or at least 5-6, it'll probably be too spendy.

[hotrod1]

Lesco sells a postemergent called drive that works great. it's kinda spendy but i know it works. About $100/pound covers 1 acre.

[IFallsRon]

Ask This Old House answered that question this week. Their guy says it likely happens because your soil may be thin in that area. They mowed and bagged the area short to pick up any seeds, power raked it and filled it in with a soil/compost/fertlizer mix before overseeding. They said that if you let the grass grow a little taller, it tends to keep the weeds down.

[Doop]

I declared all out WAR on every blade of crabgrass in my yard today. I had two huge garbage bags full of that dump. I will say this....they do pull out of the ground pretty easily with a little persuasion from a spade!

[LABS4ME]

You were pulling out quack grass today. Quack is a perennial (available for pulling aftet the snow melts ). Crab grass dies after the 1st frost in the fall. It's an annual, that is why we use pre-emergent preventers in the spring.

Good Luck!

Ken

[LABS4ME]

oops! I just saw you're from Texas... you WERE pulling out crab grass today! hehehe Or as they call it down south Bermuda grass... my grandpa had a "beautiful" yard of it in Florida...

Good Luck!

Ken

[Doop]

I think Charlie is creeping around my lawn too

At least the crab grass is gone....FOR THE TIME BEING!

I'm originally from Iowa but moved down here 4 years ago...it's going to be 85 today