Why you shouldn't put down your pre-emergent yet.....

[LwnmwnMan2]

The chemicals that are used to prevent crabgrass are only good for about 6-8 weeks at the very most.

Since soil temps are still so low, and the next week doesn't look like it's going to be warm, pretty much cloudy and rainy, soil temps aren't going to shoot up very soon.

If you were to put your crabgrass preventer down this weekend, or if you've already put it down, that chemical is already starting / will be starting to break down before it's doing any preventing.

You could easily use up 2-3 weeks of prevention for no real reason, only to have the crabgrass break through after the 6-8 week period, which would require a use of post emergence, which is about 3 times higher priced than the pre-emergent, or wait until next year to take care of it.

Just trying to save some of you guys having to do the same thing twice, especially if the boss of the house is urging you to go get it done.

[toonfish]

OK I understand, but If I am already seeing some partially green crabgrass should I still wait?

[hotrod1]

Are you sure it is crabgrass? Crabgrass usually don't start to germinate until it's warmer...mid-late May. It may be a perennial grass.

[Powerstroke]

There are lots of grasses that are starting to pop right now, but unless your soil is in the 60 degree range it ain't crabgrass.\

I've got some grasses coming up along a blacktop trail and driveway, but I know they aren't crabgrass. I'm still gonna wait 1-2 weeks unless we get a huge spike in temps.

[toonfish]

Well I had to put it down because I am going to be out of town this weekend. After 2 days, and the rain....what I thought was crabgrass...spiked up, if it is not crabgrass I guess I don't know what it is but it doesn't look great...It is just a lot thicker blade and lighter green than the rest of the yard?????? and last year seemed to grow a lot faster than the rest of the yard..Do I have a yard full of weeds..Ideas???

[LwnmwnMan2]

Does it get a "stem" with a fuzzy part on it, almost like a yellowish Q-tip if you don't mow it?

[hotrod1]

My guess is maybe quackgrass

[toonfish]

Don't think so....

[toonfish]

If it is quackgrass what is the solution there??

[LwnmwnMan2]

If it's quackgrass, there's really no solution yet.

There are some very expensive solutions that are about 70/30 of whether they do the job or not.

If it's not alot of plants, you could take a small paintbrush or dip a cloth glove over a rubber glove into roundup and "paint" the plant with your fingers.

Either those, or just dig the plant out, and patch.