How to Kill Florida Crabgrass

Crabgrass is a creeping, invasive weed that appears on lawns throughout the year. Removing crabgrass is difficult, as it reproduces seeds. The best approach to keep the lawn weed free is to remove all live crabgrass.

Physical Removal

Pulling or digging out the crabgrass is one way to rid a lawn of this weed. Once the weed has been completely removed, the bare spots of the lawn must be immediately filled in with sod.

Herbicides

Crabgrass can also be spot treated with a selective herbicide found at independent garden centers. An non-selective herbicide can also be used. These areas should also be filled with sod when the crabgrass is removed. The crabgrass will begin to turn brown, then wither and die.

Prevention

In mid-February, before the peak of growing season, applying a pre-emergence crabgrass preventer is helpful. These can be found at local garden centers. While these prevent seed germination, they do not affect crabgrass already growing.

References

• Orlando Sentinel: Crab Grass Alert
• The Garden Counselor: Crab Grass Killer for St. Augustine Grass