How to Kill Crabgrass

Anybody who has ever cared for a lawn knows about crabgrass. It's that weed that keeps popping up and never seems to go away. It is ugly; it is bad for your lawn; and we all hate it. The question which we are always trying to answer, therefore, is how to get rid of this ugly weed once and for all. Well folks, here are a few tips to help you make your lawn finally be free of crabgrass.

Crabgrass is a warm-season annual weed, meaning it gets reproduced by seeds. The best way to get that crabgrass-free lawn is to prevent it from ever showing up in your lawn. The best way to achieve this is by applying pre-emergent herbicides to your lawn at the right time.

In order to know the best time to apply the pre-emergent herbicides, it is vital to know the life cycle of crabgrass. When the top two to three inches of topsoil reach about sixty degrees Fahrenheit, the crabgrass seeds will first germinate. Crabgrass will then produce seeds for the purpose of reproduction from mid-summer till autumn. The crabgrass grows, and people get upset, but the crabgrass does not care. The crabgrass will then appear to get killed by the autumn frost, but this is not the case. The crabgrass is still very much alive despite the fact that the plant died. The seeds are still alive and getting ready for its next attack.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• pre-emergent herbicide
• core aerator
• lawn mower
• fertilizer
• water
• appropriate applicator

1. Aerate your lawn before you put down the pre-emergent herbicides.

2. Pre-emergent herbicides kill the crabgrass before the seedlings emerge. Therefore, the pre-emergent herbicides should be applied before the seedlings emerge but not too far in advance of the germination.

3. Water your grass after you apply pre-emergent herbicides.

4. Additional applications of pre-emergent herbicides are also beneficial, because not all crabgrass germinates at the same time. These later applications will kill the crabgrass's late bloomers.

5. Fertilize your lawn adequately and at the right time.

6. Water your lawn less frequently but more deeply.

7. Mow high, meaning that your grass should be about two or three inches high.

Tips & Warnings

• Crabgrass life cycle: When the top two to three inches of topsoil reach about sixty degrees Fahrenheit, the crabgrass seeds will first germinate. Crabgrass will then produce seeds for the purpose of reproduction from mid-summer till autumn. The crabgrass grows, and people get upset, but the crabgrass does not care. The crabgrass will then appear to get killed by the autumn frost, but this is not the case. The crabgrass is still very much alive despite the fact that the plant died. The seeds are still alive and getting ready for its next attack.
• The pre-emergent herbicides should be applied before the seedlings emerge but not too far in advance of the germination.
• Do not aerate your lawn or dethatch your lawn after you apply pre-emergent herbicides, and do not apply pre-emergent herbicides on freshly laid sod.