How Can I Get Rid of Thick Stem Crabgrass?
Crabgrass is a weed that homeowners don't want to see in the yard. This weed grows and spreads, taking over the grass slowly. As the crabgrass gets older, it becomes thicker and establishes longer roots that spread out from the plant in all directions. Getting rid of the older weeds takes more determination and a combination of techniques to be successful. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Grow your lawn a little higher. If you have crabgrass dispersed in the lawn, having slightly higher grass can block the light from the weed and help it die out. However, if you have crabgrass that has taken over large sections of the lawn, this won't help much. Ensure that that you don't allow the grass to grow higher than is recommended for your type of grass. You don't want to stress the grass. Most grasses can handle a height of 2 to 3 inches tall, which will help.
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2
Water less often. This doesn't mean you deprive the lawn of water. When you water, allow it to soak the lawn to a depth of 6 inches. Afterwards, wait a full week to 10 days before watering again. Weeds such as crabgrass need lots of water and cannot survive the drought you are subjecting it to.
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3
Spray a selective weed control listed as killing crabgrass. Check the label before purchasing the weed killer to ensure that it isn't harmful to your type of grass. Even though weed killers might be selective, that doesn't mean they aren't harmful to some types of grass. Spray as directed on the package and apply it when you know there won't be any rain for a few days.
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Dig up the dead crabgrass. You might also consider pulling up live crabgrass if you don't have a lot of it. That will save you the expense of weed killer and keep you from putting chemicals on your lawn.
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Overseed patches where you remove crabgrass. Sprinkle on seeds of the same type as your lawn and cover with 1/4 inch of soil. Water to dampen the soil and keep it damp for several weeks until you see grass come up. Reseeding the bare spots with grass will keep the lawn healthy so it will eventually fill in to block out crabgrass growth.
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