How can you get rid of crab grass from your lawn?

Answer 1

It depends on how much crabgrass you have and where you live.

If it's just small amounts, I would suggest just pulling it out manually.

Crabgrass is a summer annual, and it needs 3 fulls days of the ground being 55 degrees in order for the seeds to germinate. Because it is an annual, if you live somewhere that has cold winters and frosts, the crabgrass will die for the winter. If this is the case and you have a lot of crabgrass, I would recommend waiting until it dies during the winter, and seeding the bare patches with grass seed early in the spring.

Remember, if you do use a pre-emergent fertilizer in the Spring, don't seed, because the pre-emergent will stop your grass seed from germinating as well as the crabgrass. Also, if you use the pre-emergent, don't do it too early. I live in zone 6 and everyone here puts their pre-emergent down in March, when the crabgrass doesn't germinate until June!

If you use a liquid herbicide, don't use roundup on your lawn...it will kill everything, including your lawn, and makes the soil suceptible to dieases and you will have a hard time growing grass in those areas.

I have used the Ortho Weed-B-Gon ready to use crabgrass killer, which worked pretty well and didn't kill too much of the turf. However, like I said, you might just be better off waiting until next spring if you can and seeding some good turf.

Good Luck!

Answer 2

you need to start this fall, (late August, until October) depending where you live. Water your lawn real good, then put down Scotts lawn turf stuff. Read the bags, and talk to someone that can give you the right bag. I think it's Orange. Then, let it go for a week or so then water lawn again. You may have to do 2 treatments. Then wait all winter, and in early spring go back to the store, get Scotts lawn Turff builder. Its a yellow bag, and water your lawn, and apply it. Just make the weather forecast does not show rain for 24 hours. You may have to apply this to your lawn 4 or 5 times. You lawn should start to look better. However, if it's bad, you mat need to do this for a couple years to get rid og it. Also if your neighbors has it, it may take even longer, or a professional to do it for you. But Scotts is a GREAT product

Answer 3

Set your lawnmower blade for 3 & 1/2". Use a mulching mower if possible or cross mow to keep grass clippings small. Leave clippings on lawn.
Pull as much crabgrass out by hand as you can and keep lawn mowed and watered regularly (1 & 1/2" water per week). Fertilize in Spring with a weed & feed such as Scott's and after 2 seasons, crabgrass will be under control. Then you can lower your mower blades to 2 & 1/2".

Answer 4

If you find out let me know. My WHOLE lawn consists of crab grass. If it werent for the crab grass I'd have no grass at all!

Answer 5

You can buy crab grass killer spray at a house/garden store like Home Depot. Buy ones that don't kill regular grass.

Pulling crab grass does not work well, the roots regrow easily.

Answer 6

Try the site below -- 10 steps to become crabgrass free -- maybe it has some insights that will help you find an answer that works for you. As for us, we just let ours go back to clover -- the bees love us! Good luck!