How do I kill crab grass with out harsh chemicals that are harmful to my dog?

Answer 1

Chemicals short of Vinegar will remain a health hazard to your dogs long after the product is dry and the problem plant is dead.
Ortho, monsanto and the rest would have you belive all is well if you follow the instructions. Okay fine.
Think about it this way. Would you have any problem rubbing your bare rear end across that patch of sprayed ground?Think you might get some chemicals absorbed?
Okay, so carefully dig up the patchs down /and out from the patch about 4 -6 inches (this removes the dormant seeds)and most roots. Refill sod or seed.
Entire lawn infested? Get a rental bobcat and get with it. Then refill and resod with a good sod for your area. Possibly a perennel short rye.
Did it myself and saved alot of money, looks great.

Answer 2

There is a new organic crabgrass killer available at Ace Hardware stores.

I have used it for killing crabgrass in my Florida St. Augustine lawn. It is made from cinnamon bark and corn starch. You have to wet the grass well and sprinkle the powder over the entire weed. It starts killing the leafy parts in a few hours. It needs about 24 hours on without rain/sprinkler in order to kill the roots too. Be aware that the crabgrass will turn an aweful shade of brownish/black, and your lawn looks horrible for about 4 weeks after treatment, because the crabgrass is dead and the remaining lawn hasn't grown in to the area yet.

It is very expensive at about $20 per 2 pound container. The EPA banned the herbicide that used to kill crabgrass and not St. Augustine grass.

Answer 3

My favorite weed killer is white vinegar. Now, in advance I have to tell you that it kills anything/everything, so it won't target the crab grass, you'll have to aim well and not get the grass with it. It is not a chemical, and my 3 dogs haven't had any issues when I use it to kill the stupid weeds between the bricks on my front path. Good luck

Answer 4

The crabgrass killers that are sold in stores are usually safe for your dog once the spray has dried completely. I have a dog and I hate weeds in my lawn. I do use several chemicals for my lawn and I follow the instructions on the bottle and my dog has not been sick from them in 8 years.

Answer 5

Also, I recently read, on Yahoo answers, that mowing your grass at 3-4 inches and no shorter helps with crabgrass...
The regular grass will choke out the crabgrass, but only if it's at least 3 inches....

Answer 6

I pull up crab grass in my yard. The grass is always one clump and pulls up fairly easily. In bad areas, you pull it all up, and plant new grass in the whole area. Then, you use crabgrass preventer with your fertilizer early in the spring. Crab grass dies in the winter and starts from seeds in the spring.

Answer 7

Ortho Grass-B-Gone. Supposed to kill only grass and nothing else, but that does include ornamental grasses as well. Here is a site that sells it.
http://www2.yardiac.com/long.asp?item_id=196