For those who value immensely the health and appearance of their lawn, finding sprouts of crabgrass can be very disheartening. Crabgrass is named after its low-to-the ground sprouts that stick their coarse blades up into the air in a way that looks like the legs of a crab, which is not ideal for a lush, uniform lawn. This type of plant loves hot weather, so you will most commonly see it spring up in the summertime. Once it shows up, crabgrass seems to hang around forever and spread with ease, and because of that, it can seem daunting to try to get rid of it. Even so, there are ways for you to get rid of this grass and keep it away.
How to Kill Crabgrass
If there are only a few crabgrass plants growing on your lawn, they can be treated with products designed to target little bundles of weeds right down to the roots to stop its growth completely. They can also be pulled out by hand using a digging knife or trowel, but if this is done, it should be done earlier in the season before these plants can generate seeds.
If there is too much of this plant in your lawn that individual spraying or hand pulling seems tedious, you can treat it with certain products designed to take care of the whole lawn at once. Follow the instructions closely to guarantee the best results possible.
3 Ways to Prevent Crabgrass in the Spring
Because crabgrass craves the hot and dry conditions of summer, it is good to stop it before it starts in the springtime leading up to those warm months before they can become an irritating nuisance. Crabgrass seeds are usually set to start germinating in the spring once the soil is around 55 degrees, so you can apply products that are known to prevent crabgrass around that time before they begin to develop. There are other steps you can take to prevent crabgrass outside of specialty products, though.
- Mow properly
If you mow the grass to the right height, it will discourage the growth of crabgrass. Mowing higher up, usually using one of the top settings of the mower, lets taller grass blades throw shade over the soil to help prevent the germination of the seeds of the crabgrass plant.
- Deeply water your lawn
Weeds have learned to grow in less than ideal conditions, so giving them the proper nutrients will actually help stop their growth. By watering the plants shallowly and frequently, the crabgrass will suffer overwatering and die out.
- Feed your lawn often
Again, because of the ability of crabgrass to grow in bad conditions, giving it nutrients may stop it from forming and will also help prevent the takeover of the lawn by other weeds.
While crabgrass is an annoying and unsightly occurrence in your lawn, it is not a hopeless cause. Consider this article the next time crabgrass springs up and get rid of it right away.
