Controlling Crabgrass Effectively

The very wet summer we've experienced throughout Montgomery County this year has increased weed and crabgrass breakthrough from Dresher to Spring City.  Here's some tips to help reduce the outbreak of crabgrass.

Crabgrass control combines reducing numbers of crabgrass with strengthening the overall health of your lawn. Application of crabgrass control material in the spring before the crabgrass seeds germinate is important.   It will form a barrier to stop crabgrass seed roots as they germinate and remember, following application, this barrier must not be broken by raking or digging or edging, which can weaken and nullify the crabgrass barrier.

Ongoing proper maintenance is also an important step to help rid your lawn of crabgrass.  Crabgrass in the lawn can be reduced over a few seasons of special care by improving the overall density of your lawn through core aeration and seeding with more drought tolerant, updated varieties of turf.  One of the easiest maintenance steps is to remember not to mow your lawn to low. Taller grass will shade the soil and make it less hospitable for many weed seeds, like crabgrass, to develop. Most grasses do well at a mowing height of 2 inches to 3 inches, and some varieties even higher.

The fight against crabgrass requires patience and a commitment to creating and maintaining a healthy lawn. It will take some hard work but a thick, dark green, crabgrass-free lawn is well worth the patience and special care.