Weed group: Warm season annual grass
Characteristics: Sproutsfrom seed as temperature warms throughout the spring and summer. Dies back down after the first frost.Thrives in moist areas with plenty of sunlight. Invades thin lawns, often along edges and curbs.
How To Control
• Cultural: Best preventer is to keep your lawn thick and healthy.
• Natural: Dense thick lawn will keep this from establishing. Hand pull. DO NOT scalp your lawn in the spring. If seeds cannot contact the ground nor get sun light they will not geminate.
• Chemical: Timing, Timing, Timing is everything with crab grass. Pre-emergent herbicide needs to be applied before the seeds sprout. The pre-emergent will kill not only the germinating seeds but also the seedlings (baby plants) that have not developed a root system. A pre-emergent will have no effect on established crab grass. A post-emergent can be applied to existing weeds. Prevent spring weeds by NOT scalping your lawn in the spring. If seeds cannot contact the ground nor get sun light they will not geminate. The best weed control is a healthy managed lawn.