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Is it worthwhile to simply reseed around October and then apply a preventer in the beginning of spring? I feel like killing all the crab grass will make the lawn look bad and brown (because it looks like the crabgrass has effectively replaced the regular grass)
That should work. Just be aware that the seeds are being produced now while the crabgrass is actively growing. The best thing you can do now is use a grass catcher when you mow so that the seeds are not going back in the lawn. The key thing about the pre-emergent is to apply it at the right time in the spring. Here are some good articles on eliminating crabgrass.
I came across Tenacity in my research the other day. It looks like a great product and I'm thinking about getting some for next year. I have several newly-stripped planting beds that I will need to repeatedly spray for at least one full year to make sure nothing re-emerges (they were full of invasives like chameleon plant, mugwort, etc.) before re-planting.
I need to find myself a decent 1-gallon sprayer with a battery-operated applicator. Because of back and shoulder problems I can't use a pump sprayer nor can I carry around something heavier than about a gallon and a half. Lately when I need to apply a herbicide I've been using the 1.3 gal retail containers of Spectracide (triclopyr) refills with the original container's battery-op handle/spray. But even on the "wide" spray setting it's a pretty anemic coverage for anything but a spot treatment.
The writer of the first article makes a good point about the grass catcher but unfortunately that's not an option in my area. About a decade ago almost all of the local towns passed ordinances prohibiting the disposal of grass clippings by homeowners as part of the trash pickup. The landfills here were getting overburdened by clippings. So they instituted separate yard waste pickups for leaves and brush only; no grass clippings allowed.
Lawn services are allowed to take grass clippings, brush, leaves etc to the town compost facility but are charged for their "dumps" according to weight, so they use only mulching mowers instead.
I've never seen a crabgrass infestation in any of my prior yards as bad as what's here this year. Not only is it in the "lawn" but also in the planting beds, the joints in the brick walkways and patio, the cracks in the driveway.... everywhere. I've been yanking out tillers whenever I see them but the sheer number of plants is just overwhelming. Between the crabgrass and the poison ivy seedlings that I keep discovering, I swear I'd hardscape the entire 1/2 acre if I could afford to!
ETA: As a quick p.s. to the second article: It doesn't mention that corn gluten meal can attract rats (it is commonly used, along with corn byproducts, in rat poison baits) so if that is an issue in your area (as it is here) that crabgrass control method is probably best avoided.
In our area crab grass takes over most of the yards. Many neighbors spend a couple weekends ripping the entire yard out and put in new sod. I suspect that over time as people stop taking care of the yards that the crab grass comes back, more than likely from other neighbors yards. Most of the older homes have it here.
What we did was have a company dump an inch or two of fertilizer right over the yard, covering the yard. We then had the entire yard re-seeded and have maintained a beautiful yard ever since that time.
Our yard is not that large though. Grass in the back is only about 55' X 25' and in the front we have a front yard that is 40' X 25' and a side yard that is 10' X 50'
Why not just spray crabgrass killer container that hooks to a hose? I did it and it killed all of the crabgrass, have a handful grew back a few months later, but not enough for me to and re treat. It wasn't a prevented, but you could spray your yard right now and kill them and various other weeds with Scotts or breyers
Tenacity is excellent stuff from Syngenta! I used it along with the Drive last year to essentially reset my lawn, and use TZone SE for the broadleaf weeds. Tenancity is great at wiping out the grassy weeds, Drive is targeted at the crab grass, and TZone SE wipes out the clover and other junk. Can't use a surfactant with the TZone though, and can't seed at the same time either, like you can with Tenacity and Drive.
Since learning about those three items, I've not bought a single thing from the big box stores (haven't needed to). Just be aware of the directions and spraying/application pattern. Not a hose-attachment type of chemical here. Needs to be applied appropriately. Use a "fan tip" on your sprayer, walk straight forward while applying, DO NOT wave the wand around. I learned this the hard way last year when my laziness got me good. Used an oval tip (those kind where you can dial it down to a stream, or widen it out to a circle), waved it around as I walked. Toasted up a couple of sections of my lawn and basically wiped out my new growth. Too strong.
Tenacity only takes a few drops per gallon of mixing. When you buy it and get that little bottle (which isn't cheap), you think you're wasting your money. But then you realize it comes with a little injector measuring tube and learn that 3 or 4 ML's is all it takes to do the trick, well, you'll have it for a long time (I still have 65% of mine from spring 2017 for roughly 10,000 SF of lawn surface). Also understand that it'll wipe out Bermuda grass too. Neighbor down the street had Bermuda. Hired a crew to kill it all off, scrape the remains from the lawn, and resod with tall fescue. 6 weeks later, guess what started coming up through the sod? Guess what that crew came back with to kill it off with? Tenacity!
Just a quick note. Most of the products sold at big box stores like Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, etc. are such low concentration, they are almost useless. You can find products that work at your local feed and seed or farm supply type stores.
Is it worthwhile to simply reseed around October and then apply a preventer in the beginning of spring? I feel like killing all the crab grass will make the lawn look bad and brown (because it looks like the crabgrass has effectively replaced the regular grass)
Just use an anti-germination fertilizer in the early spring. Crabgrass is an annual. If the seeds don’t germinate, you won’t have crabgrass and the perennial grass will fill in.
Those "guys" can get really expensive. My son had a lawn weed control program for two years and it was more than $800 (plus sales tax) each season. That was over and above the $45 cost for the weekly cuts (1/2 acre lot, with house, pool and patio taking up a good chunk of it.)
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