Not everyone hates crabgrass but in most rural and city lawns it can prove to be a real pain. It can take root in the right conditions and make your lawn look, well crabby. There are a few things you can do to get rid of this pesky growth but it takes dedication to ensure it does not come back with a vengeance. Here are a few tips on ridding your lawn of crabgrass and keeping it from returning.
Pull up any Crabgrass you See
The first thing you can do when you see crabgrass is to pull it up. Sometimes this may require a little digging with a garden claw but you must ensure that you have gotten the entire root or else you will be overrun with its babies. Once you have pulled it up by the roots, sow some grass seed in its place immediately. This will allow new growth to begin growing.
Preventing Crabgrass from Seeding
The reason crabgrass gets a strong foot hold on lawns is because it lies close to the ground. This is where the seed heads lie. When you mow, you are not removing these seed heads and this allows them to seed and spread. In order to prevent this you should rake up the ground where the crabgrass is lying. This makes the blades with the seed heads stand up above the grass enabling you to mow them off without fear of spreading seeds. This may sound like a lot of work and if you have a lot of crabgrass it is, but you will ensure that no more crabgrass will grow. Using a grass catcher is important too. It contains all the seeds that may otherwise be spread to other areas.
Remove All Dead Crabgrass
You may walk around your lawn and find dead crabgrass plants. It can live an entire summer and only die out during the winter or colder months. Removing dead shoots of the pesky plant can allow the grass around it to recover but you must make sure you remove the roots and all. There is no such chemical that ONLY kills crabgrass. Many weed killers will claim they only kill the bad weeds and leave your lawn looking beautiful, but they actually kill everything that is sprayed with it. This can create brown spots in your lawn and may not allow new grass to grow. Avoid chemical agents if at all possible.
Replanting Spotty Areas
Barren areas of your lawn are subject to all types of weeds that are apt to take root. Replant in barren areas as soon as possible. To do this, rake the top of the soil with a leaf rake so that your seeds can easily root themselves. Sprinkle the area with the appropriate grass seed and cover with a layer of straw until your grass grows and covers the straw. The best time to sow seeds is in the early fall. This gives your seeds time to establish a root system before winter hits it full force.
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