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Lawn has 25% crab grass

9 years ago

Hi friends,

my lawn has 25% crab grass at the moment. What are my options to treat/remove it?

it's about 3000 sq ft of lawn.

Comments (2)

  • 9 years ago

    Excellent article on link below. Be sure to heed the warning regarding Hot Weather.
    How to kill Crabgrass

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Note what that article says about many Crabgrass poisons also killing other grass species, you may make the situation worse by killing off the Crabgrass, and that is a temporary fix anyway since if the conditions that allow that Crabgrass to grow are not corrected it will be back next year.. With as much Crabgrass as you say you have it probably is not a good idea to try to kill those plants now anyway. But you can get started on working to lessen the invasion next year by working to making your lawn into a strong and healthy one that could resist Crabgrass better.

    Start with a good soil test. If your state universities Cooperative Extension Service offers one that is the best place to go and you get the help and advice of the county Horticultural Agent.

    Along with that soil test for soil pH and major nutrients these simple soil tests may be of some help as well.

    1) Soil test for organic
    material. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in
    a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and
    replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24
    hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight.
    For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the
    bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above
    that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

    2) Drainage. Dig a hole
    1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains
    away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain
    away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains’ too quickly and needs
    more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the
    soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

    3) Tilth. Take a handful
    of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is
    released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a
    finger that clump should fall apart.

    4) Smell. What does your
    soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant
    odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria
    will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter
    can be bad as well.

    5) Life. How many
    earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5,
    according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that
    is not healthy.

    Once you have a good idea of what the soil needs to grow a strong and healthy lawn you can start working on that for seeding in the early fall with a grass species more desirable.