A healthy, beautiful lawn full of lush grass and no weeds is every homeowner’s dream. With the proper care, time, and patience, you can create a weed-free yard that is the envy of the neighborhood. However, if you are unfortunate to have crabgrass creeping into your lawn and attempting to take over, the professional landscapers in the Tri-Cities area at Promier Landscapes express there is hope for your yard. By following the four secrets of getting rid of crabgrass, you can have a fresh green lawn that increases your property value.
What is crabgrass?
Crabgrass is a plant that grows low to the ground with stems that radiate from the center, resembling a crab. During the mid-spring, seeds begin to sprout when the soil temperature reaches 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Once the summer season arrives, the hot and dry conditions promote crabgrass’s vigorous growth, increasing the risk of a hostile yard takeover. The experienced Kingsport landscapers near you explain that crabgrass is an opportunistic weed that appears annually in thin or bare lawn spots. Removing or killing crabgrass in the spring and summer can prevent regermination during the following spring, as dying plants release thousands of seeds in the fall.
How do I kill crabgrass?
The excellent news is crabgrass is treatable with over-the-counter chemicals. If your lawn has a few patches of crabgrass, a spot treatment can kill weeds and crabgrass without destroying the surrounding healthy grass when following the product’s instructions. The lawn professionals in Bristol explain you can pull crabgrass by hand or with the help of a trowel or digging knife. However, if you choose this option, remove the weeds in the early spring before the plants produce seeds.
When your lawn is mostly crabgrass, pulling each plant by the roots is not very feasible. Therefore, treating your entire property with a fast-acting weed control formula that kills the plants at the roots, so they do not emerge again is highly recommended. Once the crabgrass is dead or removed, you can begin planning the next steps to creating a healthy crabgrass-free lawn.
How do I prevent crabgrass in the spring?
Applying a crabgrass preventer with lawn food in the early to mid-spring can keep the weed from emerging for about four months. In addition to controlling crabgrass, the preventer can kill weeds such as clover and dandelion while your lawn gets fed. The landscape professionals in Johnson City explain that most crabgrass preventers keep grass seed from developing as well, so we recommend checking the package for seeding restrictions or waiting before over-seeding your lawn for the best results. Below are additional ways to help prevent spring crabgrass development.
- Mow at the proper height
Mowing the lawn to the specific height needed for your grass type can discourage crabgrass growth. When you mow your lawn higher, the grass blades shade the soil and prevent crabgrass seed germination.
- Feed your lawn regularly
Feeding your lawn can create thick, full grass with few weeds, including crabgrass. When your yard is not adequately nourished or stressed, weeds can quickly invade and take over your beautiful lawn. Therefore, fertilize your property every six to eight weeks during the spring and summer with quality lawn fertilizer.
- Deeply water your lawn
Lawn grasses require ideal conditions for growth. Weeds, however, can adapt to adverse conditions and often flourish. Whether through rain or your water hose, frequent shallow watering can encourage shallow roots, increasing your lawn’s health risk when heat or drought arrives. Therefore, water your lawn infrequently with six to eight inches to encourage more profound root growth and crowd out unwanted weeds. You may want to consider installing an irrigation system in troublesome areas.
- Repair lawn damage
Crabgrass dies with the first frost in the fall, which can leave behind soil-exposed bare spots in your lawn. Even though it can look discouraging, it is repairable with a patching product and frequent watering.
Landscapers in Kingsport, Johnson City, and Bristol, Tennessee
Protecting your lawn against a crabgrass invasion can create a beautiful, lush lawn. With available lawn treatments at your local retailer, you can stop crabgrass from taking over. If controlling or treating your property for crabgrass sounds complex or like an undesired time-consuming activity, feel free to have the Tri-Cities landscaping professionals from Promier Landscapes tend to your lawn. Not sure where to start? Contact our office for a consultation by calling (423) 872-2988 or visit us online to schedule a consultation today!