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By Any Name It's Still Crabgrass
by Tom McCubbin courtesy of the Orlando Sentinel
It's bright green, quick growing and a durable grass but most gardeners can't tolerate it. Some have given it contemptuous names like creeping Charlie and carpetweed -- but its best known as crabgrass.
During good growing weather spring through fall crabgrass quickly creeps over barren soils and between the blades of desired turf. The short and often stocky blades add a new dimension to lawns that contrasts greatly with the longer leaved St. Augustines and bahias. Then comes winter when the first chill turns crabgrass a khaki color.
Obviously most gardeners don't appreciate crabgrass and would like to see it eliminated from their yards. And crabgrass is a problem for homeowners and lawn care companies alike. It's one of the big three lawn care problems just behind chinch bugs and broadleaf weeds.
Possibly it's a bit idealistic but the best starting point for crabgrass control is a weed free lawn. If you have crabgrass infested spots apply a non selective weed control product like Roundup and then resod. All infested areas need to be eliminated. Once the new lawn is installed you have to continually check the turf for reinfestation.
Gardeners need a plan that prevents seeds from germinating and producing new growths that invade the turf. Germination inhibiting products called preemergence herbicides or crabgrass preventers are available from garden centers. Gardeners should realize these products do not affect the sprigs of live crabgrass that may be brown now but remain alive and ready to grow at the end of winter.
All portions of live crabgrass must be removed and then a herbicide can be applied. Timing of the application is critical. It must be applied before the weather warms and the seeds begin to sprout. In Florida most crabgrass treatments should be applied during early February. Almost every garden centers offers one or more preemergence products. Also note the time recommended on the label for an important second treatment usually in 60 to 90 days to continue the control. Then stay alert for new infestations that must be eliminated.
Once crabgrass has begun growth gardeners have two choices, either pull it out or spot treat it with a herbicide. Most products for spot control are non selective and damage the desirable turf but do allow resodding. Gardeners may obtain selective control with a new product that began as a home remedy and has been recently labeled for use in lawns by AgraLawn Inc. of Lakeland. (note that Agralawn, Inc. has been recently purchased by Garden Weasel AG.)
Garden Weasel Crabgrass Killer marketed at garden centers and at CrabgrassAlert.com via the internet is considered environmentally friendly a selective control for use in St. Augustine, common Bermuda, bahia and centipede lawns. It's best applied when the crabgrass is young and when the weeds and turf are moist from dews, rain or irrigation. Control takes up to a week and treatments may have to be repeated on well establish crabgrass.
A Crabgrass Control Strategy:
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Remove all sprigs and areas infested with crabgrass and resod as needed. |
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Apply a crabgrass preventer available at garden centers to control seed germination during early February. |
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Moisten the soil with a quarter inch of water to activate the control or as instructed on the label. |
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Reapply the crabgrass preventer in 60 to 90 days as instructed on the label. |
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Stay alert to new infestations and dig out or spot kill as needed. |
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