Although crabgrass and other weeds seem to appear out of nowhere, they don’t just start growing overnight. Crabgrass can easily overwhelm a lawn, which means you need to stay vigilant and prevent it from growing so that it won’t take over your lawn. Here’s what you need to know about crabgrass, and how you can prevent it from overwhelming your yard.
What Is Crabgrass?
Crabgrass is an annual, very unattractive weed that typically enters Florida lawns through bare spots. It features a coarse texture and strange variation in color, so it always sticks out in a lawn.
Crabgrass germinates whenever soil temperatures are ideal, with peak germination near 65 degrees. It drops seeds during the summer and early fall, and the seeds remain over the winter, germinating in the spring as temperatures rise. Summer is the prime season for crabgrass, as it flourishes during the hot months and begins to outcompete the rest of your lawn. Preventing crabgrass—and getting it under control if it’s already taken hold—is essential in maintaining a lush, healthy lawn.
Preventing Crabgrass in Your Lawn
The best way to prevent crabgrass is with eco-friendly pre-emergent treatments, like the ones the lawn care experts at Evergreen Lawn and Pest Control offer. Evergreen’s lawn care professionals understand the optimal time and soil temperature for applying these pre-emergent in the spring. We also recommend a pre-emergent application heading into fall as soil temperatures start decreasing to prevent other broadleaf weeds from germinating.
Some of the other effective ways to prevent crabgrass from taking over your lawn include:
- Avoid Mowing Too Short. Mowing your lawn too short can help crabgrass spread since it takes root in thin, bare patches of lawn. Mow to the proper height for the type of grass you have, usually at a height between 1-4”.
- Water Regularly. Crabgrass thrives in dry, hot conditions, so you should give your native grass the best chance of survival by ensuring it stays moist in the warm seasons. Water regularly, ensuring the soil is evenly moist.
- Use Mulch. Mulch is a helpful natural remedy against the spread of crabgrass. Simply apply a layer of mulch in bare patches of lawn—or in areas where crabgrass has already taken hold—to smother any weeds. Just make sure no mulch is covering any plants you want to protect.
- Use Boiling Water. If you have isolated patches of crabgrass in your lawn, douse them with boiling water. The hot water will kill the crabgrass, allowing you to reseed the area with seed of your native grass type.
Optimize Your Lawn With the Help of Service Choice of Oakland Park
Crabgrass can quickly ruin an otherwise great-looking lawn. The best way to prevent crabgrass, along with other weeds, diseases, and insects, is by relying on help from the lawn care experts at Service Choice of Oakland Park. We’ll create a customized treatment program that ensures you get optimal results from your lawn. Call us today at (954) 568-9955 to get started!
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