How to Get Rid of Crabgrass

You raked to prepare the soil and diligently laid down the grass seed. You fertilized, mulched, and watered. And then, you patiently waited and waited. Finally, it’s summer; time to bask in the glory of your fresh and pristine lawn.

But wait--is that crabgrass you see?

If you followed grass planting advice, you didn’t apply weed killer to your newly planted lawn, so that pesky crabgrass was free to germinate right along with your grass seeds. If you are wondering how to get rid of crabgrass in the summer, during the peak of turf season, you’re in luck. We’ll discuss how to rid your lawn of crabgrass and prevent it from coming back.

Pull it Up
It’s simple, really. Pull the crabgrass up by hand; this is the best way to safeguard your lawn and get rid of the crabgrass right away. For tough roots, try thoroughly watering the affected areas to soften the soil before pulling out those annoying weeds. Dispose of them by throwing the weeds into your yard debris bin.

Apply a Post-Emergent Herbicide
Yanking out a handful of weeds is easy enough, but if your lawn is totally overrun with this irritating grass, weeding might not be an option. Thankfully, post-emergent herbicides do a pretty good job of taking care of the problem. You can purchase these weed killers virtually anywhere, from garden specialty stores to online retailers such as Amazon. Be sure to follow the instructions if you use a post-emergent herbicide so you don’t harm your healthy grass. If you’re worried about proper application, contact a professional service.

Prevent Crabgrass from Returning
In the spring, uniformly apply a preemergence herbicide to your entire lawn. Why spring? Crabgrass germinates in the spring and will be in full bloom by summertime, so you need to attack before it emerges. Follow manufacturer instructions for application, and if in doubt, call in an expert.

Remember: Crabgrass is nothing but an irritating weed. Using these crabgrass control tips, you’ll be the master of your garden in no time.

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