With its coarse clumps and spikes sticking in the air, the most dreaded of all grasses makes their appearance. After lying in the ground all winter, the seeds from the Digitaria family germinate. When the air temperature begins to warm enough, usually about the time Forsythia blooms, crabgrass begins life and matures in the fall of the year.
The most likely places for crabgrass to grow is where lawn grasses are at their weakest, usually along sidewalks and driveways are dominant areas. Once established in lawns, eradication is especially difficult as mowing induces new flowering and shedding of seed.
We can assume some control of crabgrass by a diligent effort on our part. The use of pre emergent and post emergent herbicides, depending on the type of turf grass, help maintain lawns at a healthy level. Hand pulling is the simplest approach, but only when the area is small enough to warrant.
By using fertilizers in the correct amounts and at the correct time of year, we can not only improve, but also maintain our lawn’s health. Last but not least, mowing at taller heights can improve our lawns ability to defend itself against the stresses of summer and thicker, healthier lawns present a more difficult area for crabgrass establishment.