Catching, Treating and Controlling Crabgrass

The summer heat is a trigger for everyone’s least favorite weed: crabgrass. It grows quickly, so it it’s taking over your lawn, it's time to take control! Learn how to tell crabgrass apart from other common weeds so you can prevent it from spreading and put together a preventative battle plan.

Crabgrass is a summer annual, which means it germinates fairly quickly in late spring when plants grow fast so it becomes fairly noticeable by mid-summer and thrives in the thick of the heat. Crabgrass usually invades thin and bare areas in your lawn, particularly along the edges of your plant beds and sidewalks. For Florida residents, keep in mind that crabgrass pretty much thrives all year long due Florida’s naturally hot climate.

The most distinguishing characteristic of crabgrass is its blades, which typically grow flat instead of upright. This also sheds some light on the name, as the weed often resembles a gangly bunch of crab legs sprawling out from the center.

Sometimes, it might be difficult to tell crabgrass apart from the grass in your lawn, but there are a few key differences to spot the weed. Here’s what to look for to identify crabgrass:

• Leaves that are a lighter shade of green than the surrounding turf
• Leaves that are wider and broader than thin bladed-grasses like Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass or Bermudagrass

Different types of weeds certainly have plenty in common. They’re frustrating, unsightly and a non-stop nuisance when it comes to maintenance, but each type of weed requires an individualized type of treatment and control technique. It’s important that you don’t mistake crabgrass for its most common look-alike weeds.

The best way to control crabgrass is to apply preventative treatment such as a pre-emergent herbicide in the spring. The pre-emergent herbicide application will help control the emerging root from the seed.

Pre-emergent herbicide applications are applied in the early spring based on the grass type and specific geography, so it is laid down before the start of the window for crabgrass germination. Typically, crabgrass begins to germinate once soil temperatures reach 55 to 60 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days.

A thick, healthy lawn is the best competition and defense against crabgrass emergence. In addition to a good fertilization plan to thicken up your lawn, spring pre-emergent treatments can keep crabgrass in check during the summer months.

Because crabgrass pressure can be high, let the weed control experts at TruGreen take care of it for you. Our lawn care specialists only use herbicide applications that are highly effective and help control any crabgrass weeds that emerge and protect against their growth in the seasons to come. 

For help controlling crabgrass and kicking it to the curb, consider your local TruGreen branch as your trusted crabgrass control company. Call TruGreen today at 1-844-684-6301, or request a quote.