Your beautiful lawn where you have invested your precious time, money, and efforts, ruins in just a fraction of a second when crabgrass starts invading. Newly germinating crabgrass is light green in color then eventually changes its color into dark and dull green during its growing period.
Its leaves are wider as compare to grass blades. Crabgrass grows in clumps of grass and it spreads like a plague in no time and kills the beauty of your lawn. Just like the crab, its centric location eats anything in its way.
As it tends to grow larger and once it has sprouted it come difficult to control crabgrass. Where it has been killed place an empty patch on the lawn and that spot on the lawn redevelop in the following year.
This might wonder to you that what you should do the control crabgrass. What could be the necessary steps to control?
Season of Crabgrass: The germination period of crabgrass is often extensive and it grows between late spring and early fall. The most dominant period of crabgrass is late summer. Crabgrass usually dies out in late fall and as it grows annually this makes it survive only for one year, however, if corrective measures are not taken on time then it would grow about 1,50,000 seeds per plant every year.
Environment for Crabgrass: An empty space or bare spots in the lawn is the origin of crabgrass and other broadleaf weeds. Areas where crabgrass generally sprouted in dry soil and patchy area of the lawn. Mainly it appears near rocks, pavements, and sidewalks. It flourishes more in warm and drought conditions.
The Pattern of Crabgrass: Crabgrass follows a star pattern from the stem to the central point of the plant. It has circular growth.
Leaves of Crabgrass: Crabgrass leaves are 2/5 to ½ inch broad and 1/3 to 1 inch stretched. Leaves are flat and the stem and tip of the plant are pointing up slightly.
Flowers: Crabgrass flowers in the month of August and September. Flowers of crabgrass often refer as finger-grass because of its flower. About 4 to 6 inches in length its flower has a purple spire expanded from the top.
Crabgrass Seeds: Crabgrass produces about 1, 50,000 grass seeds each year per plant if untreated.
Types of Crabgrass: There are two types of crabgrass.
- Smooth crabgrass: It is short (3 to 6 inches in height) and has light green leaves.
- Large crabgrass: It is a large and taller plant and has 2 to 3 feet high purple flowers.
As of now, there is no such remedy that can completely treat crabgrass in your locality. The reason behind this is that there are many types of grasses. In fact, there are chances of other grasses to have bad effects of treatment products. However, certain measures can be introduced to minimize the attack of crabgrass from your lawn.
As mentioned above, crabgrass is an annual plant that dies at the end of the year and re-grows the following point if remains untreated. According to the size of the plant, crabgrass plant produce 150 to about 1, 500,000 seeds each year which are more than enough to invade your lawn.
Thus, it is very important to prevent seeds to develop, re-grow on the lawn. Utilizing corrective, preventive, and controlling measures can avoid the evil effects of crabgrass from your lawn.
· Start early – in spring
Prickly heat and drought conditions are the originators of Crabgrass so start early, start working when the soil temperature is cool when there is the winter season. Weeds like crabgrass can be under control by applying pre emergent herbicides and weed control. It has the plus point of not affecting newly emerging lawn grass.
· Pull out newly emerging crabgrass seeds
Plucking the young crabgrass plant not only clears your lawn it also prevents in releasing and seedling. So pull it as soon as it appears on your lawn.
· Pulling out grown-up crabgrass is not recommended
Mature seeds can spread many seeds for sprouting which can worsen the situation of your lawn.
A flourishing lawn has fewer chances of getting affected by crabgrass. A healthy lawn doesn’t allow crabgrass to snatch its beauty.
Often people don’t realize that over-watering would affect the turf quality of the grass. Only strong and healthy turf grass can prevent crabgrass. Therefore, frequent and over-watering should be avoided.
For healthy grass frequent and adequate trimming of grass is essential. Thick grass prevents crabgrass because it emerges more when there is plenty of light.
When weeds are already germinated, the application of post-emergent herbicides is advisable. Be sure before applying treatment products to kill crabgrass and make sure that it would not affect your lawn grass.
Certain temperature is mandatory for the application of some herbicides. Optimization of time and weather is essential and the effectiveness of the treatment process also depends upon it. Only using herbicides is not enough, a regular close monitor is also significant, pluck off newly sprouted crabgrass as soon as possible.
However, also make sure the quantity of herbicide and lawn fertilizer used in the lawn, if the color of the lawn grass turns brown then it’s a sign for excessive use of treatment product. Always dilute such products for spreading.
A few preventative control measures can control crabgrass.
- Herbicides: It is the best way to control crabgrass, however; favorable temperature, weather, and the right quantity of herbicide are key parameters to optimize herbicides on the lawn.
- A Healthy Lawn: avoids weeds and restricts crabgrass.
- Seedling: A right time only can cultivate the right result for your lawn.
- Anticipatory Pre-emergent: Adequate watering and fertilization also act as a defense mechanism.
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