How to Get Rid of Crab Grass

There are a lot of people who do not care about the crabgrass that takes over their lawn. If you are one of these people, you will want to know how to get rid of this annual weed. It is important to note that this will not happen instantly and the results will take time. Most people will only see real results in the next year.
Contents
Seed Control
The first step in getting rid of crabgrass will be to control the formation and spread of seeds. This will reduce the crabgrass you see in the future. To do this, you need to rake the crabgrass before you mow the lawn. When raking, you need to ensure that the seed branches are standing above the grass line.
This can be a very tedious job, but you will be eliminating 2 to 3 times as many seeds as you would with regular mowing. This is due to the fact that a lot of the seed stalks will hide from your mower. After you have raked the grass, you need to mow it as soon as possible.
If you have a mulching mower, you need to reconsider using it because this will simply distribute the seeds into your lawn. You should collect the clippings instead and recycle them through your local waste collection. You should only place the clippings in a compost pile if you actively work the pile to kill the seeds.
Kill The Crab Grass
Once you have taken care of as many seed stalks as possible, you need to kill the crabgrass. The problem is that the fastest method to do this will also kill the rest of your lawn and that is not what most people want. However, if this is not a problem, you can use a chemical crabgrass killer.
There are many lawns that can tolerate a chemical spray that has been designed for crab brass. However, not all varieties are safe and yours might not be. Of course, before you use any chemical killers, you need to carefully read the label and only use it as instructed.
There are many people who turn to weed killers to tackle their crabgrass. The problem with these products is that they will generally kill any plant that they come into contact with. This means that the rest of your lawn will not be safe and you have to be careful around flower beds. If you are going to use chemicals, it is recommended that you use a crabgrass killer as they are more selective than general weed killers.
If you want to avoid chemicals in your garden, you can always slice them into the roots of the crabgrass. Once you have done this, you can pull the weed up and discard it. This might not seem like a lot of fun, but it can be one of the best ways to eradicate these weeds.
Removing The Dead Crab Grass Plants
If you have chosen a chemical solution to kill the plants, you will need to get rid of the dead plants. Getting rid of them is just as important as killing them. When you remove the plants, you will give your lawn more time to recover from the damage the weed has done.
It is recommended that you place the dead plants in your local yard waste. Do not place them in other areas or in your compost because they are full of chemicals. You should also look at keeping them away from animals.
Prevent The Plants From Coming Back
Once you have completed the long journey of getting rid of the crabgrass, you need to take steps to prevent it from coming back. The easiest way for you to do this will be to use a pre-emergent. This is a product that will prevent any crabgrass seeds from growing. There are chemical and natural versions available depending on what you want for your garden.
Timing is very important when you use these products. However, crabgrass is different from other weeds so there is no right time to start using this.