Tips for Getting Your Lawn in Tip Top Shape! Tip #2.

The second consideration for spring lawn care is whether crabgrass is a problem or not. If it is a problem, timing of your application and what product you use should be considered. Application time can change from year to year depending on whether we have an early or late spring. A rule of thumb is to apply crabgrass control before forsythia blossoms drop and that is a pretty good indicator for application time. A couple of other thoughts: crabgrass control is a pre-emergence application (before crabgrass comes up). Remember, your control will last approximately 8 to 12 weeks. We have seen customers apply in early March and lose control by late May or early June. The crabgrass will come through that blanket of coverage. Last spring was a perfect example of what can happen. We had so much rain the blanket of protection was diluted so quickly there was very little control of crabgrass. Even in a normal year, early application could lead to a crabgrass problem later in the season. If you have questions regarding the proper timing of your application of crabgrass control, contact us here at Neighbor’s or your local Extension Service.

What products to use: Scotts Crabgrass Control with Halts (Pendimethalin) either combined with fertilizer or by itself. This is an excellent product for control of crabgrass. Greenview uses Team (Balan, Treflan) in their crabgrass control with or without fertilizer. Here again, an excellent product. Note: if either of those products are used you can not seed until fall. If you need to seed and control crabgrass, a product called Tupersan (Siduron) can be used. Choose to control weeds in the spring (crabgrass, dandelion, ground ivy and others) and seed in the fall any time after August 15. One last caution, this year will see a lot of crabgrass problems. There was very little control of crabgrass last year because of all the wet weather.