Crabgrass is a battle most of us in the Dallas area have had to fight. Crabgrass seeds are easily swept up by the wind, making them hard to keep out of your lawn. Crabgrass can quickly take over your yard but there are some steps you can incorporate into your lawn care to prevent the seeds from taking root.
So, what can you do to eliminate your crabgrass problem and keep your lawn green and healthy this spring?
Stop Crabgrass Before it Starts
The first cold of winter kills the crabgrass plants but leaves thousands of seeds in your yard that lay dormant during the winter months. The warmth in early spring wakes the seeds and they start growing again. This beginning stage of growth in early spring is the best time to take action against the crabgrass in your Dallas lawn.
Pre-emergent weed control is one of the best ways to prevent crabgrass from taking root. Stop weeds before they start by applying a protective barricade against crabgrass with a pre-emergent weed control application.
Pre-emergent herbicides should be applied in early spring before soil temperatures warm up; crabgrass begins to germinate in your lawn once soil temperatures have been above 55 degrees for 72 consecutive hours. We treat for crabgrass with our nine-step lawn care program, customized for the Northern Texas climate.
Promote a Healthy Lawn to Protect against Crabgrass in Dallas
During the peak of crabgrass season in the Metroplex, seeds from other yards start to spread and can find their way to your lawn. The best defense against crabgrass is to keep the seeds from germinating once they reach your lawn.
A healthy lawn with a strong root system can help ward off crabgrass in the Dallas area. You can help your lawn thrive and fight off crabgrass with regular lawn care service in Dallas.
How can you create a healthy lawn that will help keep crabgrass out?
- Crabgrass requires a lot of light to grow. Cut your grass to the highest length recommended for you specific grass type — this will limit the amount of sunlight that can reach the soil layer. Cutting your lawn too short will create patches where crabgrass and other weeds can grow.
- Water your grass in long heavy intervals instead of short, frequent ones. In Dallas, your lawn needs only one inch of water a week either from rain or irrigation.
- Fertilize your lawn regularly from March through September; your lawn needs nutrients replenished every 5-6 weeks during the growing season. — This will promote a strong healthy lawn and keep the crabgrass from growing.
- After you pluck an area of crabgrass, mulch the soil — this prevents the further spread of seeds making it more difficult for them to take root in your lawn.
For help combating crabgrass in your lawn this season and every season, Gecko Green can help! We have over 30 years of experience treating lawns in the north Dallas area and can help your lawn fight off crabgrass.
I already have crabgrass, what do I do now?
If your lawn is already showing signs of this weed, don’t panic, it is treatable! Post emergent herbicides can be applied to the weed when it is already visible, but timing and weather conditions are an important part of ensuring effectiveness.
Be sure to apply the product in the morning, after the dew has dried, on a warm and calm sunny day. If rainfall is expected, it could wash the product away before it has a chance to take effect. The ideal temperature that will allow the chemicals to be most effective is between 60 and 90 degrees.
If you notice brown spots on your turfgrass after applying the product, you may have applied too much. Water this area deeply to make sure you don’t do lasting damage to the surrounding grass. You may still see new crabgrass emerge after a single treatment, these are seedlings that may not have been previously visible. Apply the product again, and note that more than one application may be necessary.
Don't want to do it yourself?
No problem! Part of our regular lawn care program at Gecko Green includes not only the prevention of these weeds, but also treatment for existing issues in your lawn. Call us to schedule a free consultation with a trained technician today!
Want to learn more about Crabgrass and become an expert on it? Read our article on what is crabgrass and how to get rid of it.
