Without a doubt, the best time to stop and kill crabgrass is before it ever starts to grow – and the only way to do that effectively is in the early spring with a simple all-natural pre-emergent application that can stop crabgrass in its tracks before it ever sprouts!
There is little doubt that crabgrass is one of the biggest headaches of all. Especially for those who love to keep their lawns looking green, lush and weed free. The intrusive weed can riddle a yard with its far stretching roots and spidery blades. And it can find a permanent home in the slightest of bare soil!
Unfortunately, once it establishes, it can seem all but impossible to eliminate. Not only do the roots of crabgrass travel far and wide, the plant also releases an enormous amount of seeds. So many, that they can produce hundreds if not thousands of new plants each season.
But there is some good news when it comes to battling crabgrass successfully. As it turns out, if you can apply a pre-emergent to your lawn while the seeds and plants are not actively growing, you can actually prevent them developing roots and growing when spring arrives.
But here is the really good news, you can do it quite easily and safely with an all-natural pre-emergent!
How To Kill Crabgrass In Early Spring – Naturally & Effectively!
Pre-emergent crabgrass products work by creating a thin barrier on the soil and on the crabgrass seeds that lie in wait to sprout. The barrier not only makes it harder for seeds to germinate, but keeps the plants from being able to develop roots and establish even if they do start to sprout.
The key with any pre-emergent is that it must be put on before the seed sprouts. Unfortunately, it will not kill an existing plant. Instead, it will only prevent seeds from becoming new plants.
But what about last year’s plants that died off in the fall with the first frost? Well, that is the beauty of eliminating crabgrass with a pre-emergent. When the old plants die off in the fall with a frost, they are gone for good.
But it is the seeds they leave behind that sprout to grow again in the spring and all summer long. And if you keep those seeds from establishing and growing – crabgrass control is within your grasp!
Using A Natural Pre-Emergent – How To Kill Crabgrass In Early Spring
There are, of course, many commercially made pre-emergent products for crabgrass. But for many homeowners with pets and small children, there is always the concern of any potential short or long term issues they can cause.
For those that want to totally go organic, the great news is that there is a highly effective natural ingredient – corn gluten – that naturally stops seeds from germinating. Even better, corn gluten also helps to stop many other spring weeds like dandelions from germinating as well.
Not only is it highly effective, it also can help to green up and thicken your grass as well. Which, happens to be another great way to keep new crabgrass seeds from finding a home in the future. But best of all, it is 100% safe to use around pets and children.
As for coverage, on average, a 10 pound bag of corn gluten will cover about 2000 square feet of lawn space. But again, in order to be effective, it’s imperative that you get it down before seeds germinate! Affiliate Product Link: Organic Corn Gluten Fertilizer – GMO-Free, All-Natural Lawn Care
For best results, apply a few weeks before your grass begins to green up. For most areas, that will fall somewhere between late March and April. Pre-emergents are granular in nature, so they can be put down with a lawn seeder / spreader quite easily.
After applying, one of the best ways to increase effectiveness is to lightly water your lawn in. This will help to create the barrier than can prevent seeds from germinating and growing.
Additional Control – How To Kill Crabgrass In Early Spring
In addition to laying down a pre-emergent, there are a couple of simple measures you can take throughout the summer to completely control crabgrass. The first of which is to always mow your lawn at a higher level.
Keeping grass mowed between 3 and 3.75 inches in height will help keep the soil underneath shaded. This helps to conserve water, allows grass to grow thicker – and most importantly, keeps crabgrass seeds from finding an easy home to sprout.
Crabgrass doesn’t just need bare soil to sprout. It also needs moisture and most importantly sunlight. And if the seed is buried under the thick shade of grass, it will struggle to germinate.
Hand Picking Stragglers
Although the pre-emergent application will control a large portion of crabgrass starts, it’s inevitable that you will still have a few pass through to sprout during the season. This is especially true in the first year with a single application.
This is where hand picking any remaining crabgrass strands throughout the summer and fall can pay big dividends. By eliminating the plants ability to produce and scatter seed, you will all but eliminate future plants next year. See: How To Get Rid of Crabgrass In Late Summer – 3 Simple Secrets To Success!
Additional Control – How To Kill Crabgrass In Early Spring
Finally, the power of overseeding can be huge in keeping crabgrass out. Seeding your lawn in early to mid fall will help to thicken in bare spots, eliminating any chance for crabgrass seeds to blow in. The less bare space and the thicker your existing lawn, the less crabgrass chance for it ever to establish!
Of course, applying a yearly dose of pre-emergent in the early spring every season will also do wonders to keep crabgrass from ever becoming a problem again.
Here is to getting down a pre-emergent this spring – and to killing the crabgrass in your yard!
Simple Garden Life
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