Crabgrass to Rye

[Dman911]

Any help...please?
I have a yard covered in crabgrass. I am thinking about scalping the yard fertilizing the seeding with rye. Should this work or will I have just made super crabgrass?

Thanks.

[whoopassonthebluegrass]

The crabgrass seeds are in the soil.

If the lawn needs grass, that issue stands independent of the crabgrass issue.

New grass, if cut right and thickened as quickly as possible, will choke out crabgrass and keep those seeds (and others) from germinating.

That being said, pre-emergent is cheap and effective against crabgrass.

So get your lawn in, baby it and get it good and thick ASAP. Then, come spring, pre-emerge it.

[Dman911]

Thanks for the help. Should I dethatch or aerate first?
Thanks again.

[grenskpr]

And then when next summer comes around in Oklahoma you can watch it die. You're too far south to have a ryegrass lawn.

[whoopassonthebluegrass]

Originally Posted by Dman911

Should I dethatch or aerate first?

Both of those cultural practices will improve seed germination.

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

Originally Posted by whoopassonthebluegrass

Both of those cultural practices will improve seed germination.

Aerate for sure, double pass. If you can compost topdress on top your seed, even better .