Is there any way to get rid of an abundance of crab grass in a new customer's lawn this time of year without killing all the good grass? Or would it be best just to tell them that it can be treated next year? It's a new home in Guiest ( a upperclass settlement in Indy). I hate to suggest wiping it all out and reseading the whole thing since I've not done that kind of thing yet. Unless it's not going to be too hard and it will pay well. Other than that, I will suggest he go with one of the treatment companies, Scotts, leisure lawn, ect. I've read that spring is the only real time to prevent it as it dies in the winter, but the seeds survive of course. Any ideas?
How do u eliminate crab grass now?
green-pa
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Is there any way to get rid of an abundance of crab grass in a new customer's lawn this time of year without killing all the good grass? Or would it be best just to tell them that it can be treated next year? It's a new home in Guiest ( a upperclass settlement in Indy). I hate to suggest wiping it all out and reseading the whole thing since I've not done that kind of thing yet. Unless it's not going to be too hard and it will pay well. Other than that, I will suggest he go with one of the treatment companies, Scotts, leisure lawn, ect. I've read that spring is the only real time to prevent it as it dies in the winter, but the seeds survive of course. Any ideas?
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You can use MSMA. It will turn the rest of the lawn brown too but it should come right back. Make sure that you do not use MSMA if the customer has a broad-leaf grass such as St. Augustine.
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What's wrong with St, Aug ?
I have always used MSMA in it, with Great results,
you will want to follow the mixing directions and NOT go to strong,
and you will have to treat it a couple of times,
WalMart sells MSMA.
If your not a lawn chem guy...don't spray anything.
1. Killing crabgrass this time of year..isn't easy....no matter who you are.
2. This is the beginning of prime seeding season...depending on what you use, seed won't like it very much...lol
3. If the crabgrass is really bad (dense) just seed into it. The crabgrass will keep it moist and sheltered until it dies leaving behind newly germinated seed to get full sun.
1. Killing crabgrass this time of year..isn't easy....no matter who you are.
2. This is the beginning of prime seeding season...depending on what you use, seed won't like it very much...lol
3. If the crabgrass is really bad (dense) just seed into it. The crabgrass will keep it moist and sheltered until it dies leaving behind newly germinated seed to get full sun.
Educate your customer instead
Spraying it now is useless....much of it is turning purple or seeding out already which means its dying anyway
In western Michigan we did get a secondary germination with recent rains but this will die off with the first frost before it becomes to noticeable.
Spraying it now is useless....much of it is turning purple or seeding out already which means its dying anyway
In western Michigan we did get a secondary germination with recent rains but this will die off with the first frost before it becomes to noticeable.
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Crabgrass is such a royal pita, for more than one reason:
1) The customer who only wants you to cut their grass doesn't care, so you're wasting your time, some of these lawns are nothing but crabgrass... Truth be known, it's the only thing that grows good in the heat thou.
2) The customers who do care usually have an irrigation system, which, using any weed killer you really need 48 hours without water! Spray this crabgrass and that evening or the next morning their sprinkler system washes it all away. Yeah, go ahead and ask them to turn it off (some do, some say they will but forget, etc), don't forget to check the weather forecast and calculate this into it as well, once again your efforts get wasted a fair bit.
3) Any weed killer needs to be sprayed 30 days apart from seeding, gee, that about rules out spring and fall, and if you spray it in the hottest part of summer you stand a chance of killing the rest of the lawn as well. Oh yeah, it really doesn't start growing until June-July.
4) Pre-emergent? One word: LOL
You have to spray the WHOLE yard with pre-e, there's no way to predict where it will come up (or if it will), there's a bit of a COST associated with spraying an entire lawn, nevermind convincing a customer in spring that their yard needs it, when the evidence does not yet exist. Post-emergent is nice because spot treatments are cost-effective, but for this to work first the crabgrass has to exist.
Just a lovely mix, I know all about it.
Drive-75 is what I use, mix some and always carry some with you, then spot treat what you find, every visit if need be.
1) The customer who only wants you to cut their grass doesn't care, so you're wasting your time, some of these lawns are nothing but crabgrass... Truth be known, it's the only thing that grows good in the heat thou.
2) The customers who do care usually have an irrigation system, which, using any weed killer you really need 48 hours without water! Spray this crabgrass and that evening or the next morning their sprinkler system washes it all away. Yeah, go ahead and ask them to turn it off (some do, some say they will but forget, etc), don't forget to check the weather forecast and calculate this into it as well, once again your efforts get wasted a fair bit.
3) Any weed killer needs to be sprayed 30 days apart from seeding, gee, that about rules out spring and fall, and if you spray it in the hottest part of summer you stand a chance of killing the rest of the lawn as well. Oh yeah, it really doesn't start growing until June-July.
4) Pre-emergent? One word: LOL
You have to spray the WHOLE yard with pre-e, there's no way to predict where it will come up (or if it will), there's a bit of a COST associated with spraying an entire lawn, nevermind convincing a customer in spring that their yard needs it, when the evidence does not yet exist. Post-emergent is nice because spot treatments are cost-effective, but for this to work first the crabgrass has to exist.
Just a lovely mix, I know all about it.
Drive-75 is what I use, mix some and always carry some with you, then spot treat what you find, every visit if need be.
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