Learn how you can identify and prevent crabgrass on your lawn.
Crabgrass is one of the most common and aggravating weeds you might find popping up on your lawn. One of the reasons it’s so troubling to property owners is because it can spread quickly and soon take over your lawn, crowding out your turf and competing for nutrients, air, and water. How can you identify crabgrass as soon as it appears and prevent this weed from appearing in the first place? The weed control experts at Scientific Plant Service are here to offer guidance.
What Is Crabgrass?
The crabgrass is an annual weed that reproduces by seed. Every plant can produce as many as 150,000 seeds, which means this weed can spread quickly if not controlled. Crabgrass thrives in hot, dry conditions and often appears in early summer when the temperatures start to rise.
What does crabgrass look like? There are a few ways to know for sure. First, look at the overall appearance of your lawn. Do you see patches of yellow or brown grass? This could indicate crabgrass. An alternative way to tell is to search for the weeds themselves. Crabgrass is light green with hairy leaves, and the stems are longer than the other types of grass present in your lawn.
Maintain Proper Lawn Height
How high do you cut your lawn? One effective way to prevent crabgrass is to maintain the proper height for your landscape. Crabgrass seed requires sunlight to germinate. For most grass types, this means keeping the grass between two and one half and three and one half inches tall. Taller grass helps shade the weed seeds so they don’t have an opportunity to germinate.
Prevent Crabgrass with Early Treatment
You may be wondering how to kill crabgrass for good. The best way to eliminate crabgrass is to prevent it from appearing at all. You can apply a pre-emergent herbicide and fertilizer in early spring. The herbicide will kill crabgrass seeds as they germinate, which can help your lawn look great all season long. Fertilization provides the nutrients your lawn needs to stay thick, strong and healthy. Scientific Plant Service provides a combination of fertilizer plus pre-emergent weed control application that expertly strengthens your lawn and prevents seeds from germinating.
Healthy Lawns Crowd Out Crabgrass
You can help prevent crabgrass every year by maintaining a healthy lawn. A thick and robust lawn will crowd out the crabgrass and make it less likely to take over. Make sure you water your lawn deeply when the soil becomes dry, mow it at the proper height, and fertilize as recommended. By providing essential cultural care to your lawn with the help of Scientific Plant Service, you can be confident that your lawn is healthy and resilient all year long.
Scientific Plant Service Is Your Go-To Source In Landscape Healthcare
Scientific Plant Service, located in Baltimore, is a privately owned corporation, chartered in Maryland in 1957 by Frank J. Burke. We started as a full-service Arborists specializing in the care of shade trees and ornamental shrubs, but today we are a Lawn Care company that is a huge part of the community. From aquatic environments and snow management to deer and mole control, SPS has services tailored specifically for your lawn and landscape.
We offer services in Maryland, Washington, DC, and Virginia, including: Harford, Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Howard, Anne Arundel, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Talbot, Queen Anne’s, Calvert counties in MD, as well as Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Arlington, Alexandria, and Falls Church in VA. For more information, contact us online, or call us at 410-321-0970. Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Pinterest.