Though they seem to appear out of nowhere, weeds—like crabgrass—don’t start to grow overnight. They too have a seed stage and some can survive the winter and come back season after season if not addressed properly. The best way to prevent crabgrass is to eliminate it now so that it’s less likely to return.

Tips to Prevent Crabgrass

Mowing, pulling, and praying won’t stop it. Crabgrass continues producing seeds until you kill it or cold weather arrives. It can produce over 150,000 seeds per plant, and while you may not see the weed till the next season, it’s still growing, waiting to make an appearance. The longer you wait to kill crabgrass, the worse your problem will be next year. Here’s what you can do:

• Keep crabgrass seeds from spreading. seeds. Before mowing, use a rake to disturb the crabgrass. Be sure to use a grass catcher when mowing, because you’ll catch crabgrass seeds too. Recycle clippings through lawn waste collection, and don’t use it as mulch since the weeds will grow back wherever you use it.
• Kill existing crabgrass. Depending on the area you’re killing the crabgrass in, you can use an herbicide or a fertilizer with crabgrass preventer added to it.
• Remove dead crabgrass plants. This also helps prevent the weed from returning, and won’t smother your grass.
• Replant bare lawn spots with new grass seed. If you don’t reseed, other weeds can germinate in the open areas.
• Apply a crabgrass preventer at the appropriate times. Pre-emergent herbicides start working before new weeds start to grow.

Prevent Crabgrass with a Healthy Lawn

The best way to rid your lawn of crabgrass and other weeds is to keep it healthy. Fertilize, water, and mow at the right amount for your type of grass and environment. If all else fails, contact the lawn care specialists at Cardinal Lawns for more help.