West
member
Reged: 03/16/04
Posts: 78
Loc: Allen, TX
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What has been everyone experience with ridding your yard of crab grass? What works the best and what doesn't? I'm looking into putting something on my yard to take care of my crab grass problem.
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denisew
enthusiast
Reged: 02/18/02
Posts: 3234
Loc: Allen, TX
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If you garden organically, then put down some corn gluten meal now. If you go the other route, Betasan and Portrait or Gallery are two pre-emergents recommended by Neil Sperry that should also be applied now. One (Betasan) is for grassy weeds and the other two are for broadleaf weeds. Follow label directions when using these products and wear long pants and sleeves to protect your skin. Water it in after application for all pre-emergents. If I see crabgrass in my yard, I pull it.
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Allen Garden Club
www.allengardenclub.org
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dejavooodooo
member
Reged: 10/27/04
Posts: 68
Loc: Allen, TX
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I had some crab grass in places of my front yard last winter. This winter, I have a perennial rye grass in my yard and no crab grass. If you seed it in late October and fertilize and water regularly, the rye will squeeze out the crab grass.
Also, its too late now, but next fall if you're thinking of rye grass, go with perennial, not annual. Perennial grows slower and is a darker green in color. The annual grows rapidly and looks more lime green than anything. Plus, you have to mow it every 4 days or so.
I mow my perennial every 7-8 days on a low setting with a mulching mower. No problems.
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denisew
enthusiast
Reged: 02/18/02
Posts: 3234
Loc: Allen, TX
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Crabgrass is more of a warm season problem, so maybe what you have is the annual rye grass - Poa annua? Use your pre-emergents in the late winter (now) and in the fall. Annual rye grass will die out of your lawn as it heats up, but does reseed. Pre-emergents will prevent most of those seeds from germinating next winter.
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Allen Garden Club
www.allengardenclub.org
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Stogiez
enthusiast
Reged: 04/10/02
Posts: 267
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
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As Denisew suggested, what you might be having is poa annua (or annual bluegress). One way to tell is if you have bermuda in your yard and it is still dormant and brown, and then scattered throughout, are clumps of green--seemingly growing from one "center" for each clump. And probably are showing little seedling heads, (like little wheat stalks)--that is annual blue grass (poa annua.)
Here a link to the USDA site for a photo. http://plants.usda.gov/cgi_bin/topics.cgi?earl=plant_profile.cgi&symbol=POAN
The only product that I have used that works effectively on poa annua is Image weed killer. Two things about it: it takes a LONG time (4-8 weeks), and is expensive. $20 for 24 oz that will treat 6,000 sq. ft. But it works. Just make sure to follow the directions carefully and do it soon, before the seeds fall and germinate. You can get it at both of the two big box stores on McDermott. Just make sure that you have about 2 or 3 days of sunshine after you spray.
You will notice the sprayed areas start to turn yellowish-brown from the root center first after about a week. That's because it gets absorbed into the root system. Not through the blades--that why it takes longer. But as I said, you have to do it early. I thought I got my poa annua early enough, and it started to turn yellow, but then a new crop started coming up, a few feet away. Just as emerald green as could be. I just pulled that clump.
Good luck with your battle against the bluegrass.
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denisew
enthusiast
Reged: 02/18/02
Posts: 3234
Loc: Allen, TX
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Yeah, that's what I meant - annual bluegrass. I get the two mixed up sometimes. But I did get the botanical name right. 
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Allen Garden Club
www.allengardenclub.org
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West
member
Reged: 03/16/04
Posts: 78
Loc: Allen, TX
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The weeds don't have the "chickenfoot" thing on them. It actually looks like Johnson grass. I just bought Ortho Weed-B-Gone for lawns that is suppose to kill grassy weeds and I'm going to put it on this weekend.
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Bandit's Gang
enthusiast
Reged: 03/03/03
Posts: 186
Loc: Allen,TX
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We have joked about getting a goat, specifically to eat what the horses won't. We could name him "Weed-eater", call him Weed for short.
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Never miss a good chance to shut up.
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Stogiez
enthusiast
Reged: 04/10/02
Posts: 267
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
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The johnson grass will have little streaks of red coloring down toward the center of the clump. It too grows in clumps. The Weed-b-Gone has two types of product. The "Crabgrass Killer" and the "Broadleaf Killer". A crabgrass is a grassy-like weed--sedge, johnson grass, etc. A broadleaf weed is like dandelions, wild lettuce, henbit/milkweed, etc. Be careful, and DO NOT use the broadleaf weed killer if you have St. Augustine grass. It is in the same family as the broadleaf weeds, and will be killed by the broadleaf weed killer. There is a special one for St. Augustine lawns.
I've used the W-b-G crabgrass killer and liked it, but it doesn't work on the poa annua. It was effective on all other crabgrass types.
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West
member
Reged: 03/16/04
Posts: 78
Loc: Allen, TX
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It doesn't have the red coloring in the middle of the clump. It does grow in a clump, has large blades of grass, and some of the largest clumps are up to about 6" tall. I have bermuda growing in my lawn and bought crabgrass killer weed be gone. I'll see if it works. Thanks.
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campbellfam
enthusiast
Reged: 07/12/02
Posts: 947
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
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stogiez, have you tried a pellet gun on the weeds? Let me know how it works 
(sorry I couldn't resist)
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The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.- Daryl Reaugh
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Stogiez
enthusiast
Reged: 04/10/02
Posts: 267
Loc: Allen, TX, USA
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Nah, the weeds move around too fast for me to get 'em with the pellet gun. I have to wait until they're sleeping, then I get them with the Weed B Gon. 
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