Crabgrass weeds, are seen as their seeds germinate when spring soil temperatures tend upwards from 52 degrees(f). At one-half inch deep as the trigger point for their application of pre-emergence herbicide.
If you battle weeds in your lawn you know what I mean! So please put out your crabgrass preventer first week of March and your winter weed preventer first week of September.
Put out a pre-emergence control for annual bluegrass, henbit or chickweed on that date and you will avoid winter weeds.Note that if you miss one year of putting out your pre-emergent,you will start all over trying to get your weeds under control. A lawn that is in poor condition could take one or two years before you see results. With a though lawn we recommend putting it out three times a year,that would be every 90 days after your September treatment, and then you will see quick results. Remember crabgrass might not die in winter and the seeds it dropped will sprout next April and you could have even more weeds next year.Crabgrass must be sprayed with a weed killer specifically for crabgrass temperaturers must be above 90 degrees (f) for most of these Chemicals to be affective! I cannot tell you enough , "apply your pre-emergence first week of September and first week of March and you will be weed free!"
The keys to a perfect lawn
* Get the mowing height right for the right time of year.
There is more to mowing than just cutting the grass every saturday. One of the most fundamental steps to a perfect lawn is getting the mowing height right for your type of lawn and for the specific season. Most grasses do best with a length of 2 - 3". This only applies for spring and early fall. In the summer, set it even higher. Never go below the minimum recommended height except for the last mowing of the season which should be around 1.5" for most turf grasses.
* Use a sharp blade.
The type of mower does not matter, but the blade's condition does. A dull blade tears at the grass. Take a close look at a grass blade a few days after mowing. If the blade is dull you will notice a jagged brown line across the tip of the cut grass. This is a good indication that your blade needs sharpening. Professional mowers sharpen their blades about every 8 hours of use. For most homeowners, twice a year is recommended.
* Regulate the water intake.
Over watering your lawn causes more damage than a lack of water. That is because most turf grasses can handle dry spells, but not flooding. Most grasses require 1 - 1.5" of water per week.
* Give your lawn a regular balanced diet.
Do not over-feed your lawn with too much of a good thing. Four balanced fertilizer applications a year is plenty: spring, summer, early fall and after the first frost. If you are in drought conditions, skip the summer feeding. Try your hardest to never skip the fall feeding. It is important to use quality lawn products.
* Prevention is the best medicine for a healthy lawn.
Preventing problems is better than having to correct them. Consistent maintenance is the key.
Repair bare spots as soon as you spot them. Spot treat for weeds with the right herbicide, following label directions. Use pre-emergent herbicides for most grassy-type weeds like crabgrass.
How to control weeds!
NEWLY SEEDED LAWNS:
The best way to keep weeds out of these lawns is by following the proper steps in planting. First, use a high quality grass seed. Second, use quality topsoil and weed-free organic matter as well as seeding at the proper rate. Third water on a set schedule. It is important to note that when a lawn is first planted from seed it will always have weeds in it. It is vital not to spray lawn weed killer or use a weed and feed on the lawn until it has been mowed at least three to four times and is well established. Also, lawn weed killers should not be used in the middle of the summer due to the excessive heat. They are best used in the spring and fall.
ESTABLISHED LAWN:
The best way to keep most of the weeds out of an established lawn is by keeping it healthy so that the strong grass can choke out the weeds that would other wise infest it. Some tips to keep the lawn healthy are mowing at a height of 2 ½ to 3 inches every four to five days, watering less often with greater amounts of water, fertilizing about every six weeks and aerating once a year. Because it is almost impossible to keep all weeds out, having a few will not harm your existing lawn.
Other Issues:
If a lawn's health is being maintained, but weeds are still present, it is important to identify what kind of weeds are in the responsible culprits. Weeds come in two forms, broadleaf weeds (dandelions and clover are two examples), and weedy grasses (Crabgrass and Bermuda grass, etc.).
Controlling broadleaf weeds in the lawn is often easier than getting rid of grasses. Many broadleaf weeds, which germinate in the spring, can be controlled by applying a pre- emergent weed killer. Pre-emergent weed killers are usually combined with a fertilizer and work by killing the weeds as they are attempting to germinate. Pre-emergents, need to be applied by mid-March to be most effective. In the spring or fall, granular weed-and-feed can be applied to kill broad leaf weeds. If there are not many weeds present in the lawn, granular weed-and-feed fertilizers can also be used in the spring, but they are not quite as effective as the liquid herbicides.
To control weedy grasses in the lawn, it is important to maintain its health. Once the weed grasses are growing, all that can be done is spraying them out with commercial weed killers or other broad spectrum weed killers containing glyphosate. After spraying with these chemicals, reseeding or re-sodding will be necessary in the area. There are no weed-killers specific enough to kill weed grasses growing in the lawn without killing the lawn itself. Because left over roots can spread in the soil, do not dig out the weed grasses until they are dead.
Pre-emergence control
