Crab Grass In Indiana Lawns
Are you seeing crab grass in your lawn this year? If not, you’re lucky. Crabgrass is running rampant this season. In fact, in my 20 years of working in the lawn care industry, this is the worst I have ever seen it. Crab grass is jumping and popping in lawns from Indiana to Illinois and all across the Midwest. It’s bad; here is why, and here is also what you can do.
What Is Crab Grass?
I guess first off, you should look at the pictures here dontcha think? There are alot of weedy grasses that pop into our lawns here in NW Indiana, and many are confused with crabgrass. So it yours matches the picture, well, ya know.
Anyway, crabgrass is considered to be a “weed grass.” It’s an annual meaning that the plants you see in your lawn today will die over winter never to return. But you know what, they do leave seeds behind (by the thousands) so their children are sure to hant you in the future.
crabgrass, wide blades, lays flat, pale green
CrabGrass Preventatives
In most years, we lawn care folks recommend that you apply a crab grass pre-emergent herbicide that is designed to stop crab grass from ever germinating. These herbicides work well when they are applied properly. Here in Indiana, we want the crab grass pre-emergent applied during the month of April as crab grass usually germinates in later May and June.
This year, however, even if you applied the preemergent herbicide, it probably failed and you have crabgrass running rampant. I see it in thick lines along edges of driveways and sidewalks, but also in huge, sweeping outcrops in the middle of lawns.
Why Is Crabgrass So Bad This Year?
It’s because we had an extra long rainy season in Indiana that lasted well into later June. On top of that, the rains we got were major “bucket dumps” instead of steady, sustained rains. Lastly, in July, we had some hot temperature upswings that made the crabgrass seeds go crazy. When you throw a longer rainy season in the mix with super heavy rains and then heat, your crab grass pre-emergent fails… that is what we have.
dead crab grass, sprayed with quinclorac
How To Get Rid Of Grab Grass
You can kill the crab grass. You need to use a post-emergent herbicide that contains QuinClorac. This is the very best product for killing matured crab grass. Anything else is not going to really get good control on mature plants.
Keep in mind, however, it is tough to control crab grass that has grown large. It will take multiple applications and the carcass/skeletons that remain don’t go away until after the winter!
Best of luck to you guys, and next year, consider adding a double application of the crab grass pre-emergent!
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How easy is it to find QuinClorac – the postemergent ?
Hi Debbie, most products at your local store labeled as “crab grass killer” will have Quiclorac. Look at the “active ingredient” section to confirm. Some are more concentrated than others of course.
Great site!
We moved to CPt 2 years ago from Texas, (the land of the sprinkler system and St. Augustine grass) and we have almost destroyed (unintentionally) our lawn here. Any advice on how to get it ready for winter, and should we have professionals take over in the spring? It is a large area-1/4 quarter acre with lots of oak trees.
Crown Point Community Theatre provides great entertainment-maybe you could do a write up on them.
Hi Janet, glad you stopped over here. I lived in FLorida for many years, so I understand the creeping st aug grass!
As far as what to put on your lawn here in Crown Point, I wrote a little book to show you everything to put down, step by step. Of course, you also have to know “how” to apply lawn products and this book does not teach that.
Now, if you hire a pro lawn company, that will work too… we have some very good ones around here.
I will check out the Crown Point Comm theatre too. Maybe you want to write the article here for me? I need writers and contributors because I work a day job and don’t have the time to get to all the great stories around here. Let me know!