How to Stop Crabgrass in Your Lawn

The Problem: Crabgrass Taking Over Your Lawn

Crabgrass is one of the most frustrating lawn weeds for homeowners. This aggressive annual grass spreads quickly, crowds out your desirable turf, and creates unsightly patches throughout your lawn. Once crabgrass takes hold, it can be difficult to eliminate without the right approach.

Common signs you have a crabgrass problem:

• Light green, coarse-textured grass that stands out from your lawn
• Low-growing plants that spread outward in a crab-like pattern
• Rapid growth during hot summer months
• Bare patches in fall and winter after crabgrass dies

Understanding Crabgrass

Crabgrass germinates when soil temperatures reach 55-60°F for several consecutive days, typically in spring. It thrives in thin, weak lawns and bare soil, growing rapidly through summer and producing thousands of seeds before dying in fall. Those seeds remain dormant in your soil, ready to germinate the following spring.

The Solution: Prevention & Control Strategy

Step 1: Prevention (Most Effective)

The best way to stop crabgrass is to prevent it from germinating in the first place. Apply a pre-emergent crabgrass preventer in early spring before soil temperatures reach 55°F. Pre-emergent herbicides create a barrier in the soil that stops crabgrass seeds from sprouting.

Our recommended pre-emergent products:

• Endure 14-0-3 Crabgrass Preventer - Professional-grade prevention with lawn fertilizer
• Ferti-lome Crabgrass Preventer Plus Lawn Food - Prevents crabgrass while feeding your lawn
• Ferti-lome All Season II - Year-round protection with complete weed prevention

Step 2: Post-Emergent Control (For Existing Crabgrass)

If crabgrass has already emerged in your lawn, you'll need a post-emergent herbicide to eliminate it. These products work best on young crabgrass plants (less than 3-4 tillers).

Our recommended post-emergent products:

• Endure 19-0-3 Crabgrass Control - Kills existing crabgrass while feeding your lawn
  

Step 3: Long-Term Prevention

A thick, healthy lawn is your best defense against crabgrass. Follow these practices:

• Mow at the proper height (3-4 inches for most grasses)
• Water deeply but infrequently to encourage deep root growth
• Fertilize regularly to maintain thick, vigorous turf
• Overseed thin areas to fill in bare spots where crabgrass thrives
• Aerate compacted soil to improve grass health

When to Apply Crabgrass Products

Pre-emergent: Apply in early spring when forsythia blooms or when soil temperatures reach 50-55°F. In most regions, this is March through early May.

Post-emergent: Apply when crabgrass is actively growing but still young (late spring through summer). Multiple applications may be needed for best results.

Get Started Today

Don't let crabgrass ruin your lawn this year. Whether you need prevention or control, we have the professional-grade products to help you achieve a thick, weed-free lawn.

Shop Crabgrass Control Products

Have questions about which product is right for your lawn? Contact us for personalized recommendations based on your grass type and region.