Crabgrass appears as a coarse, light green clump of grass that typically grows on lawns. The weed gets its name from its low-lying, sprawling, crab-like elements. Although it can be pulled out, this annual weed can become a headache for gardeners who return year after year.
There are a few types of crabgrass to watch out for, including hairy and smooth crabgrass.
Hairy crabgrass is also sometimes called long crabgrass and tends to grow a bit longer than smooth crabgrass.
Hairy weed (Digitaria sanguinalis) is named for the tiny hairs or fibers that grow on its leaves and stems. This form of crabgrass is coarser and has wider blades.
Smooth crabgrass (Digitaria ischaemum) has no hairs around the sheath or leaves. Sometimes called crabgrass, this weed can grow up to six inches, but is often shorter than its hairy counterpart.
LEARN MORE: Kill weeds on driveways and paths with boiling water
Step Two: Use a Pre-emergence Pesticide
However, since crabgrass is an annual weed, you will also need to ensure that the plant does not return in the future.
To do this you will need a ‘pre-emergence pesticide’ but you need to be careful to only spray it on the specific area where the weed is living or you risk damaging your wider lawn.
Reddit user Orichalcon said: “Shoot [all of the weed] If you can, apply a concentrated pre-emergent herbicide to crabgrass. You want to spray the herbicide before the crabgrass germinates, which is usually early spring.
Do you have any tips for getting rid of garden weeds? Join the conversation in the comments section below
“If in doubt with the herbicide, seek advice from the nursery where you purchased it, they will be able to tell you how to apply it safely and effectively.”
You can also use a pre-emergence herbicide in the spring before you notice crabgrass arriving, although you should have some idea of where the weeds usually grow.
CrabGrassLawn.com experts explain, “For spring, just before this weed germinates, apply a pre-emergence herbicide. This will prevent seeds from sprouting on your lawn.
