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CRABGRASS is the common name a layperson uses for any grass they don’t like growing in their lawn. However, Crabgrass is actually a specific weedy grass common in the Midwest and East Coast but hasn’t been present in the Northwest until recently. Likely due to our warming climate, we are now seeing it where we had rarely or never seen it before. Due to our warming summers, it is here, and it is a huge problem.
THE PROBLEM: It is ugly, and control is not easy, requiring additional herbicide applications.
First, it grows more rapidly and taller than other grasses and is very light green, which makes it stand out. Second, it quickly goes to seed, and the seed heads are quite unsightly and tall. Third, it is a profuse seeder and quickly produces seeds that will germinate in future years, making the problem worse the following year if untreated. Finally, as an annual, it grows aggressively, choking out the desirable grasses during the heat of summer, then dies out in the fall, looking ugly and leaving bare spots going into winter.
CRABGRASS CONTROL NOW PROPOSED AS ANNUAL STANDARD ENHANCEMENT:
We are sad to say, but the explosion of Crabgrass this past year caught us off guard, and it became apparent that we need to propose control in the future. Thus, we are now proposing annual Crabgrass control as a new standard enhanced service each May, and it was included in most 2025 budgets.
Pre-Emergence Treatment in May: As we do for weed control in our shrub beds, the best control for Crabgrass is to apply a pre-emergent product to prevent it from germinating in the spring. The timing is based on soil temperature and occurs in late April to early May.
Consequently, Aeration Timing Moved to September: With the recommendation to apply a pre-emergent product in May to prevent Crabgrass from getting established, we have moved our recommended timing of aeration to September. The pre-emergent creates a barrier at the soil surface that would prevent Crabgrass seeds from germinating. If we aerate in May as we have in the past, it would create holes in this barrier, reducing the effectiveness of our pre-emergence. Thus, we have moved our recommended timing of aeration to September from May.
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