Killing crab grass

Does anyone know of a cost-effective way to kill crabgrass?

I have a couple acres I'd like to spray but those little jugs of Ortho (or whatever) get pretty pricy

slash it with a spade repeatedly before mowing your lawn, if I read the book right this should kill it off after a few goes at this before mowings

Mith said:

slash it with a spade repeatedly before mowing your lawn, if I read the book right this should kill it off after a few goes at this before mowings

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Mith,
Thanks but I'm talking a couple acres here. I'd be out there for days with a spade.
I was thinking along the chemical line...

Maybe you can find out the chemical that is used in the Ortho stuff (not sure what you are using). Then you can see if you can buy it in bulk through a farm store or some other avenue.

I just re-did all my lawns so I'm sticking to Scott's Crab-Grass preventer and hoping it keeps it under control.

I also walk around pulling out bad grasses while I'm out kicking the football for the dog. I figure if I just keep chipping away at it I'll help to keep it under control.

Duh! Shoulda thought of that
Neigh mind, if ya get bored one day...

The best way to get rid of crabgrass is to prevent it from starting. That means that you don't allow any bare spots to get started and that you keep all edges of the driveway well grassed with the desirable grasses. I have found that crabgrass will grow any place that the regular grass isn't growing well. Specifically along the edges of the walks and driveway. Also, use a spot crabgrass killer before it goes to seed. If the field is loaded with crabgrass, then the only way to get rid of it is the chemical method that kills all the broadleaved grasses and doesn't harm the good grasses. It is a uphill battle that can be won, but takes a army of chemicals and perseverance. My nemesis is dandylions....

Junkman said:

\My nemesis is dandylions....

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Ortho Weed-B-Gone + 25 Gallon Sprayer and seasonal application of Scott's Weed Control products = no dandelions. At least for me. The only thing I have to worry about in my lawn is non perrenial rye grasses and moles. The 2 4 D based stuff has made lawn care much easier.

I remember having to walk around and pull weeds as a kid. Not fun.

Bayer has a new 2 4 D (plus other stuff) weed killer that is supposed to work on some of the undesirable grasses. I tried it last year but didn't think it worked that great. I might try it again this year if it goes on sale. I'm a big fan of Ortho Weed-B-Gone. I great results with it. I've even turned indigenous grass fields into reasonable lawns with that stuff and some over-seeding.

I normally use the Ortho Weed-b-gone. I've tried the Bayer and thought it worked pretty well also.
I don't have any problems with dandilions after using either of those.

Junkman said:

The best way to get rid of crabgrass is to prevent it from starting. That means that you don't allow any bare spots to get started and that you keep all edges of the driveway well grassed with the desirable grasses. I have found that crabgrass will grow any place that the regular grass isn't growing well. Specifically along the edges of the walks and driveway. Also, use a spot crabgrass killer before it goes to seed. If the field is loaded with crabgrass, then the only way to get rid of it is the chemical method that kills all the broadleaved grasses and doesn't harm the good grasses. It is a uphill battle that can be won, but takes a army of chemicals and perseverance. My nemesis is dandylions....

Click to expand...

When I sodded our lawn a few years back I asked the guy what was the best treatment to keep the weeds out. He told me a good doze of fertilizer every 4 - 6 weeks. Mow often. Keep it thick and don't ever mow lower than 3.5". Finally don't use any chemicals. And you know it works pretty darn well. I have not used any chemicals on my lawn and until just this last year when I kind of neglected my lawn I never had any weeds. So in part I am agreeing with Junk here.


murph

mowing higher does help. elimanating bare spots doea also however if you have a couple acres & have the time or desire to spend money on seeding to elimanate bare spots, just apply a pre emergence downs twice & thats it. Apply the first pre emergence down in mid april, then a second time in mid june & you'll be all set. You can buy it in granular form & you can buy it with or without fertilizer mixed in. It is less expensive if you buy it without fertilizer. Just go tot the lesco web site & order it unless you have one near you which is very possible. Make sure when you apply it with your spreader, you put it down evenly & at the proper setting.

I have a 60 gallon sprayer with the folding arms for the back of my tractor. I usually spray every spring with 2-4-D and I generally don't have any crab grass or dandelions. The trouble is that nobody around me sprays for weeds and I get my yard re-seeded in weeds every year from the wind blowing their seeds into my lawn. Oh well, I'll just keep spraying. I like a nice looking lawn.

Another thing I do as well is to mix malathion into my weed killing mix. I have a 1500 sq. ft. wrap around porch and we like to spend time out there in the summer as well as around the pool area. By mixing in the pesticide with the herbicide, I kill two birds with one stone. We can pretty well sit outside in the evenings and never get bitten by a mosquito. Also, the dogs basically never get any ticks or fleas. Sometimes I have to spray again in the summer when the darn Japanese beetles begin to emerge. They can swarm and literally defoliate a decent sized tree in a day. They seem to like my oaks in particular for some reason. I have plenty of kudzu in the woods that I fight constantly, but they don't seem to care for that at all. It figures!

I guess I'm a bad boy to the no chemical crowd. I can say that I did try most all of the no chemical methods, but with a 10 acre lawn, it never worked. If I had a small lawn, I could probably keep up with just pulling the weeds and dandelions. Heck, for the first year or two I lived here, I bet I pulled over a thousand cockleburr (http://kaweahoaks.com/html/cockleburr.html) plants. The Shelties I had then would always get loads of those things on them and I would have every finger bleeding trying to get them off. Those weeds suck!! They were the main reason I bought my 3 pt. sprayer. They were winning the battle with me.