Look to Lowes and Sta Green for crabgrass control this spring. Crabgrass gets its name because it sprawls from a central root low across the ground. It can become a problem quickly because it is able to grow vigorously in hot, dry conditions.
Before dying in the fall, a single weed can distribute thousands of seeds which will be ready to germinate in spring. Crabgrass is one of the most prevalent weeds found in lawns and Sta Green crabgrass control is your plan of attack this year.
Crabgrass, scientifically known as Digitaria, is a genus of about 300 species of the grass family Poaceae, native to tropical and warm temperate regions. Common names include crabgrass, finger-grass, and fonio. Digitus is the Latin word for “finger”, and weeds are distinguished by the long, finger-like blades they produce.
Crabgrass thrives in full sunlight and high temperatures and can easily out compete common grasses under these conditions. That’s why you really notice it when it heats up in July and August. Summer annuals germinate in the spring, grow through the summer and die with the first hard frost.
These plants produce a tremendous amount of seed in the mid- to late summer when the day length starts to shorten. These seeds ensure next year’s crop of weeds but can also remain dormant in the soil for several years before germinating. It is likely that if you have crabgrass in your lawn, it will be there next year, too.
All Crabgrass Digitaria species have similar growth habits and flowering structures. They typically have spreading stems with wide, flat leaf blades that lie on the ground with the tips ascending.
These species often become problem weeds in lawns and gardens, growing especially well in thin lawns that are watered lightly, underfertilized, and poorly drained. They are annual plants, and one plant is capable of producing 100,000 seeds per season.
The seeds germinate in the late spring and early summer and outcompete the lawn grass. In the autumn when the plants die they leave large voids in the lawn. The voids then become prime areas for the crabgrass seeds to germinate the following season.
I had been fighting crabgrass for years. Of course, you can hand pull all the crabgrass, but it has such long roots, you can never get them completely removed. Or you can use a crabgrass preventer like Sta Green Crab Ex from Lowes. I started using it about 4 years ago and beginning the following spring, I’ve used this product and I’ve had ZERO crabgrass.
Now most you know I work at Lowes, so yes I am familiar with many lawn and garden products. When I first used it, there were some mixed reviews so I wondered if it would work. I had used Scotts Halts before and was happy but I don’t think Scotts provides the same results that it was a few years ago. I just kept seeing more and more crabgrass each spring.
The key to crabgrass control is applying the product EARLY. After fighting crabgrass for a couple years I did a little more research and simply asked customers that came in to the store to let me know what results they were getting with Sta-Green. I was amazed at how many people were switching from Scotts to Sta Green product.
Periods of Active Crabgrass Growth
First, you must know which type of grass you have. Find out here
Grass Type Period of active growth
Cool-season grasses
Bentgrass March–June,
Bluegrass late February
Fescue early March–June
Ryegrass late February–June
Warm-season grasses
Bermudagrass April–late September
Dichondra April–October
Kikuyugrass February–November
St. Augustinegrass March–October
Zoysiagrass April–October
Remember, if you spread this product or any pre-emergence after crabgrass is growing, in the middle of the summer, or the fall, it will do NOTHING to your crabgrass. It must be used in the early spring before the seeds germinate. It does pay to read the instructions.
I didn’t have one piece of crabgrass at all last year. I’m going to continue to use this product each spring and I’m a firm believer in this product now.
There are guidelines to applying Sta Green Crab Ex Plus Crabgrass Preventer. Always apply in early spring from March to May. Either before dandelions reach the puffball stage or before Forsythia blooms. Forsythia is usually the first flowering shrub that blooms in the spring.
To be most effective, Crab ex must be applied before forsythia is in full bloom. Crabgrass preventers have no effect on actively growing crabgrass. For an application to get the desired results, good timing is essential. Crabgrass preventers are pre-emergence herbicides and they only work when crabgrass seeds have not germinated.
Preemergence Timing
Timing is everything. Knowing when crabgrass is likely to be present is helpful in control. Homeowners who complain of crabgrass infestations in April and May are usually identifying crabgrass, but also dandelion, nimblewill, nimbleweed or quackgrass.
Crabgrass germination typically begins in early April to early May when soil temperatures reach 55 degrees Fahrenheit at a depth of 1 to 2 inches, or about two weeks after the forsythia blooms begin. You only have about a two week window to apply this. If the grass is growing, its probably too late.
Postemergence Applications
If you missed the early spring application, all is not lost. The results will not be as good, but you can still apply a product like Ortho Weed B Gon or Bayer Advanced Weed Killer. Once crabgrass has established, preemergence herbicides simply are not that effective.
Two or three applications spaced seven to 10 days apart are often needed to achieve acceptable control. Unfortunately, some grass discoloration often accompanies applications of these herbicides.
If you have crabgrass, attack it early with Sta Green Crab Ex Plus. It is one of the best products out there. Just follow the directions and enjoy a better looking lawn this year.
By Victoria Stone