Crabgrass can be something of a serious menace when you have beautiful grass lawns or a nice garden. The truth is, it can multiply really fast, making getting rid of it very hard, especially when you want to maintain a healthy lawn. It mostly grows and thrives during the warmer months of Spring and Summer, but the good thing is that there are multiple ways to get rid of it, both naturally and chemically. They are outlined below.
Best methods to use for killing crabgrass
Plucking/ uprooting it
This is easily the best and safest method for getting rid of crabgrass in your lawn. However, it is mostly effective when there is not too much of it as it can be an overly cumbersome method. Grab the crabgrass right at the base and pull it all out by the root. This way, you make sure that the grass does not grow again from the roots. If the soils are too compact, heavily water the area and allow it time to loosen before plucking.
Apply boiling water
Boil a large pot of water and pour it generously over the crabgrass. The hot water kills the grass, so you have to make sure that you do not pour it over plants you would like to maintain. This method, however, is most effective where there is not too much crabgrass.
Using baking soda
Baking soda is great for killing off crabgrass. For best results, wet the grass using a hosepipe, then sprinkle dry baking soda over it. Allow it a couple days to dry the crabgrass. Do not spread the baking soda over the good grass or plants as they will also dry up and die.
Using vinegar
Vinegar is also an enemy of plants, but it does not work well when used on its own. for best results, mix the vinegar with dish soap and salt, making sure that the vinegar comprises 20% of the total mixture. Spray it on the crabgrass and allow it a couple days to kill of the crabgrass then uproot it.
Burn the crabgrass
If the crabgrass is widely spread, you can go on and burn it, so long as the fire will not destroy other plants that you intend to preserve. If you have a flame torch, it will become much easier since you will be able to direct the flames towards the crabgrass only.
Use chemical roundup
This method is most valid where there is nothing but crabgrass in the area where you want to treat. Apply the roundup and allow it time to work. If there is good grass around the crabgrass, mow it short and allow the crabgrass to grow before applying chemical roundup.
Conclusion
While crabgrass can be a big eyesore, it also proves easy to get rid of, thanks to a myriad of methods. Be sure to pick one that does not affect the plants you intend to keep.
FAQs
Is there herbicide specific to crabgrass?
Yes, there is. It can be applied directly to the crabgrass.
Can timely fertilization reduce the growth of crabgrass?
Yes, it can, especially when you use crabgrass with herbicide.