Crabgrass

[edro]

My Ohio lawn is mostly tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.
I have a few large patches of crabgrass, especially near my asphalt driveways the has gotten worse each year, so I assume my lawn has millions of seeds sitting there now.

I am debating on using a post emergent (quinclotac) now in the late summer to kill all the crabgrass.
I could then over seed once it is all dead in early fall.

Or, I could just ignore it since it will probably mostly die over winter and hit it hard with pre-emergent in the spring.

I have never used a pre-emergent before.

I really hate to pay a chemical lawn service, but maybe I should for a year or so to clean it up.

Thoughts?
Thanks!

 

[Fanatical Meat]

My Ohio lawn is mostly tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass.
I have a few large patches of crabgrass, especially near my asphalt driveways the has gotten worse each year, so I assume my lawn has millions of seeds sitting there now.

I am debating on using a post emergent (quinclotac) now in the late summer to kill all the crabgrass.
I could then over seed once it is all dead in early fall.

Or, I could just ignore it since it will probably mostly die over winter and hit it hard with pre-emergent in the spring.

I have never used a pre-emergent before.

I really hate to pay a chemical lawn service, but maybe I should for a year or so to clean it up.

Thoughts?
Thanks!

I've used this stuff before it works but not real well.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Spectrac...-Crabgrass-Killer-Accushot-HG-96418/206431916

Once crabgrass has sprouted I'm starting to think its best to pull it out but I hate that work.

 

[edro]

I just read an article online that recommended not using a post emergent after the crabgrass is fully grown because it doesn't work well. It will all die after the first couple of frosts in fall.
Post emergent works best when the plants are still young and small.
The best is to hit it in the spring with pre emergent.

I am thinking about buying liquid pre emergent and a backpack sprayer on Amazon for next spring.
Sprayer is $50-70 and liquid pre emergent is $50-70 and would cover whole lawn numerous times.
A lot cheaper than lawn care service, but risky since I don't know what I'm doing.

$70 sprayer: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001FA09S2/
$60 generic Barricade: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004GTQBEK/

 

[UnklSnappy]

Timing is key with the application of a pre-emergent. It should be applied when the soil temp. is around 52- 55F. Which is right before the crabgrass begins to germinate. So grab yourself a soil thermometer if you don't feel like just guessing.

 

[krose]

Rule of thumb for a pre-emergent is to apply around the time the forsythia bloom in the Spring.

 

[Fanatical Meat]

I didn't read it much but what's the $70 amazon sprayer going to do better than one of lowes or home depot $10 gallon and a half sprayers?

 

[edro]

I didn't read it much but what's the $70 amazon sprayer going to do better than one of lowes or home depot $10 gallon and a half sprayers?

It's 4 gallon, backpack style and has an arm pump lever.
I figured it was worth the extra $40 or so to help with application of the whole yard.
I have a normal sized sprayer, but that would be a pain in the ass to spray the whole yard.