quack/crabgrass?

[legbuh]

Been a pretty hot and dry summer here in MN. I've noticed most lawns, including mine, is getting overtaken by what appears to by quackgrass or crabgrass, but I'm not sure which.

Here's a picture... the grass on the left is the normal (and yes, very dry), the right light green stuff is what I'm worried about...

Can anyone identify it? Either way, it looks like a lot of work to clean things up.

 

[beenthere]

Two things...your crabgrass comes in when the lawn is not real healthy and thick.

Can be prevented by putting down crabgrass killer at just the right time (which is a bit tricky) in early spring (around Easter) when the ground temps are just right.

But next spring is the time that something can be done.

 

[legbuh]

So, it's crabgrass and not quackgrass? I'm hoping so.

I did put down scotts fertilizer/cg killer this spring. But with 2+ acres watering is out of the question. And is a lot of gentle slopes and a LOT of sun.

This August I plan on dethatching, aerating (probably more than normal), then overseeding with a better more sun tollerant seed blend. I'll probably do it again in the spring because our lawn is showing it's age. It's finding a good seed and hoping for rain at the right time that is the biggest factor.

 

[legbuh]

Any ideas on what type of grass is in the picture? Thanks!

 

[lilranch2001]

I am pretty sure it aint Maryjanejuany


:laughing:

 

[oldnslo]

Any ideas on what type of grass is in the picture? Thanks!

Crab grass spreads by sending out runners like crab legs. Typically it is a lower profile grass.

Quack grass grows in bunches and the roots travel under ground and sprout prolifically. Usually grows taller with wider green blades of grass.

From your picture I would venture to say this is quack grass but not 100% sure.

Like beenthere stated best chance for some control is in the spring, but i would also put down some fertilizer late fall to help your lawn get a head start in the spring.

Round-up will kill quack grass roots and all but it will also kill everything else it touches. For reseeding this may be an option to consider also. Spray, wait the prescribed time before reseeding. I think it is 7 days but positive.

good luck draught makes this a challenge

Roy

 

[legbuh]

I am pretty sure it aint Maryjanejuany


:laughing:

Haha... there's enough of that growing in the ditches out here, or at least driving by it looks like it.

 

[bp fick]

Just to be slightly more accurate...

Crabgrass PREVENTER or anti-germination is put down in spring (there is no crabgrass to kill in spring). It also prevents germination of your seed for wanted grasses, just noting.

Crabgrass killer is used to kill more mature crab grass now. Many broad spectrum Weed B Gone type products also contain crabgrass killing agents.

The spring applied preventer products often are "worn out" this late in summer, especially if rain has been frequent. These products often need to be re-applied in early June in order to last through the summer.

Yes, the best way, if possible, to control crabgrass is a super thick lawn which shades the ground. Crabgrass likes full sun and thick grass is "shady" enough to discourage crabgrass.

 

[bjr]

Do you not irrigate your lawn? Water, fertilize, and more Water. bjr

 

[CHDinCT]

I always thought crabgrass came from seed each year. It's an annual type grass that will go to seed in late August and it's those seeds that will germinate next year into a new round of crabgrass. That's why you need to put down the anit-germination agents in the Spring. I'd try a crabgrass killer spray at this point. I've had good luck with the Bayer brand. Seems to stop its growth then cause it to slowly turn yellow and die.

 

[legbuh]

Do you not irrigate your lawn? Water, fertilize, and more Water. bjr

Everything but irrigate. With 3 acres of lot rain is my only hope for water.

I try to keep it mowed tall once the "dry season" comes in.. but even then if we get a month without significant rain our lawn (and most others around here) go to poop, and this quack grass starts up (clover too, but that's easy enough to take care of with 2-4-d, as long as the grass is healthy).

I'm not the only one with this issue. I'll have to try harder next year I guess... lol. Usually in the fall we get cooler temps and lots of rain and we all get our "spring grass" back again which is nice.

 

[clemsonfor]

im not a turf guy but i thought it was crab grass? never heard of quack grass but it sounds like blade structure may be similar just the profile of the plant different?

Any way why not just leave it? Its green when nothing esle is, its more drought tolerant than your lawn and more suited to the area. If i could have a whole lawn of crabgrass or quack ( i think i have some) id love it the stuff is lush and bright green and looks good in all but the most harshest places. My lawn is drying up to, the only places the crab grass looks horrible is where its growing out of cracks in the drive and the edge of the lawn/drive.

 

[bp fick]

The problem with crab grass, here in the upper midwest, is that it is aggressive, almost a St Augustine type grass, that displaces your other finer grasses.

First frost in September or October and it is brown dead and you have no lawn. Pretty much why folks fight it.

 

[clemsonfor]

The problem with crab grass, here in the upper midwest, is that it is aggressive, almost a St Augustine type grass, that displaces your other finer grasses.

First frost in September or October and it is brown dead and you have no lawn. Pretty much why folks fight it.

Here in the south St Augustine is a wanted grass. I love St Augustine. It grows a carpet like soft lawn that should be cut high, 3"s or so. I love the stuff and hope it will make it through this drought. I would lve my ST. A to take over all the centepide bermuda and the others i have. Its only problem is that is loves water and with out rain its blades fold over and looks wilty quicher than other grassed like centepide.

 

[bp fick]

Yes, St A is popular in the far, SE US.

The problem with grass in Arizona is that in the winter, they have to top plant Rye to have some green. The problem with Crab Grass here in the north is that, again, it tends to choke out other, more preferred grasses. It doesn't sprout until July and dies at the very first, light frost in autumn.

I read somewhere that seeds of Crab Grass remain viable, in the soil, for decades. I also know that like dandelions, they blow in from vacant lots and neighbors.

Having a pristine lawn is an expensive, time consuming, resource taxing proposition. They say we North Americans got the habit (culture) of lush green lawns from the Brits. Unfortunately, our climate is rarely akin to England except in a very few places. Most of the US is drier, hotter and/or colder than England, where the temps are moderate and rainfall abundant, most of the time. Likely, we took up a habit (culture) that is not well suited for this land of ours. But, we don't let that stop us.

 

[sxs191]

That's not crabgrass. This is crabgrass... http://www.zamzows.com/Documents an.../Lawn/Lawn Articles/controlling crabgrass.jpg

 

[clemsonfor]

Crabgrass around here sprouts in may or june. I spray the stuff in the drive with round up every 3-5 weeks and around beds constantly.

 

[CHDinCT]

After about 15 years, I was able to stop putting the crabgrass preventer in my backyard as it is lawnlocked in the sense I have decent buffers of woods between me and my neighbors. To my surprise, very little crabgrass came in and that which does each year, I spray with post-emergent crabgrass killer or better yet, simply pull out with my hands.

Now as far as those other problems you mention, BP, being lack of water and hot temps, I'm still working on how to solve that. Now, where'd I put those plans on that weather machine. :confused2:

 

[legbuh]

The problem with crab grass, here in the upper midwest, is that it is aggressive, almost a St Augustine type grass, that displaces your other finer grasses.

First frost in September or October and it is brown dead and you have no lawn. Pretty much why folks fight it.

I looked up some pictures of st. augustine and it does look more like that than pictures of quack grass I've seen.

If I could have the whole lawn filled with it, it may not be too bad. It's the only thing thiving now that it's dry.

Looks like rain for a week now, though. So I'm sure I'll be mowing every couple of days after this... (darn!) Almost wish I would have overseeded before all of this rain, but it's still to warm. Later in August when it starts to cool we have those slow rain days for weeks which is what I'm hoping to time for when I overseed.