advice on replacing crabgrass lawn with desirable lawn

10 years ago

My lawn is probably 60-75% crabgrass. I aererated and seeded this fall and have got some decent grass coming up through my thick crabgrass turf.

My question is around what to do next. In my mind I have two options.

1. Use the strongest possible preemergent I can find in the spring and nurse the existing grass the best I can while seeking and destroying any weeds that come along during the summer and overseeding again in the fall. My fear with this option is that I will have a mud yard until the following season(I have a 95 lb bocer dog that hangs out in the back yard alot)

2. Doing a "dormant overseeding" in late winter and using one of the preemergents that allows grass seed to germinate. My fear here is that these preemergents will not be strong enough to battle the crabgrass and other weeds I have. Guys, I have got some blue ribbon crabgrass over here. I have a feeling it's not going to be easy to get rid of. I probably should have nuked the whole yard and started over this fall but I didn't want to have to give the dog a bath every time he goes outside.

Whatdya think? Thanks in advance.

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Comments (5)

mulchmama
10 years ago
Assuming what you have is all crabgrass, take heart. It's an annual. It will die off by Thanksgiving or whenever you have a few good frozen days. You don't say what kind of grass you planted: fescue? bluegrass? A blend of the two? Your first option makes sense to me, especially if you planted any bluegrass seed. Your new lawn should thicken up over the season and then, as you say, you can give it a second seeding next fall.

The dog, though...the dog could do some damage. Even if you do dormant seeding, the dog will make a nice lawn more challenging, but hey, I'd rather have a happy dog than a nice lawn.
grizzle49
Original Author
10 years ago
I planted fescue. Why? Because I bought the seed before I did my research. :P

So maybe I should dormant overseed with some bluegrass and use one of the preemergents that are forgiving to grass seed? Does anyone have experience with these and how well they work?
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grizzle49
Original Author
10 years ago
I know it is not grass growing season, but for for such a large message board I would expect more activity. Does anyone know of a more active site?
grizzle49
Original Author
10 years ago
I know it is not grass growing season, but for for such a large message board I would expect more activity. Does anyone know of a more active site?
rphudes
10 years ago
Hey Grizzle....I'm by know means an expert here....but im doing some winter KBG over-seeding myself this year. Below is my plan.

The first thing people with tell you here is to get a soil test done....so I'll jump on that band wagon too.

Here is my plan. Hopefully....If I'm doing something wrong others will jump in.

1. Around late January early February I will drop my seed...a perfect time would be right before a snow storm, this way the weight of the snow will compact the seed into the soil.

2. When it begins to warm up in early or late march I'll spray the area(s) with tenacity herbicide before the seeds sprout. tenacity is a seed-friendly herbicide to cool season turf such as KBG and will provide approx. 30-40 days weed control. Look out it is expensive! So beginning in March, make sure you keep an eye on the ground temps

When the time comes for a crab grass pre emergent I already have a bag of prep m with Siduron a pre emergent that is also seed-friendly to cool season turf seed such as KBG ....But you could also use the Scotts Brand as well.

good luck