Question
the front
I recently re-landscaped my yard myself. Trying to save money, I opted to put down seed. I picked dwarf fescue for my front and back yard. when i put it down it came up great in the back yard. However, so did the weeds. i used scotts turf builder plus2 but it did noting to rid the weeds. in the front yard crabgrass and spurge have taken over and almost no grass came up. i have sprayed the worst spots with weed b gone, and reseeded. the crabgrass remains after a week. what can i do?
AnswerWhat you've experienced is completely normal, especially with spring seedings. The weed seed is prevalent in the soil and will come in whenever you till, add water and fertilizer. Crabgrass is possibly the most aggressive of the weeds.
Keep in mind that these weed chemicals work because they are toxic to certain types of plants, but not others. Broadleaf weeds and grass are as different from one another as are gorillas and gerbils. Crabgrass however is a type of grass, and is not affected by normal weed products. That抯 why you have not had any success removing crabgrass. You抣l have to wait until the fall to attack that particular problem.
Fertilize the grass a few times this year, taking care not to overdo it. Carefully spray the bad weed patches with a selective herbicide (one that kills weeds without killing grass). If you do all this, you抣l have a thin, crabgrass filled lawn come September. That抯 okay.
In late September, rent a core aerator and punch holes throughout the property. Then spread a good grass seed blend and water daily. As the new seed grows in, the crabgrass will be dying out due to the colder fall nights. By the end of the fall, you should have a nice, thick lawn. Next spring, you抣l be starting things off on the right foot.
Follow these plans, and you抣l be in great shape next year. This year is more of a 搑ebuilding?year.
Good luck!
-C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com
