Crabgrass and Nutsedge Lawn Renovation: Timing and Product Choice

Two Problems, Different Solutions

Daughter's Lawn: Dense Crabgrass (NY)

• Sprayed Ortho (quinclorac?) for crabgrass. Raking out = bare dirt.
• Label says seed in 3–4 weeks. Late summer seeding OK for cool-season grass (fescue/bluegrass) in NY.
• Use starter fertilizer or Milorganite at seeding.
• Order: Compost → till → seed → fertilize → water.
• Don't just scatter seed on hard ground—won't survive. Till bare areas.
• Next spring: Pre-emergent crabgrass preventer. Spot-spray escapes.

Your Lawn: Nutsedge (Nutgrass)

• Ortho product claims nutsedge control but requires repeated apps.
• Better: Sedgehammer (halosulfuron) — kills nutsedge in 1 application. More expensive, far more effective.

Bare Spot Repair (Both Lawns)

Bare spots = compaction or root competition. Compost alone on surface fails. Must: compost → till → seed → fertilize → water.

White Fuzz on Wet Bare Soil

Likely saprophytic fungi or slime mold—harmless. Rake, dry, proceed.