My sunny lawn being taken over by an aggressive grass - advice please (pix)
#1
09-07-14, 07:23 AM
My sunny lawn being taken over by an aggressive grass - advice please (pix)
My sunny NJ front lawn this year has been taken over by this aggressive grass. It has been around for a few years in the area, but this year it just took off and has taken over most of the lawn. What kind of grass is this and how can I restore the lawn to regular grass?
DETAIL
This aggressive grass is a little hardier than lawn grass. It grows from a clump and immediately spreads out horizontally and can cover up to 10" in diameter. It's thick growth blocks the sunlight from all grass under it and it kills the existing grass. Plus with the horizontal flat growth, moving the lawn does not cut it down much. I have no idea of how to control this... I pulled out a smaller one here to show, but you can still see it. Your advice please...
D Varga
DETAIL
This aggressive grass is a little hardier than lawn grass. It grows from a clump and immediately spreads out horizontally and can cover up to 10" in diameter. It's thick growth blocks the sunlight from all grass under it and it kills the existing grass. Plus with the horizontal flat growth, moving the lawn does not cut it down much. I have no idea of how to control this... I pulled out a smaller one here to show, but you can still see it. Your advice please...
D Varga
#2
09-07-14, 07:37 AM
Group Moderator
Looks like plan old crabgrass to me that's been allowed to reach full maturity. Several applications of crabgrass preventer are needed throughout the year in order to keep up with it, starting in late spring, and again in late summer. You can also get some ready to use liquid for spot treatment, but a general application over the entire lawn 2x a year is best.
#3
09-07-14, 12:53 PM
Group Moderator
There are no specific crabgrass killing herbicides on the market. There used to be but they are now banned. So, the primary treatments are to spray it with a kill almost anything herbicide which is ok for drive and walkways. For the lawn the best current treatment are pre-emergent herbicides like XSleeper mentioned. Crabgrass does not survive the winter and relies on it's seeds from the previous season. The pre-emergent herbicide prevents it from germinating but can't do anything once it's established so it's something you must apply in late winter or very early spring.
#4
09-10-14, 02:43 AM
XSleeper and Pilot Dane,
Thanks for the great information! This crabgrass is so aggressive. I will use the xSleeper in the early spring.
Another question, in this NJ sunny lawn, is there any particularly hardy grass you would recommend? The regular lawn barely makes it each year, granted I do not water it much. When the springtime comes, there will be large patches of no grass thanks to the devastation left by the crab grass. I need to fill it with hardy lawn grass.
Best,
D. Varga
Thanks for the great information! This crabgrass is so aggressive. I will use the xSleeper in the early spring.
Another question, in this NJ sunny lawn, is there any particularly hardy grass you would recommend? The regular lawn barely makes it each year, granted I do not water it much. When the springtime comes, there will be large patches of no grass thanks to the devastation left by the crab grass. I need to fill it with hardy lawn grass.
Best,
D. Varga
#5
09-10-14, 05:01 AM
Super Moderator
dvarga go to a local tractor supply and get the kentucky 31 fescue. Over seed every year in fall.. Like now is good time...
Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed, 50 lb. - Tractor Supply Co.
Then find a local Johnathan green dealer and use thier 4 step process. Your lawn will look great in a few years as you get it thicker. Its so much better then the scotts stuff IMO.. John green is a local NJ company...
Dont worry weeds will die off soon because of cold but must treat for pre emergent of weeds and crabgrass in spring.. Timing is critical.
http://www.jonathangreen.com/lawncare.cfm
Kentucky 31 Tall Fescue Grass Seed, 50 lb. - Tractor Supply Co.
Then find a local Johnathan green dealer and use thier 4 step process. Your lawn will look great in a few years as you get it thicker. Its so much better then the scotts stuff IMO.. John green is a local NJ company...
Dont worry weeds will die off soon because of cold but must treat for pre emergent of weeds and crabgrass in spring.. Timing is critical.
http://www.jonathangreen.com/lawncare.cfm
Last edited by lawrosa; 09-10-14 at 07:16 AM.
#6
09-10-14, 06:49 AM
Group Moderator
I would use any of a number of varieties of tall Fescue. Kentucky 31 is a common less expensive brand but there are many other hybrids and blends in the same tall Fescue family that would be a good choice.
While I don't think there is anything magical about the products Lawrosa mentioned they do take a more correct approach by treating the lawn throughout the season instead of some that simply offer this weed and feed for spring. The trouble with many all in one products is that not everything is best done at the same time. Ideally the first application of crabgrass preventer should go down before the growing season begins which is too early for fertilizing. Apply it later when the time is right for fertilizing and it may be too late to prevent all the crabgrass. But that leads to a lot of different applications throughout the season and the four step approach Lawrosa linked is much easier and should work pretty well.
While I don't think there is anything magical about the products Lawrosa mentioned they do take a more correct approach by treating the lawn throughout the season instead of some that simply offer this weed and feed for spring. The trouble with many all in one products is that not everything is best done at the same time. Ideally the first application of crabgrass preventer should go down before the growing season begins which is too early for fertilizing. Apply it later when the time is right for fertilizing and it may be too late to prevent all the crabgrass. But that leads to a lot of different applications throughout the season and the four step approach Lawrosa linked is much easier and should work pretty well.
#7
09-10-14, 07:04 AM
Group Moderator
The only problem with tall fescue in my mind, other than it doesn't tolerate the cold winters in my area, is it doesn't play well with other types of grasses, tending to gather in weed-like clumps. As the other grasses get taken over by the tall fescue, this problem goes away but since you may encounter this behavior, I thought it was worth mentioning.
#8
09-10-14, 07:25 AM
Super Moderator
Tall fescue loves the cold from what I know... In NJ this seed does very well. I have no weeds... I use the john green stuff..
Although when I had the chickens and put down the corn gluten and other organic products they actually worked better then the chemical based stuff...
Just my opinion of course.
Although when I had the chickens and put down the corn gluten and other organic products they actually worked better then the chemical based stuff...
Just my opinion of course.
#10
09-10-14, 08:45 AM
Group Moderator
My understanding is tall fescue is happy down to around 10° F but the below zero stuff we get here is too much for it.
