Crabgrass is no friend of your lawn. It absorbs the essential nutrients and moisture that a garden requires giving no room for other grass to grow. You’ll see crabgrass persisting and growing even in bad conditions. Crabgrass is exceptionally persistent. It provides a kind of residence for pests.
When crabgrass starts to grow, it seeks more space to spread. During hot weather, crabgrass almost presides over a lawn because it becomes hard, for that is the weather it loves. Crabgrass is an annual weed and produces about 80 thousand seeds.
These seeds will be on the law and will be prepared for germination during spring. A little crabgrass today can result in myriads in just a year. When other grasses die during the hot and dry season, crabgrass doesn’t. Since that’s what it loves, so it ends up occupying a large amount of space on your lawn.
Since crabgrass is an annual weed, some people believe it won’t pose a problem, but do not underestimate it. Crabgrass produces a large number of seeds that quickly spreads out and overshadow other grasses. And annually, it continues to dominate the lawn making it impossible to get rid of it.
There are indeed different homemade solutions said to be used to get rid of crabgrass. These solutions include using vinegar, salt, a dishwasher, or a knife. While these homemade solutions seem easy, they are not entirely adequate. Using some of these things can even harm the soil and other grass.
Best Crabgrass Killers - Top 9 Reviews
Crabgrass Killers are divided chiefly into three types, pre-emergent, post-emergent, and two in one preventer+killer herbicides. You apply the pre-emergent herbicides after clearing crabgrass to deter the seeds from thriving.
It’s almost impossible to mow the crabgrass without the seeds spilling all over the place; that is why the pre-emergent herbicides are used for this objective. The post-emergent herbicides, on the other hand, can be used on the soil when the seeds might have germinated to control their growth.
The two-in-one herbicide performs the role of curbing the roots from growing and killing off the developed seeds.
Nevertheless, as good as these herbicides might be, some of them are dangerous for your lawn type. You should take a sample of your lawn to the local nursery to discern what kind of lawn you have. It is the goal of anyone who owns a garden or yard to keep it beautiful and perfect.
However, what happens when weeds like crabgrass and the likes emerge? Below is the outline of the best crabgrass killers, varying from pre-emergent to post-emergent herbicides, that’ll help you maintain your dream garden.
1
Ortho WeedClear Lawn Weed Killer
Here is one of the best crabgrass killers. It gets rid of weeds and all varieties of broadleaf weeds without harming the lawn.
When getting rid of weeds, the Ortho weed killer gets to the root, kills the weeds, and doesn’t affect your yard. It’s suitable for different types of lawns. It is easy to use. By simply attaching a garden hose to the sprayer, you can easily apply it to the yard. When you use Ortho, be assured that it will take care of the crabgrass plants in your yard.
Key Features:
- Multi-purpose use
- Effective
- One hour rainproof
Specification:
- BRAND: Ortho
- MODEL: 04477805
Pros
- Easy to use
- Suitable for different grasses
- Kills weed to the root
- Harmless to lawn
Cons
2
TENACITY TURF HERBICIDE
The tenacity herbicide not only gets rid of crabgrass but also gets rid of other weed grass, making it one of the most effective you will need to maintain a great lawn. As it takes care of the weeds, the grass in the yard will not get affected. You can choose to either apply it before spring(when the weeds are preparing to germinate) to stop weeds from growing, or you can also use it after summer after the weeds are grown.
It serves a multi-purpose function for pre-emergent and post-emergent. It is so effective that it kills crabgrass down to the root.
Key Features:
- Multi-purpose
- 40% Mesotrione
- Pre- and post-emergent use
- Effective
Specification:
- Brand: SYNGENTA
- Model: ASINPPOSPRME75447
Pros
- It doesn’t endanger the grasses
- It gets rid of only the weeds
- Efficient for other turfgrasses.
- It kills crabgrass down to the root
Cons
3
Spectracide Weed & Grass Killer Concentrate2
When you see crabgrass plants, you know they’ve come to stay and multiply. Without proper care, they might take over your beautiful lawn. For this reason, you need a herbicide like the Spectracide weed killer. It ultimately kills the roots of the crabgrass plants. It is easy to use, and its immediate effect makes it outstanding. Use it during warm weather. You can also use it for walkways, patios, and even flower beds. Cover other plants before application.
Key Features:
- Universal use
- 15 minutes rainproof
- Non-selective
- Efficient
Specification:
- Brand: United Industries
- Model: 96451
Pros
- It kills different types of weeds.
- It is easy to use
- It is worth the money
- Effective and fast results
Cons
4
Select Source Quinclorac 75 Herbicide
Protect your lawn from the dominance of crabgrass and other weeds that will put other grasses at a disadvantage. As your looking out for an effective crabgrass killer, you might want to look at the select course Quinclorac herbicide. This selective herbicide (post-emergent) controls different types of weeds and turf. It is effective for residential turf as well as for non-residential.
Key Features:
- 75% Quinclorac
- Effective
- Multi-purpose
- Post-emergence use
Specification:
- Brand: Prime Source Inc.
- Model: 7969-130-86869
Pros
- Get rid of crabgrass and other weeds
- Suitable for commercial lawn
- Safe to use
- Harmless to lawn
Cons
5
Scotts 26003 Turf Builder Triple Action Weed Killer
Do not stress yourself looking for ways to get rid of crabgrass.
Why worry when you have Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action?
It kills weeds, prevents crabgrass, and feeds your lawn. A bag of Scotts Triple Action can cover up to 4,000 SQ feet. Its application is simple. Triple Action means that It kills a large variety of weeds. It also prevents crabgrass for up to 4 months. It doesn’t stop there; it then feeds the lawn.
Key Features:
- Multi-purpose
- Effective
- 4000 SQ feet coverage
- Easy Application
Specification:
- Brand: Scotts
- Model: 26003
Pros
- It kills different types of weeds
- Prevent crabgrass for up to 4 months
- Feed the lawn
- Prevent the existence of future weeds
Cons
6
Southern Ag Amine Weed Killer
With the surge of crabgrass plants, you should work on killing it to keep your lawn in good condition. Knowing what crabgrass can do to your yard will drive you to take thorough measures to ensure that you deter its growth. When you notice crabgrass, don’t be terrified.
Use the Southern Ag weed killer. It also works on broadleaf plants. It is a selective herbicide but can kill quite several weeds. It is easy to use. It is a pre and post-emergent herbicide. So, you can use it in the garden before crabgrass germinates and after it develops.
Key Features:
- Selective
- Universal use
- Easy application
- Pre and post-emergent
Specification:
- Brand: Southern Ag
- Model: 00203
Pros
- It is easy to use
- It’s worth the money
- It gets rid of other weeds apart from crabgrass
- Works on broadleaf weeds and woody plants
Cons
7
Quali-Pro Prodiamine Pre-Emergent Herbicide
The Quali-Pro is a pre-emergent herbicide. You can use it either during spring or fall. It can be used on turfs, landscapes, trees e.t.c. It kills crabgrass, Goosegrass, Annual bluegrass, Knotweed, Chickweed, Foxtail, Spurge, Henbit. Fight against crabgrass plants and other weeds before they even germinate by using the Quali-Pro pre-emergent herbicide.
Key Features:
- Pre-emergent
- Universal use
- 65% Prodiamine
Specification:
- Brand: 2495
- Model: Control Solutions Inc.
Pros
- Easy to use
- Worth the money
- Perfect for stopping weed growth
- Effective for broadleaf weeds.
Cons
8
Ornamec Over-The-Top Grass Herbicide
Ornamec grass herbicide is one of the most effective herbicides for annual weeds and perennial grass. With this herbicide, you can stop the growth of weeds in your yard. It is very effective and can be used to control a wide variety of weeds. It eliminates the growth of weeds in just a day and eventually kills weeds in 1 to 3 weeks.
Key Features:
- Post-emergent
- Universal use
- 1 hour rainproof
- Effective
Specification:
- Brand: Southern Ag. Insecticides.
- Model: 2217-728
Pros
- Fast results
- Worth the price
- Easy to use
- Effective for a wide variety of weeds.
Cons
9
Roundup Concentrate Extended Control Weed & Grass Killer
The Roundup Concentrate Extended Control Weed & Grass Killer kills developed weed, including the roots. It then deters the growth of new weeds. It is applicable for use in driveways, patios, sidewalks, curbs retaining walls, edge of lawns, and even decorative rock. It is rainproof in 30 minutes and shows results within 6 hours. Follow the instructions for effective results.
Key Features:
- Multi-purpose
- Rainproof in half an hour
- Dual-action
- Pre and post-emergent
Specification:
- Brand: RoundUp
- Model: 5705010
Pros
- It kills weeds
- It prevents weed from growing
- Fast and effective results
- Easy to use
Cons
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
You know you must get rid of crabgrass to stop it from robbing the nutrients your lawn requires. There are numerous crabgrass killers, but you’ll find it essential to choose the right type. Of what use is a crabgrass killer that only looks efficient but isn’t?
This section will gradually provide answers to common queries regarding the best crabgrass killer. As you get to know answers to these queries, note how it can help you choose the right type. Achieving results requires effort and, sometimes, your time. So, take your time to go through this session.
Interested in finding out how to make your landscape the best one? Check out our complete guides HERE.
Why is crabgrass bad for you?
Since crabgrass is an annual weed, some people believe it shouldn’t be a problem, but the case is quite the opposite. Crabgrass produces many seeds that are known to spread out speedily and possibly take over a lawn. And annually, it continues to dominate the yard making it impossible to get rid of it. Just like weeds do, crabgrass absorbs the essential nutrients that a lawn needs. It often prevents other grass from growing. While it is known to be persistent, it also keeps pests. When crabgrass starts to grow, it seeks more space as it spread. During hot weather, crabgrass almost presides over a lawn because it becomes hard to get rid of it. When other grasses die during the hot and dry season, crabgrass doesn’t. Since that’s what it loves, so it ends up occupying a large amount of space on your lawn.
What is the best way to get rid of crabgrass?
Knowing what crabgrass can do to your lawn will move you to take careful measures to ensure that you prevent its growth. However, what do you do if crabgrass already appeared? First, know some things about crabgrass. Crabgrass is annual and loves warm or hot weather. Crabgrass indeed dies the same year it thrived. However, while it lives, it produces up to 150,000 seeds. If the seeds that each crabgrass generates are that many, about seven more will turn a lawn into a crabgrass field. These seeds will then germinate again and result in numerous crabgrass.
As crabgrass seeds lay on the lawn preparing to germinate, it is a good time to prevent them from growing. Using crabgrass killer is one effective way. They are also called “herbicides.” The herbicide that you need to use before the seeds germinate is called “pre-emergent.” This type of crabgrass killer impedes the growth and development of the root. Remember that it is essential you apply the herbicide at the right time. Proper timing is a determinant of success.
What if the crabgrass germinated already? Do you still make use of pre-emergent herbicides?
The answer is “NO.” Instead, it would help if you had a post-emergent herbicide. This type of herbicide goes after the plants and not the seed. It kills growing crabgrass plants so that it does not yield more seeds.
Before choosing a crabgrass killer, be sure if it is a selective or non-selective type. What is the difference? As the name implies, selective herbicide goes after some particular kind of weeds and plants. While the latter type goes after all plants, these involve your desired plants. Below are some of the effective herbicides that can get rid of crabgrass:
Select Source Quinclorac Herbicide
Select Source Quinclorac is a Post-emergent crabgrass killer. It is practical and kills different types of weeds.
Bayer Acclaim-Extra selective Grass Herbicide
This is a selective herbicide. It can be used to kill already developed crabgrass. It also kills other weeds in the garden. It is one of the best.
BASF Drive Crabgrass Herbicide
This is another effective crabgrass killer. It is, in fact, the best crabgrass killer. With this herbicide, you can kill crabgrass and restore your beautiful lawn.
Should I pull out crabgrass?
Well, as much as this method is efficient, it can turn out to be dangerous. When crabgrass plants seem hard and require you to use some muscles, it could turn out bad. When you try to pull out hard crabgrass, you put your lawn at risk of getting sprayed by the seeds.
So even if you want to pull out crabgrass, go after the young ones since they often have few holes for seeds. While on the other hand, the matured ones usually have seed heads that hold up to thousands of seeds. Watering the young ones before pulling them out also makes it easy to do.
How do you control crabgrass naturally?
Apart from using herbicides to kill crabgrass, there are numerous natural ways to control crabgrass. Sometimes when we use herbicides to kill crabgrass either before growing or after it has germinated, the occurrence of crabgrass might resurge again. The herbicide will kill the crabgrass plants, but it’s not conclusive that you’ll never see crabgrass plants again in later times. Below are natural ways to control crabgrass:
- Pulling out crabgrass is an effective method when you carefully do it. After pulling out crabgrass, remember to spread seeds on bare spots immediately.
- Whenever you see bare spots, cover them up by spreading your preferred grass seeds.
- When you mow your lawn, mow high. Never cut too low. Light is essential for crabgrass to grow. So, when you mow high, you provide a kind of shade for the soil, which keeps the ground cool. In such a situation, crabgrass plants leave.
- Vinegar is another natural ingredient for killing crabgrass. Yes, you read that right. Vinegar doesn’t just serve as food flavor but also as a weed killer. Vinegar has proven to be effective in getting rid of crabgrass. It is accessible and inexpensive. Spraying crabgrass plants with vinegar will kill them. However, you’ll have to respray if the rain falls after the initial spraying. Small weeds are easily susceptible to death. While old weeds will require you to spray them thoroughly before dying. The acetic acid in vinegar makes it a plant killer. But, you need to be careful because vinegar is a non-selective killer. Therefore, any plant you spray will die.
- Boil crabgrass: Boil, you say? Yes! Pour hot water on crabgrass to kill it. When doing this, be careful not to burn yourself. Also, the hot water might affect the plants around the crabgrass. Be sure to reseed.
- Table salt is another home remedy. You can either pour salt on the crabgrass plants or make a mixture. Apply only to the crabgrass so that you don’t kill other plants.
Does baking soda kill crabgrass?
Yes, Baking soda extracts water from the stems and roots, resulting in a lack of water which then destroys the cells and tissues, and causes weeds like crabgrass to die off quickly. Once baking soda destroys the foliage of crabgrass, it makes it hard for it to grow again because crabgrass has no underground rhizomes that grow once baking soda eliminates the leafage.
How to use baking soda on crabgrass?
Wet the area of the crabgrass with a moderate amount of water to make baking soda attach to the foliage and stems easily.
Baking soda is a non-selective weed killer. Therefore, it will be toxic to other grass plants. So, baking soda should not come in contact with other grasses. You do well by covering other plants that are close to the crabgrass to prevent them from dying.
You should then spread the baking soda on the wet crabgrass area. Ensure that you cover the foliage sufficiently. It’s okay to repeat this process after some days if you still notice some crabgrass in your garden.
After this process, the foliage will start to turn white. It is one of the signs that the application is working. You will also notice discoloration (the leaves get black) as well stunted growth. Give the crabgrass enough time to die before yanking it out.
Then, preferably, use your hand or a weed puller to pull out the dead crabgrass. When you do this, you prevent the weed from regrowing on the bare areas. Afterward, fill up the spaces with new plants.
Reseeding is essential when you need to control crabgrass. So, once you uproot, fill the areas with topsoil and spread your new preferred seeds, and apply fertilizer. Do not forget the watering part.
How do you get rid of crabgrass in summer?
You can get rid of crabgrass in summer either by using chemicals or not.
To use chemicals, use post-emergence herbicides. When crabgrass is covering your garden, the best solution is to use chemical treatments. Select the correct type of herbicide for the garden and carefully read and follow instructions. This article has earlier discussed different types of herbicides to choose from. Scroll up to see them.
How to get rid of crabgrass naturally?
Wet the lawn and pull out the crabgrass. When you wet the yard, it makes it easier to pull out the crabgrass.
- Fill up bare areas with seeds. Don’t just leave empty spaces open. Be sure to cover up with grains.
- Water the lawn at least once a week or twice weekly.
- When you mow, do not go less than 3 inches. Crabgrass leaves when the grass is cool and shady. So, cut high to provide shade for the soil.
- Lastly, when spring arrives, use a pre-emergent herbicide. It prevents crabgrass from growing.
If you follow these steps, you’ll be able to get rid of crabgrass plants in summer.
What time of the year is best to kill crabgrass?
It is good to select a perfect time when it comes to killing crabgrass. As much as using the correct herbicide is essential, perfect timing is necessary for significant results. It is recommended to kill crabgrass around late winter and early spring. Killing crabgrass in early spring will prevent it from growing in the following year.
Make use of a pre-emergent herbicide during this time.
Conclusion
Weeds ruin the beauty of a yard. Crabgrass is an excellent example of an ugly weed. If you notice the growth of crabgrass, you definitely will think of a way to kill it. Aside from using a weed eater Battery-Powered And Cordless Weed Eater, You can get rid of crabgrass naturally or by the use of herbicides.
The natural method isn’t always practical, especially when it comes to crabgrass plants that are firm and hard. But with the help of herbicides, you can conveniently get rid of crabgrass plants. Depending on the type of herbicide you have, you can choose to apply it before crabgrass grows or after it has developed.
The priority here is having the correct type of herbicide. That might seem like a problem, but it isn’t. This article has noted different types of herbicides to choose from. Each is having outstanding and effective results. With the correct kind of herbicide, maintain a beautiful and appealing lawn.
We hope that now you know how to get rid of the crabgrass and which crabgrass killer you should buy. If you have any queries feel free to reach out in the comments section below.
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