[gautamanne]

Hello everyone.. I live in CT and beginning of the season I re did my yard. I had fresh topsoil and seeded the yard. I did this in May and I put starter fertilizer initially. In July when the weather turned hot.. I am seeing lot of crab grass germinate. I don't know how to stop this Crab Grass now at this time of the year. Is there any fertilizer which will kill the Crab Grass. I don't want to spray the pesticide as it targets only specific areas.

Please help me with my situation... Next year will do the Scott 4 Step program.. So I will fertilize in Spring.

Thanks

[RickJ]

You can't kill only the crabgrass now.

Scott's 4-step program will do you just fine next year as long as you get step 1 (Crabgrass preventer plus fertilizer) down correctly and early enough.

My weather is similar to yours: I like to get the crabgrass prevent down in early March.

Read more about it here:
http://www.scotts.com/index.cfm/even...1e93c1c514cc61

[aqua@home]

The only way to get rid of it is with Round Up. Even this way, you have to put it on each blade and be sure not to get any on the grass you want to keep. That stuff kills everything! The best way, in addition to what Rick said, is to over seed. Seed some more, fertilize, water, etc. You will eventually choke the crab grass out.

Good luck.

[NeedKarma]

Rick is quite correct. I used Killex about 4 days ago, I used the plastic bottle that attaches to the hose. My broad leaf problem is going away but my lawn is quite yellow from the stress. :( I'm hoping for a good rainfall tonight.

[RickJ]

Just to clarify:

Crabgrass is no like other weeds. With other weeds you can apply the killer to the entire area and only the weeds will die. Unless you're willing to put roundup on one blade of crabgrass at a time, there's just no way to treat it all and kill only the crabgrass.

The only way to not have crabgrass is to
1. Kill it and the grass around it, remove the dead stuff and replant (which is not realistic in August anyway), or
2. prevent it from germinating.

Pulling it is not very effective either, as it has very deep and strong roots.

Hey, at least it's green :D

Follow those instructions on round 1 to a tee and you'll see very little crabgrass.

[gautamanne]

Thanks for your input... If I need to reseed in Fall and put the Scott's Step 4. How do I do it.. Should I seed first and then put the Step 4 or put both at the sametime.. Can you tell me . I am also planning on areating the lawn as well.

Thanks