How to Prevent Crabgrass and Other Annual Weeds

Today, my most favorite person, Randy, is sharing about how to prevent crabgrass and other annual weeds in your lawn before they take over.

Spring is just around the corner and what a welcome change after the winter many of us have been through. Trees and shrubs and flowers are poised for new growth but in the midst of all that hope and promise something sinister is lurking: weed seeds. Yes, in mulch or dormant grass there are thousands of tiny seeds dropped by last year’s plants or spread by wind or wildlife.

Weed seeds are just waiting for a little warmth so they can spring to life and ruin your yard enjoyment, and take over all of those pretty flowers and other plantings. But do not fear! We are not without weapons.  You have probably heard of commercial crabgrass preventer or pre-emergent herbicide. If you are a lawn-involved sort of person and haven’t tried preventers, they might be worth a look.

Crabgrass preventers are designed to be spread over lawns or mulch to prevent seeds from germinating. When used as directed they don’t hurt existing plants; check labels for exceptions. Applied at the right time preventers can help you get a big leg up on weeds. Timing is everything with this stuff. For example, in our local USDA zone here in South Carolina, late winter is the ideal time to prevent weeds. If applied too soon weed preventer will lose effectiveness before it can begin working as it should. Of course if it is applied too late the weeds will have already germinated.

Check your USDA Hardiness Zone or with professionals at your local garden center or agricultural extension for recommendations for your specific area.  Also, you’ll find a great deal of information online from state universities too. Do your homework, but don’t be intimidated. A little effort now can mean a lot less weed-pulling and spraying later.

Happy gardening!