Plan for lawn care

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Mar 21, 2004
Messages
29,554
Location
Near the beach in Delaware
My backyard lawn had many broadleaf weeds and crabgrass. I have a few weed killer that will kill both, but then you need to wait to seed. Do I seed in mid Sept? In the spring I want to apply pre-emergent crabgrass preventer, then seed. Again you need to wait to seed after the pre-emergent crabgrass preventer.
 
Spray it now, followup in a month and then put a winterizer fertilizer down later this fall. Seed in the spring and spot spray until after 90 days. Crabgrass is an annual that typically shows up during summer and fall when the normal grass is stressed. Take care of it now and there shouldn't be much a reason to put down a pre-emergent next spring to allow you to re-seed. Then put down the pre-emergent the following year.
 
Always seed in the fall. Spray weeds now. Aerate and overseed this Sept. and the following two years. Fertilize late Oct after new grass is growing. Winter will kill the crabgrass. Prevent next spring with pre-emergent.
 
Last edited:
I also say overseed in the fall. I always used to seed in the spring (not knowing I was being stupid) and new grass wouldn't make it through the summer. I overseeded this past September and my lawn looks way better than it ever has. I will be doing another go around in about a month. The best weed deterrent is a healthy lawn.

But I did a foolish thing this year. Due to having some landscaping done this spring I didn't do any weed prevention. I wasn't sure how bad the lawn would be after the landscaping. So the weeds got out of control. I ended up putting the weed and feed down when it was too late. So I have next year to try and get it right. Getting a healthy green weed free lawn is a long long process. It won't happen in one year.

Don
 
Oh and another thing I learned this year. Cut that grass long. Raise your mower blade. I love a full lawn that is shorter and tight. Only problem is that makes a perfect breeding ground for weeds to grow in. Weeds apparently thrive in direct sunlight

Don
 
Crab grass won't come up until next year.

And for a new lawn or to really help an established one spread out use a lawn starter fertilizer high in the middle number.
 
Originally Posted By: Dadillac
Oh and another thing I learned this year. Cut that grass long. Raise your mower blade. I love a full lawn that is shorter and tight. Only problem is that makes a perfect breeding ground for weeds to grow in. Weeds apparently thrive in direct sunlight

Don


+1
 
Apply the crabgrass killer now and overseed in mid sept and fertilize mid oct for winter. Come spring I usually overseed again in april or so and fertilize mid to end of may.
 
I've tried seeding in the fall here but can never get the grass to grow without irrigating the heck out of it, since it's so dry. That gets costly quick unless you have a well. If you can get the grass to grow in the fall months, do it. Usually plant all my trees in the fall.

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Originally Posted By: Dadillac
Oh and another thing I learned this year. Cut that grass long. Raise your mower blade. I love a full lawn that is shorter and tight. Only problem is that makes a perfect breeding ground for weeds to grow in. Weeds apparently thrive in direct sunlight

Don


+1


+2
 
Rolla07 has it figured out.

Are you trying to completely kill your lawn, then start over (Glyphosate)? Or, are you wanting to get rid of the weeds and over-seed the remaining grass to bring it back to a full, lush lawn?

Up in our neck of the woods, fall is a better time to sow our cool season grasses due to its physiology. In the fall it is wanting to put down strong roots and build energy for next year. In the spring its wanting to put its energy into leaf growth (vs. the roots). Then, just as it is getting established, the heat and drought tend to make it want to shut down and go into semi dormancy. The spring weeds tend to be more ferocious too. But, spring establishment is doable, it just takes more effort.

Your land grant university, Cornell, has some good local information for you. Timing can vary quite a bit comparing northern New York vs. southern, so keep that in mind.

http://warren.cce.cornell.edu/gardening-landscape/turf

Quinclorac is both a broadleaf and crabgrass herbicide that is friendly to new grass seed sowing. You are pushing the time limit, but if you get some post emergent weed control on this week, you should be able to safely sow seed by September 15. Plenty of time for it to get started, unless you are extreme north. If going this route (over seeding), you can rent a machine that over seeds the grass seed into the existing thin turf. Follow Cornell's fertilizer recommendations to avoid having it be too lush as it goes into early winter dormancy.

If you kill the entire lawn with glyphosate, it should be dead in 2 weeks and you can resow by September 1st.

Consider core aeration before re-sowing if you have extreme compaction.

Best wishes on your fall endeavor.
 
Originally Posted By: doitmyself
Rolla07 has it figured out.

Are you trying to completely kill your lawn, then start over (Glyphosate)? Or, are you wanting to get rid of the weeds and over-seed the remaining grass to bring it back to a full, lush lawn?

Up in our neck of the woods, fall is a better time to sow our cool season grasses due to its physiology. In the fall it is wanting to put down strong roots and build energy for next year. In the spring its wanting to put its energy into leaf growth (vs. the roots). Then, just as it is getting established, the heat and drought tend to make it want to shut down and go into semi dormancy. The spring weeds tend to be more ferocious too. But, spring establishment is doable, it just takes more effort.

Your land grant university, Cornell, has some good local information for you. Timing can vary quite a bit comparing northern New York vs. southern, so keep that in mind.

http://warren.cce.cornell.edu/gardening-landscape/turf

Quinclorac is both a broadleaf and crabgrass herbicide that is friendly to new grass seed sowing. You are pushing the time limit, but if you get some post emergent weed control on this week, you should be able to safely sow seed by September 15. Plenty of time for it to get started, unless you are extreme north. If going this route (over seeding), you can rent a machine that over seeds the grass seed into the existing thin turf. Follow Cornell's fertilizer recommendations to avoid having it be too lush as it goes into early winter dormancy.

If you kill the entire lawn with glyphosate, it should be dead in 2 weeks and you can resow by September 1st.

Consider core aeration before re-sowing if you have extreme compaction.

Best wishes on your fall endeavor.


Quinclorac does a good job on crabgrass but did not do much to any broadleaf.
 
Originally Posted By: Donald
Quinclorac does a good job on crabgrass but did not do much to any broadleaf.


Yea, I think there are a lot of variables that are hard to know about in these types of discussions. It worked very well for me, but I tried it specifically to knock back some troublesome clover,and it seemed to get many of the easier broad leaves that I had too(dandelions, etc.). I guess that's why its hard to give/receive general advice without knowing all the details.
 
to add for lawn care questions?

Is it too late in the year to put down crab grass killer? I would guess that my lawn is about 50/50 grass to weeds. I mean if it is a weed it is in my yard. I don't want to do a total kill because i am cheap. But what do yous think I can apply now, now that fall is getting closer and what in the future should I start applying to get the weeds under control.

Or should I just follow what Rolla07 said?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top