The Citizen, 2019-05-09, Page 19THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 9, 2019. PAGE 19.
Home and Garden 2019
Regular maintenance not enough to stop crabgrass
MS –Homeowners who enjoy
tending to their lawns know that
grass is vulnerable to a host of
problems, many of which appear at a
time of year when lawn enthusiasts
want to showcase the fruits of their
lawn-and-garden labors.
Crabgrass is a common problem
that appears in summer. According
to Lowes, crabgrass plants produce
thousands of seeds between
midsummer and early fall. While the
first frosts of late-fall or early winter
kill the crabgrass plants, the seeds
produced by the plants remain
dormant throughout winter and then
begin to grow as the ground
temperature warms up with the
spring and summer thaw.
As a result, controlling
germination, which is the
development of a plant from a seed
or spore after a period of dormancy,
is the key to preventing crabgrass
from becoming an unsightly
blemish that can harm your lawn in
summer.
A proactive approach to crabgrass
can save homeowners the headaches
of dealing with this unwanted guest
taking over their grass. The
following tips, courtesy of Lowes,
can help homeowners reduce the
likelihood of their lawns being
overcome by crabgrass as summer
hits full swing.
• Recognize that routine lawn
maintenance may not be enough.
Even lawns that receive sufficient
TLC can fall victim to crabgrass. A
proactive, crabgrass-specific
approach to lawn maintenance is the
most effective way to control the
problem before it pops up.
• Apply a pre-emergent
herbicide.Pre-emergent herbicides
kill crabgrass seedlings as they
germinate. While these herbicides
are highly effective, they must be
applied at precisely the right time.
The right time to apply them
depends on weather patterns. For
example, Lowes notes that
homeowners who live in regions that
might have experienced warmer than
usual winters will probably need to
apply the herbicides earlier than
usual. While the manufacturer
instructions should always be
followed when applying herbicides,
it's essential that homeowners take
weather patterns into consideration
as well.
• Wait until the ground
temperatures rise.Applying
herbicides when the ground
temperature is still cold might render
the products ineffective. Gauging
soil temperature can be tricky, but
Lowes advises monitoring shrubs
and trees on the property. Once
shrubs begin to bloom and trees bud,
herbicide can be applied.
• Wait when treating newly
seeded lawns.Pre-emergent
herbicides might kill new grass
seedlings, so homeowners with
newly seeded lawns should wait
until they have mowed their lawns
three times before applying a
herbicide.
• Emphasize uniform
application.If a herbicide is not
applied uniformly across the lawn,
crabgrass can establish itself and
ultimately spread to the rest of the
lawn.
• Do not thatch or aerate after
applying a herbicide.Thatching or
aerating a lawn after applying a
herbicide might break the product's
chemical barrier, thereby rendering
it ineffective.
Crabgrass can quickly spread on
an untreated lawn. A proactive
approach that prevents its growth
can keep lawns looking great
through summer.
atsonsh.w
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FOUR LOCATIONS TO SERVE YOU!
BLYTH, 208 Hamilton Street • 519.523.9305 or 519.523.9306
GODERICH, 370 Bayfield Road • 519.524.8312
GORRIE,44195 Harriston Road, Hwy. 87 • 519.335.3551
LISTOWEL,140 Main Street East • 519.291.2610
AGENT: TODD WHEELER
75 Sports Dr., Brussels, ON N0G 1H0
twheeler@mckillopmutual.com
OFFICE: 519-357-0155
FAX: 226-889-8944
Todd Wheeler
Insurance Inc.
Crabgrass!
Crabgrass can strike anyone at any time, and often times, taking care of a lawn isn’t enough.
Specific steps need to be taken to deal with this menace. (MS photo)
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