Wth...crabgrass? Lawn experts needed

[IAG]

This is why I always chose to live in a town home where landscaping/lawncare was done for me.

 

This lawn was immaculate when I was growing up. Over the last couple of years it has not been a priority for me, but now that I had some time thought I would take an interest. I thought my biggest issues where the strange weeds that have come from seemingly nowhere.. In reality it was probably failure to use lawn care stuff and lack of watering, but in any case, I hired Chemlawn/Trugreen for the season. I'm not sure I knew what they would do for me, but I know less about lawn care than I do about tile.

 

They have been out about five times I guess. The clover in the lawn looks better, but there are new weeds and things that have never been here before, now shooting out of nowhere all over. The most notable is what my neighbor tells me is crabgrass. It's thick, and grows around the perimeter of the house. I now see it is coming out of a crack in the walk that goes around the house. Wtf is this stuff? Neighbor asked like it's no big deal because it's green, but it looks awful next to the real grass I have. I have never seen this in the yard in 48 years it has existed. I think I would have noticed when home visiting. In any case, could this be from something ChemLawn has done? Isn't crabgrass a weed? Why would this pop up out of nowhere?

 

I see my neighbors have a tad bit here and there, but nothing like this. I hate it. I'm sure there's something I can buy, but this is why I hired a service so I would not have these issues. Thoughts?

[Guest boatboatboat]

Crab grass dies each winter. Comes up from seed dropped the prior fall.

 

Early this spring get a heavy pre-emergant on your lawn.

Do this before the nite time lows stay 55 or higher.

 

They do produce a crab grass selective spray you could use now but its performance is questionable at best

[Brick]

I use trugreen also iag, and no you cant get rid of crabgrass without pulling it or killing it off and planting new grass....nothing that they have done.

[Brick]

also i havent been watering much at all this year so i am paying for the service on my dead grass.  $62/mo i should probably cancel

[IAG]

Crab grass dies each winter. Comes up from seed dropped the prior fall.

Early this spring get a heavy pre-emergant on your lawn.

Do this before the nite time lows stay 55 or higher.

They do produce a crab grass selective spray you could use now but its performance is questionable at best

I know I sound completely ignorant on this, but I've either had a man around or had a townhome as an adult.

 

I have no idea what a pre-emergent is, but I could probably look that up.

 

What do you mean it comes out from seed dropped the prior fall? Seed from where? Lol sorry. This is why my brothers worried about me staying in the house...ha

[barman]

Crabgrass is simply a biological cousin of several common turf grasses.

 

It can be visually distracting because the leaf grows upward from center seed about 2x the speed of other turfs, resulting in "tall spots" throughout the preferred turf.

 

chemlawn et al should have a mixture that considers preemergent killing of crabgrass while not unduly impacting your preefered turf.

 

Bring it directly to attention of the operator....as opposed to calling it in and hoping it gets communicated by office to operator

 

 

What is your primary, preferred turf? Asking because I am not wholly familiar with turf grasses that far north

[IAG]

I use trugreen also iag, and no you cant get rid of crabgrass without pulling it or killing it off and planting new grass....nothing that they have done.

OK, that's good to know. It just coincided... the first time I've ever seen this, so was wondering if there was a correlation.

 

Chemlawn is maybe not what I needed. Will they do the re-seeding or whatever or are they simply there to get rid of the weeds? I haven't been watering much (at all) either, and that might be a lot of my problems. I don't need a "landscaping service" per se right? But I think I need something more than this. They said they are doing some big thing in the fall that will help the lawn look better next spring. Lots of dead areas right now.

 

The other thing is that the backyard is bumpy. It's very difficult to walk on with bare feet. Again, something that was never an issue when I was a kid. They don't think they are moles or whatever? This shit gets expensive if you have no idea what you are doing.

[Guest boatboatboat]

Pte emergent is a chemical thst will stop a seed from germinating.

 

In the fall crab grass produces seeds. Those seeds are carried by wind very long distances.

 

So in early spring a lawn treatment is applied that contains a germacied so that the seeds don't sprout

[barman]

Crab grass dies each winter. Comes up from seed dropped the prior fall.

 

Early this spring get a heavy pre-emergant on your lawn.

Do this before the nite time lows stay 55 or higher.

 

They do produce a crab grass selective spray you could use now but its performance is questionable at best

Pretty much this...in other words, the seed can be dropped on your lawn in summer/early fall by commercial lawn mowers coming off other sites.

 

Also, since it is a perennial seed grass, it can be blown in by wind from pretty much anywhere.

 

It then sits mostly dormant until spring when rising temperatures cause germination and sprouting.

 

So as BBB notes, in earl spring have a strong preemergent dispensed. As the word implies, it stops the seed from germinating prior to natural emergence.

[barman]

Preemergent = birth control for targeted plants

[IAG]

Crabgrass is simply a biological cousin of several common turf grasses.

It can be visually distracting because the leaf grows upward from center seed about 2x the speed of other turfs, resulting in "tall spots" throughout the preferred turf.

chemlawn et al should have a mixture that considers preemergent killing of crabgrass while not unduly impacting your preefered turf.

Bring it directly to attention of the operator....as opposed to calling it in and hoping it gets communicated by office to operator

What is your primary, preferred turf? Asking because I am not wholly familiar with turf grasses that far north

Yes, that is what is happening. The tall and thick spots... At first I thought it was nice as I thought the whole lawn was coming in fuller and greener, I didn't realize it was not the whole lawn and it was a weed. Lol.

 

I will have to call them and make sure the treatment guy knocks on the door. I have had a problem with them doing this in the past, even when requested.

 

Primary turf? No idea what that even means.

 

I am looking at my last evaluation from Chemlawn... It says that I should water after the application if Rain is not forecasted. I haven't done that. Could that be affecting results significantly?

[IAG]

Pte emergent is a chemical thst will stop a seed from germinating.

In the fall crab grass produces seeds. Those seeds are carried by wind very long distances.

So in early spring a lawn treatment is applied that contains a germacied so that the seeds don't sprout

OK, so it's just the luck of the draw for some reason, that this shit blew in from somewhere far away and primarily in my lawn and not the neighbor's lawn much for some reason? Figures. I still think it's weird it's never been here until the Chemlawn people showed up.

 

I probably didn't hire them early enough in the spring. I'm tempted to just to start over and have the entire lawn resodded, but I can't imagine what that would cost. I am probably confusing issues also. I'm going to really try to figure this out before next spring. My dad is rolling over in his grave.

[Guest boatboatboat]

Your neighbor likely applied a pre emergent and his never germinated

[IAG]

Your neighbor likely applied a pre emergent and his never germinated

... it's possible. I see her out there doing things on her lawn, but ive never done anything on this lawn ever...but I've never seen this...This is the strangest looking stuff I have ever seen. I'd rather have the clover.

[IAG]

Thank you guys btw! you are saving me immeasurable frustration and money long term. So many things to be learned at The gardening forum.

[Guest boatboatboat]

Clover is good.

One of few plants that naturally adds nitrogen to the soil.

 

It can be quite difficult to eradicate.

[barman]

Yes, that is what is happening. The tall and thick spots... At first I thought it was nice as I thought the whole lawn was coming in fuller and greener, I didn't realize it was not the whole lawn and it was a weed. Lol.

 

I will have to call them and make sure the treatment guy knocks on the door. I have had a problem with them doing this in the past, even when requested.

 

Primary turf? No idea what that even means.

 

I am looking at my last evaluation from Chemlawn... It says that I should water after the application if Rain is not forecasted. I haven't done that. Could that be affecting results significantly?

Preferred turf is the species that you 'intend' to be dominant...varies by region

 

Yes, a lawn area deficient in water will frequently lead to perennial,seed grasses like crabgrass taking dominance over more preferred turfs which demand more water. And most spray/granular treatments from commercial operators need an hour or more of good water to activate their primary aspects

[barman]

Clover is good.

One of few plants that naturally adds nitrogen to the soil.

 

It can be quite difficult to eradicate.

Agree fully with the above. Clover is Good....only a problem for obsessive folks (not saying you IAG) who get anxious when the overall look is not one uninterupted shade of green

 

Most clover is itself perennial so when temperatures drop it will stop germinating......until next spring

[barman]

Your neighbor likely applied a pre emergent and his never germinated

This

[barman]

Great to wake up to a Manly subject about which I know wassup.

 

The floor tile thread had me feeling like a 48 year old single woman

[IAG]

Preferred turf is the species that you 'intend' to be dominant...varies by region

Yes, a lawn area deficient in water will frequently lead to perennial,seed grasses like crabgrass taking dominance over more preferred turfs which demand more water. And most spray/granular treatments from commercial operators need an hour or more of good water to activate their primary aspects

Good to know...sprinkler tips? I just have one of those old fashioned? ones....looks Ike this. http://www.target.com/p/melnor-3100-sq-ft-oscillating-sprinkler/-/A-50235351?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Patio%2BGarden%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Patio%2BGarden&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=t&location=9020398&gclid=CKCD1-mowc4CFZFZhgod5moDNQ&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

 

How often should I move it? Should I get another type? How much is a sprinkler system lol?

[IAG]

Great to wake up to a Manly subject about which I know wassup.

The floor tile thread had me feeling like a 48 year old single woman

The Grout Forum was very helpful also.

[mikeman]

Those pre-emergent fertilizers only cost a couple  bucks more than the fertilzer alone, you do need to get them down at the right time though or they wont work.

[Guest boatboatboat]

Correct

 

In a 40lb bag the actual germazide is less than 1lb of the mix

[barman]

Move your badass sprinkler as much as needed to assure at least two hours a week on all zones when avg daily temps are above 84degrees.

 

If you have any slope(s) in your yard, target higher ends as dispersed water will work its way downhill.

 

Also, just standing outside old school with a hose end sprayer and watering hard to reach (for the sprinkler) areas is good for your health....exposes you to fresh air, sunshine and nature in general.

 

Bring your old dog outside with you, even in his beleaguered state. It will benefit him as well, especially if you talk and/or sing to him while you are watering