Pre-Emergent: A Solution To Crabgrass
Crabgrass can be tough to manage once it takes root. It isn’t native to the Midwest, or even the United States. Crabgrass was brought from Europe as a grazing crop for livestock and is extremely resilient, with a single plant producing over 75,000 hardy seeds. In fact, crabgrass seeds can lay dormant on your lawn for years, waiting for the right conditions to emerge.
If not caught early, crabgrass enters the “tiller” stage. The tiller stage is when crabgrass begins to branch out and become spidery, giving it its crablike appearance. At this stage, it becomes much harder to control.
The best defense against crabgrass is to stop it from happening in the first place with a good pre-emergent, like prodiamine. Pre-emergents stick around in your soil, perfectly safe for your already-established turf.
How Does Prodiamine Work?
For crabgrass to grow, its cells have to divide. Inside the cell, tiny tubes form to assist with the process. Prodiamine stops these tubes from forming, leading to ineffective cell division. Even if the prodiamine doesn’t stop the emergence altogether, the crabgrass that has been affected will have shorter roots, stubby leaves and be altogether easier to control.
Another effect of prodiamine is that it stops other nutrients from being taken up, effectively starving crabgrass before it emerges.
Pre-emergents like prodiamine are also useful for preventing the emergence of goosegrass, chickweed, spurge and many types of broadleaf weed. Spring is the ideal time to apply pre-emergent.
It’s best not to use prodiamine in an area where you’re trying to grow turfgrass through seeding or sod. Although pre-emergents don’t affect turfgrass once it’s been established, it will have the same growth-blocking effect on the seedlings of good grasses as it does on the bad ones.
Let Tee Time Lawn Care Help!
If you’re concerned about crabgrass emerging in your lawn, contact Tee Time Lawn Care or fill out the nearby form and be in touch. We’ll stop your crabgrass before it starts.
