Crabgrass is the number 1 weed problem in Pennsylvania lawns and can turn your picture-perfect turf into a real mess by late summer. Crabgrass can be controlled by using the proper herbicide, applied at the proper time. At Rgreen® we apply two rounds of crabgrass control (hybrid program). This will provide the most control during the crabgrass growing season.

Crabgrass begins as seeds that germinate in spring or early summer, die after the first hard frost in fall and produce large seed crops that remain dormant over the winter. Rgreen® uses pre-emergence herbicides to kill germinating grass seedlings before they emerge from the soil. The herbicides act by forming a barrier in the soil that effectively prevents grass seedlings from emerging and developing normally. This will also stop all new grass seed from germinating as well. Crabgrass begins to germinate when the temperature in the upper inch of soil reaches 55 to 58 degrees Fahrenheit at daybreak for four to five days.


Rgreen® programs strengthen the root system, making it more difficult for crabgrass to grow. By encouraging a good root system the turf is naturally thicker which greatly reduces weed opportunities.

The information contained in this article is from Penn State turfgrass.