Crabgrass - Lawn Weed Identification and Control

How to identify and manage crabgrass, one of the most common and invasive grass weeds. Pictures are included to help with identification.

Every landscaper, gardener, hobbyist, or do-it-yourself homeowner is — or will be at some point — very familiar with crabgrass, it grows everywhere, but the good news is it is very easy to prevent.

This weed is a warm-season annual grass, which means it sprouts from seed when temperatures rise in late spring and through the summer and then will die when temperatures cool or with the first hard frost in the fall.

It thrives on moist sites with plenty of sunlight and will invade areas where your lawn is thinnest and along edges and sidewalks – wherever the sun hits the ground, and there is little competition from lawn grasses. A dense and thick lawn is the best weed prevention.