Be warned: crabgrass and dandelions are on their way and can quickly spiral out of control if they grow unchecked! If you’re a homeowner in Central Indiana, you’re probably familiar with these weedy broadleaf plants. But do you know the ins and outs of controlling their rapid lifecycles to protect your lawn? Let’s tackle crabgrass and dandelion this spring before they make your lawn their home.
What You Need To Know About Crabgrass and Dandelions
With leafy greens that sprawl across homeowner lawns, both crabgrass and dandelions can be found nearly everywhere in the United States. However, these nuisances behave and grow differently. Understanding their differences will help you tackle weeds and deter future ones.
How do crabgrass and dandelion seeds spread?
How do crabgrass and dandelions end up scattered in your lawn in the first place? These broadleaf weeds are rapid reproducers, meaning they grow and seed quickly. Just one dandelion plant can produce up to 15,000 seeds in its lifetime, while a crabgrass plant can produce 150,000! Since these seeds are abundant and lightweight, they’re easily picked up by the wind from neighboring lawns and settle into your property.
When do crabgrass and dandelions germinate?
Once the seeds land on your lawn, they seize the opportunity to make it home. These pesky plants thrive in infertile environments like sidewalks, driveways, roadways, and thin areas in the lawn. If your lawn isn’t already healthy, the conditions are more welcoming to weeds. Crabgrass starts germinating in late March to April, with visible plants beginning to sprout in May. However, it is an annual and will die off in winter.
Unlike crabgrass, dandelions have a longer lifespan – one plant can live up to 13 years. If dandelions aren’t treated, you could deal with them forever! While dandelions produce their signature yellow flowers in April to mid-May in Central Indiana, they often germinate the year prior and continue growing through the fall before blooming in the spring. Their deep taproots make them especially difficult to remove, as even a tiny fragment left behind can regenerate into a new plant.
Preventative Strategies for Crabgrass and Dandelions in Central Indiana Lawns
As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than cure.” This can also be said when fighting common lawn weeds. It’s easier to create a lush, defensive lawn with a natural weed barrier than to try to pluck out existing weeds. Let’s discuss what you can do this spring to keep weeds out of your yard.
Time the pre-emergent applications strategically (March to May).
Pre-emergent herbicides are designed to strike when the iron is hot (that is, right before weed seeds begin to germinate!). Our Central Indiana lawn care program includes a pre-emergent application that creates a chemical barrier around the seed and stops it from ever becoming a seedling. However, effective timing is essential. If you wait too long, the seeds will sprout, and pre-emergent herbicides will no longer be effective.
When we serve homeowners, we think strategically about our application timing. Brooklawn will never use pre-emergents on freshly seeded lawns, as this can kill the new grass seed unless the grass has been established earlier in the year. We want to preserve your new, beautiful spring lawn growth. For new lawns, we recommend a broadleaf spray herbicide at a later date.
Mow at a higher height (3.5 inches).
This simple step will make all the difference! By mowing at a higher height, around 3.5 inches, you can encourage healthy turf growth while suppressing weeds. Crabgrass and dandelions love dry, sunny patches of soil, so the shade will make it more challenging for them to pop up in the lawn.
Broadleaf applications will kill existing dandelions and crabgrass.
What if you already have weeds present in the lawn? No worries– we can still prevent future weeds with our broadleaf herbicide application! These herbicides only target certain weeds and will never harm your lawn. We will spray the herbicide on leafy crabgrass and dandelions, where it will be absorbed by the leaves and halt its metabolic processes. Broadleaf herbicides especially work best on dandelions that have a deep taproot that can be hard to pull out.
Regular annual lawn care
What’s the most practical prevention method of all? A well-maintained lawn is your best defense against persistent weeds like crabgrass and dandelions. Invest in a regular lawn care program that supports soil fertility, thick grass blade growth, and strong root growth. Dense turfgrass, boosted by regular fertilizer applications, stops weeds from filling empty spaces in your yard. We also recommend that homeowners familiarize themselves with the best lawn care practices. Deep, infrequent watering and high mowing on your part will go a long way in promoting a resilient, weed-resistant lawn.
Is Your Soil Quality Encouraging Weed Growth?
Unhappy soil makes for happy weeds. Dandelions thrive in under-fertilized and compacted soil because grass can’t grow strong in these conditions. This is where the advantages of a lawn care program come in: our six-week lawn care program ensures your turf receives regular nutrient boosts to grow stronger and healthier than threatening weeks.
Crabgrass is an opportunistic weed that thrives in sparse lawns and areas with high foot traffic. A combination of thin turf and compacted soil can injure your lawn, leaving spaces for weeds to fill in the damaged areas. If your lawn has been affected by wandering feet, tire tracks, and poor drainage, it might be time to aerate. By aerating, you loosen compacted soil, allowing your grass roots to breathe easily while facing dandelions and crabgrass.
Kick Dandelions and Crabgrass to the Curb with Central Indiana Lawn Care
Brooklawn Services has all you need to achieve the spring lawn of your dreams. Don’t tackle tough weeds alone — sign up for comprehensive lawn care for a weed-resistant lawn in Muncie, Indiana and beyond. Contact us today or call us at 888-794-9555 for a custom quote for your lawn care plan.
