Is Crabgrass Bad for Sod? Everything You Need to Know in Sioux City

Weeds on Lawns can be a huge disappointment. They’re unsightly and compete with your lawn for nutrients and other resources such as light and water. That’s why you may want to take preventive measures when you see them. One notorious weed you need to watch out for in Sioux City is crabgrass.

The main reason it’s bad is that it can be stubborn and difficult to control. It starts to grow when the soil warms up in spring, and the summer heat makes it thrive in fall; it drops seeds that grow again the next spring. If you’re installing sod in your yard, the team at Siouxland sod recommends keeping an eye out for crabgrass. Here’s what you need to learn about crabgrass.

What is Crabgrass?

Crabgrass is a pervasive weed found throughout the United States, including Iowa. It’s an annual weed that is difficult to control. Crabgrass remains on your lawn from one growing season, which starts in the latest spring or early summer when the temperatures are going up.

When they germinate, they continue growing and thriving until the days become shorter, forcing them to enter the reproductive state. They produce 150,000 seeds per plant, wait for the first fronts to fall, and knock them out. Even if it wasn’t visible in your lawn during fall and winter, as long as it set seed, prepare to fight it next summer.

Protecting Your New Sod Against Crabgrass

If you’ve just laid your sod, you want to make sure you do everything to keep crabgrass off your space. Here are a few methods to eliminate crabgrass on your lawn.

Pull By Hand

If your sod is still relatively new, wait before you walk on it. If you’ve identified it early on and only a few are present, you can pull them by hand and dispose of them before fall. Try to pull from the edges of the sod while standing on the side to prevent breaking the stalk and leaving the roots. The edges are where the crabgrass starts setting up and takes up space. After pulling, repair the patch by laying a layer of sod to avoid creating space for crabgrass.

However, if it’s too extensive, you may want to call a professional to help eliminate them for you. Some of the most common methods of controlling crabgrass include using pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides.

Mow Your Lawn High

The goal is to avoid creating any space where crabgrass can grow. Don’t mow new sod right away. Let the grass grow for a few weeks before giving its first mow. When mowing, make sure the grass height stays above three inches. Crabgrass prefers shorter grass because it allows more light and water to reach the roots and leaves. Taller grass overpowers crabgrass. Cutting your grass too short creates the perfect environment for crabgrass to appear and thrive.

Avoid Using Weed Killers

When your lawn is still fresh, avoid using weed killers. While they can do a great job eliminating weeds, they damage your lawn. If crabgrass has taken over your lawn, calling professional weed removers can help. When we install sod in your yard, we make it our responsibility to care for it until it’s healthy and robust. You can depend on our Siouxland Sod team to fight the crabgrass for you, leaving you with healthy green lawns.

Contact us today to learn more about our sod care process and request a FREE estimate!