Troubleshooting

For established lawns, think back to the previous season. If you had a crabgrass problem in your lawn last year, you should consider adding a crabgrass control product to your maintenance program this season. Crabgrass plants are very prolific seed producers and all that seed remains viable in the soil for years.

If you have used a crabgrass control for two years and your lawn is dense and healthy, chances are you could alternate years between a straight fertilizer and a control program. A crabgrass preventer controls annual weeds as they germinate. Crabgrass preventer should be applied before weeds begin to germinate since it does not control established weeds. After applying, avoid reseeding for 90 days. A good rule of thumb is to apply crabgrass preventer any time before dogwood trees begin to bloom.

Note: Never apply a crabgrass preventer when seeding a new lawn or bare spots.

• Why didn't my grass seed grow?
• Why did so many weeds grow where I planted my grass seed?
• My grass turned brown during the dry summer. Will it grow back?
• Will the turfgrasses I planted grow back next year?