Delayed Spring Sparks Crabgrass Concerns

A late-blooming spring has landscape professionals scrambling to silence crabgrass before the obnoxious intruder sets up camp for the summer. Also referred to as crowfoot and finger grass, the stubborn weed is tremendously tough to control once it has sprouted.

According to a recent survey, two out of three lawn care operators in the Northeast and Midwest are making preemergence crabgrass applications late this year – because winter weather conditions have lasted longer than normal. In particular, extended snow cover in the Northeast put a freeze on preemergence applications.

“The problem with crabgrass is you have to stop it before tillering,” noted Mike Melichar, a customer agronomist for Dow AgroSciences LLC. “And that window of time can close pretty quickly if winter weather lasts longer than usual.”

As the application window narrows, LCOs are a little worried about the emerging possibilities.

Nearly 58 percent of those surveyed expressed concern that crabgrass will emerge before they can prevent its growth. Concerns are especially high among respondents in Connecticut, Massachussetts, Ohio and New York.

The e-mailed survey, conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine and Dow AgroSciences focused on 2,700 LCOs in the upper Midwest and North Atlantic.

The author is Assistant Editor-Internet of Lawn & Landscape magazine and can be reached at aanderson@lawnandlandscape.com.