I noticed that both of my neighbor's front lawns have crab grass that are slowly making their way to mine, is there any way to form some sort of barrier to keep them from getting on to my lawn? I heard rock salt and water can kill crab grass is that true?
I suspect that rock salt would kill everything. Pre-emergent herbicides are only selective one that works for crabgrass. Timing has to be right, and you can probably spray some well over the property line. Nasty stuff for wildlife, so use only according to label.
Whats wrong with crab grass killer? If your lawn is well managed, it should be hard for that to infiltrate.
CL
I'd rather use non-toxic methods since my children play on the grass. Any better options than hand raking?
It's going to be an ongoing battle unless you can eliminate it from your neighbor's yard as well.
Can you make a perennial bed along your property line and use mulch to keep things in check?
Depending how bad the crabgrass is, you might be able to use a propane torch and burn it.
Work with your neighbor to resolve the problem.
If it's visible, it's too late for the pre-emergent, anyway, which should have been applied in May-early June time frame (earlier/later depending on your unstated location). Once it's applied and watered in, there's no issue anyway.
After it's growing, topical applications aren't particularly effective and will damage most other grasses as well (again, to a greater/lesser degree depending on species, growing conditions, etc., ...).
Other than removing it manually and mowing infestations short and removing the clippings and preventing it from going to seed as much as possible (it's an annual so each year's crop is from seed left from previous or earlier years, hence why the pre-emergents are effective if down early enough so there there to stop the seedlings from surviving) are about the only control techniques. As somebody else noted, as long as there's a seed supply, you'll have a continuing problem.
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Edging installed at the property line, driven at least 4 inches deep will help.
snipped-for-privacy@dog.com wrote: ...
Mo' defenently if concentrated enough to kill the crabgrass...and will be lingering until it's finally diluted...
And other than Siduron they're really not particularly selective--others will at least inhibit severely virtually any germinating seed at the time they're still active.
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Could concrete edgeing do it? I see it advertised on TV. It'll cost you some money.
Google it - concrete edging
Well thats simply not true. My lawn next to the road develops crabgrass regularly. CG killer works just fine without hurting the other grass. Maybe it hurt grass other than KB, fescue, and rye; but it is fine on those.
Use a barrier - either edging as suggested by some others, or set up flower or evergreen beds with mulching, depending on your particular layout and size of lawn.
But, y'know, this is like the dandelion thing. Having such a high standard for a lawn that the Rest of the World has to keep to the same high standard to enable it may be a little - unsustainable.
Banty
Um. I didn't write any of the above that you attributed to me.
Does not appear that it would work. It lacks the needed barrier down into the earth several inches, which is what thwarts spreading of crabgrass. It travels underground from place to place, like bamboo.
Roundup will do it, available at any hardware store or big box, but be careful - it kills anything green, such as the surrounding grass.
Which of course isn't going to help his problem, as the crabgrass is on the border between his neighbor's lawn and his.
Acclaim is the most effective post-emergent product I have used. Far better than any of those typically found in garden centers and if applied correctly, not damaging to typical turf grass. You can find it at agricultural supply shops. Otherwise, the other choice is one of the typical selective herbicides sold at lawn/garden, HD, etc. One key is to nail it when the plants are as small as possible.
replying to trader4, Chiva wrote: I’ve got some old R E Signs from my old company. I’m going to saw them in half and bury them vertically in the soil along my Property line so the renter’s Organic crabgrass next door stops invading my peri annual flower garden.
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