Yard Care

[SlumpBuster]

First off, try to figure out if what you're dealing with is actual crabgrass or one of the many other grassy weeds. That will help you figure out what you need. An ID app like Seek or ObsIdentify can help with that, although it might need to be somewhat grown out in order to work.

Would the treatment be dramatically different regardless?

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Anyone have some good recs for pest control? I get a TON of bugs in my back yard. We're a block away from a lake and my front yard slopes to my back yard so it kind of stays pretty damp. I spray it with some bug killer stuff every couple months, but that doesn't seem to do enough.

We almost don't use it anymore because the bugs are so bad.

I usually do.........

For yard

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/insect-pest-control/lawn-insect-control/menards-reg-premium-granular-lawn-insect-killer-12-000-sq-ft/2632001/p-1444429569850-c-14246.htm?exp=false

The one on the left

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/insect-pest-control/area-insect-repellents/cutter-reg-backyard-value-triple-pack-concentrate-fogger-personal-repellent/hg-97047/p-1642874302703406-c-14248.htm?exp=false

For house

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/insect-pest-control/home-insect-control/ortho-reg-home-defense-max-reg-ready-to-spray-home-insect-killer-1-gal/4600810/p-7720120059552011-c-14245.htm?exp=false

We don't have a problem, but we aren't by water. I would look at one of those bug zappers too if it were me and they were bad.

https://www.menards.com/main/outdoors/insect-pest-control/area-insect-repellents/pic-reg-solar-lantern-bug-zapper-with-led-flame-effect/pic-99188/p-1642874302870692-c-14248.htm?exp=false

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Bifenthrin

Bifenthrin 7.9F Select | Insecticide

Bifenthrin 7.9F Select Insecticide is used in Lawn Care Nut and Yard Mastery programs primarily for the control of lawn-damaging insects, sod webworms, and army worms. Additionally, it can be used against nuisance pests such as ants, fleas, ticks, mosquitos in the lawn and landscape. Active...

yardmastery.com

 

[Faux Sean Callahan]

Probably posted already, but I took over a yard with a bad crab grass problem. Any tips? Don’t think they did much for the lawn. Going to likely start the grass pad program in the spring

This to nuke it now

Quintessential Crabgrass Control | Yard Mastery

Quintessential™ takes quinclorac performance to the next level and is an excellent choice if you are going after crabgrass that has invaded your lawn. This is a selective, post-emergent herbicide that can be safely applied to many types of turf to control a variety of broadleaf and grassy weeds...

yardmastery.com

This to help keep it away in the spring

Prodiamine 65 WDG (alternative - Barricade® 65WDG) | Yard Mastery

Shop Prodiamine 65 WDG a brand alternative to Barricade® 65WDG from Yard Mastery to control crabgrass and 31 other problem weeds including Henbit, Annual, Bluegrass, Knotweed, Foxtail, Chickweed, Goosegrass, Spurge and more at amazing prices now!

yardmastery.com

It might be too late in the season to try getting rid of it.....


AI answer
"Short answer: You can let winter kill crabgrass, but applying a post-emergent now may not be worth it this late in the season.

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Detailed Breakdown​

1. Crabgrass life cycle

• Crabgrass is an annual weed. That means it germinates in spring, grows through summer, and dies with the first hard frost.
• Once temperatures drop consistently into the mid-30s, crabgrass naturally dies off, leaving behind brown patches.

2. Post-emergent timing

• Post-emergents (like quinclorac or fenoxaprop) are most effective when the weed is actively growing in warm soil temps (above ~60°F).
• By fall, crabgrass is already stressed and starting to die. Spraying now has limited effectiveness and could be a waste of product.

3. Best approach now

• Skip the post-emergent. Let frost kill it off naturally.
• Focus instead on overseeding and fertilization to thicken your turf before winter. A dense lawn next spring is your best defense against crabgrass returning.

4. For next year

• Apply a pre-emergent herbicide (like prodiamine or dithiopyr) in early spring (when soil temps hit ~55°F for several days).
• This stops crabgrass seeds from germinating. Timing is critical—it’s often aligned with when forsythia shrubs bloom in many regions.

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✅ Recommendation: Let winter finish off the crabgrass now. Start planning for a pre-emergent in spring and healthy turf practices (mowing high, overseeding, fertilizing) to crowd it out next season."

 

[Toe]

Would the treatment be dramatically different regardless?

Yes. For actual crabgrass, a weed killer with quinclorac is probably the easiest option. But quinclorac is ineffective against some other grassy weeds like bahiagrass, goosegrass, or dallisgrass.

Something else that doesn't get mentioned enough is what type your actual turf grass is. What works well for a St. Augustine lawn might kill a Kentucky Bluegrass lawn, and vice versa.