Every homeowner hopes to have a lawn that is free from weeds. Unfortunately, crabgrass is common weed that affects many lawns. The wide-leaved grass, which grows in a tight crab-like circle, is invasive, displacing other types of grasses within a lawn. Crabgrass often begins to grow during spring and advances to full growth as temperatures increase during summer. Crabgrass seeds rely on increasing temperatures between spring and summer to germinate, flourish, and later, the grass eventually dries up, leaving large spots of dead grass. Without proper lawn care, the seeds embedded in the ground will germinate again the following year.

Proper timing is critical when planning to kill crabgrass. A pre-emergent herbicide should be used to kill the weed in early spring to prevent seeds from germinating. When applied at the right time, the herbicide significantly reduces the chances of crabgrass seeds germinating the following year. Corn gluten meal is a good pre-emergent herbicide that is free of chemicals and can be applied to prevent germination of crabgrass seeds. Also, crabgrass can be destroyed after it has germinated but still in the leaf phase. At this stage, weeds can be easily pulled out by hand, but larger infestations may require a post-emergent herbicide that kills established weeds. Simple maintenance procedures such as regularly mowing a lawn can also discourage the growth of crabgrass.