California Gardening: Please Help: this is taking over my lawn!, 1 by DaleTheGardener

DaleTheGardener wrote:
SK,

We call it 'crab grass'. I know that is not much help, but, if you do a google search http://www.rd.com/images/tfhimport/2005/20050401_Lawn_Proble... I would suggest you google images and see what comes up.

Annual crab grass is easier to control than the perennial kinds. I would go to the Ag people's website http://www.unce.unr.edu/ If you don't find anything published you can always email them. They will be able to give you a timetable and methods/chemicals to control the invader.

As for your clover.....Ortho makes a product called 'Grass Out' that I have used in areas that have broad leaf plants, to kill invading grasses like Bermuda grass. Works well, problem is it is not widely stocked.

One of the best ways to control invaders in lawns is to leave you lawn mower set at the max height that the state recommends and leave the cuttings on the lawn to decompose. Many weedy plants need sun and poor soil to get established. Spreading and raking in well composted organic material helps control weeds and give the desirable grasses a boost (and it is time consuming and somewhat costly).

Here is my weedy lawn>