How to Get Rid of Crabgrass Naturally Using Home Remedies

Crabgrass is a tough, invasive weed that can crowd out other plants in the same space and stunt their growth by absorbing the valuable nutrients and water in the soil. Here are our top suggestions for getting rid of crabgrass using natural home remedies without dealing too much damage to the soil.

1. Dig Them Out Before They Start Spreading

Weeds like crabgrass have a tendency to spread quickly during the warm summer months. We suggest getting rid of as many clumps of crabgrass as you can before the warm weather kicks in. Crabgrass have shallow roots so they aren’t too difficult to dig out. Having an efficient weeding tool will make your life as lot easier.

2. Bake the Crabgrass to Death

If the crabgrass has already spread to a large area of the yard then one way to deal with the weed is by baking them, although keep in mind that this solution requires some patience. The first step to this method is to mow the weed and grass as much as you can so that the plants are low to the ground.

Next, place a heavy-duty black sheet (such as weed control fabric) on the affected area and weigh it down so the sheet doesn’t fly away. You will then need to wait a month or two for the trapped heat to eliminate the crabgrass. The black sheet will also prevent the weed from getting sunlight.

3. Discard the Seeds

When you are pulling out the crabgrass, be sure to throw away the seeds. Crabgrass seedlings look like tiny corn stalks. You don’t want the crabgrass to grow again the next season by leaving the seeds behind. They need to be packed in tightly-sealed bags when they are discarded.

4. Crowd the Crabgrass Out

This involves long-term planning but make it difficult for crabgrass to grow again in future years by packing your yard with plants you actually want to grow. Bare lawn spots should be immediately replaced with new grass seeds. If you live in an area that doesn’t get a lot of rain then you may want to consider drought-tolerant grass such as yarrow.