Elk River Turf and Tine Crabgrass Control

Elk River Turf and Tine Crabgrass Control Made Easy: What You Need to Know (and Why You Don’t Have to Remember It All)

Crabgrass is a warm-season annual weed that shows up when your lawn is at its most vulnerable. It germinates in the spring, thrives in summer heat, and dies off with the first frost—leaving behind thousands of seeds ready to sprout the following year. The key to stopping crabgrass is understanding its life cycle and hitting it with the right products at the right time.

Elk River Turf and Tine Crabgrass Life Cycle

Crabgrass starts from seed every spring once soil temperatures reach 50° to 55°F and stay there for several days. From there, it grows rapidly through summer, especially in thin or stressed turf areas. By fall, it produces seeds and dies. Those seeds sit in the soil all winter, waiting for the next warm-up.

Pre-Emergent Timing is Everything at Elk River Turf and Tine

To stop crabgrass before it starts, apply a pre-emergent herbicide just before soil temps hit that critical 50° to 55°F window. That’s usually in early to mid-spring, depending on your local weather.

• Street Edges and Sidewalks Warm Up First: These areas heat up earlier than the rest of your lawn, so we recommend treating them a bit sooner to get ahead of early germination.
• Use a Soil Thermometer or Ask Us: Don’t guess—stop in and we can help you track the right timing for your zip code.

Post-Emergent Options If You Missed It

If crabgrass has already sprouted, there are effective post-emergent herbicides you can buy at Elk River Turf and Tine—especially if applied while the weed is still small and actively growing.

• Surfactant Matters: Post-emergents work better with a non-ionic surfactant, which helps the herbicide stick to the weed instead of rolling off.
• Well Water? Elk River Turf and Tine sells  AMS: If you’re using well water, adding ammonium sulfate (AMS) can help soften the water and improve herbicide performance.

  

Don’t Worry—Elk River Turf and Tine Help You Through It

We get it: lawn care timing can be overwhelming. The good news? You don’t have to remember any of this.

Just stop in. Bring your questions, photos, or even a soil sample. We’ll walk you through exactly what to apply, when to apply it, and how to make it count.

Let’s make this the year you get ahead of crabgrass—together.