OK, I'm a noobie homeowner and have been wrestling with crabgrass in my
backyard for 3 years now. About 75% of my backyard has healthy St.
Augustine, while the rest is a patchwork of stubborn Bermuda grass
overshadowed by very healthy bushels of crabgrass. The first couple years,
I devoted time uprooting the crabgrass, which seemed to be a waste of time
because it just grew back, and it also created divots in my soil, which made
mowing a pain in the neck. For one year, I tried Scott's fertilizer (weed
n' feed) to eradicate the crabgrass and promote St. Augustine growth, but it
appeared to breath life into the Bermuda more than anything else.

This year, I plan to resort to a new method - "The Touch of Death". Here's
the idea: a bucket o' Roundup diluted to recommended strength, rubber glove,
hand towel. I rub the blades of crabgrass with dampened towel, taking care
not to touch the surrounding Bermuda. Roundup does its job in a day or two
and possibly kills or at least weakens surrounding Bermuda as a side effect.
St. Augustine moves in with little to no competition.

But will the "touch of death" work? I'd like to hear what the green thumbs
have to say. Thanks.

-Bob

On Mon, 7 Mar 2005 09:11:41 -0600, "Bob"
wrote:

This year, I plan to resort to a new method - "The Touch of Death". Here's
the idea: a bucket o' Roundup diluted to recommended strength, rubber glove,
hand towel. I rub the blades of crabgrass with dampened towel, taking care
not to touch the surrounding Bermuda.

Bob, I think that a small spray bottle would suffice. Like window
cleaner comes in. You will end up with circular dead spots where the
crab grass was but they will heal. Do it on a day when there is no
wind, also, to keep it from drifting.

Gloves and long pants are good as RoundUp can burn your skin on
contact with the liquid spray.

Rusty Mase

"Bob" wrote in message
...
OK, I'm a noobie homeowner and have been wrestling with crabgrass in my
backyard for 3 years now. About 75% of my backyard has healthy St.
Augustine, while the rest is a patchwork of stubborn Bermuda grass
overshadowed by very healthy bushels of crabgrass. The first couple
years,
I devoted time uprooting the crabgrass, which seemed to be a waste of time
because it just grew back, and it also created divots in my soil, which
made
mowing a pain in the neck. For one year, I tried Scott's fertilizer (weed
n' feed) to eradicate the crabgrass and promote St. Augustine growth, but
it
appeared to breath life into the Bermuda more than anything else.

This year, I plan to resort to a new method - "The Touch of Death".
Here's
the idea: a bucket o' Roundup diluted to recommended strength, rubber
glove,
hand towel. I rub the blades of crabgrass with dampened towel, taking
care
not to touch the surrounding Bermuda. Roundup does its job in a day or
two
and possibly kills or at least weakens surrounding Bermuda as a side
effect.
St. Augustine moves in with little to no competition.

But will the "touch of death" work? I'd like to hear what the green
thumbs
have to say. Thanks.

-Bob



There are commercial ag products with a similar approach - a 3 foot tube
filled with ROundup and some fabric strips on the bottom. The Roundup soaks
down into the fabric and you just wipe weeds as you walk the field.

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Cool, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. I should be able to rig
my own with a washcloth and a 3ft wooden rod. I'll see how it that works.

-Bob

The spray bottle works great, that's what I use.

"Cindy" wrote in message
news

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Cool, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. I should be able to rig
my own with a washcloth and a 3ft wooden rod. I'll see how it that
works.

-Bob

The spray bottle works great, that's what I use.

Why not just get the herbicide designed for the grass you want to survive, I
have Bermuda lawn and a similar problem to yours, more weeds than lawn
grass. I put out a pre-emergent and sprayed with a post emergent one year
and the deals down, great lawn. For what it's worth

David

If there's one you can recommend, I'll try it. I didn't have luck with the
weed 'n feed approach, but then again I only tried it for one year. Thanks.

-Bob

"David Smith" wrote in message
news:WUuXd.5190$Ru.4350@okepread06...

"Cindy" wrote in message
news

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Cool, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. I should be able to rig
my own with a washcloth and a 3ft wooden rod. I'll see how it that
works.

-Bob

The spray bottle works great, that's what I use.

Why not just get the herbicide designed for the grass you want to survive,
I have Bermuda lawn and a similar problem to yours, more weeds than lawn
grass. I put out a pre-emergent and sprayed with a post emergent one
year and the deals down, great lawn. For what it's worth

David

Bob, my lawn grass is Bermuda, MSDA (post emergent herbicide) will kill your
St Augustine, there is a product that you can spray designed for your grass
(read the labels) it may be a little late for spring but a pre-emergent will
form a barrier that keeps seeds from sprouting, the trick to them is they
need to be watered in, if it doesn't rain in 24 hrs or so irrigate, it
dissolves the chemical and they really work, I haven't had as much luck in
the past with "weed and feed" products, new things are out maybe they work
better but you have to water them in.

Hope this helps.

David
"Bob" wrote in message
...
If there's one you can recommend, I'll try it. I didn't have luck with
the weed 'n feed approach, but then again I only tried it for one year.
Thanks.

-Bob

"David Smith" wrote in message
news:WUuXd.5190$Ru.4350@okepread06...

"Cindy" wrote in message
news

"Bob" wrote in message
...
Cool, so it sounds like I'm on the right track. I should be able to
rig my own with a washcloth and a 3ft wooden rod. I'll see how it that
works.

-Bob

The spray bottle works great, that's what I use.

Why not just get the herbicide designed for the grass you want to
survive, I have Bermuda lawn and a similar problem to yours, more weeds
than lawn grass. I put out a pre-emergent and sprayed with a post
emergent one year and the deals down, great lawn. For what it's worth

David