Get your motor running: Crabgrass control adjustment
With warm temperatures this winter many are questioning how to adjust their turf management practices in 2012. In the past 90 days, Indiana temperatures have averaged 3-4 degrees warmer than normal. The forecast also shows that we will likely continue to be warmer than normal during the next 30 days.Although I do not foresee the need to make significant changes to your management program, it will be necessary to start making preemergence applications earlier this year in my opinion. Here are some things to consider as you adjust.
How will the warmer conditions affect my preemergence timing? Some believe that despite the warmer weather, that it is not necessary to make preemergence applications early in 2012 because we will very likely get a “killing” frost in April which could kill all the crabgrass that germinates early. While I think this is possible, my experience is that many warm-season grass seedlings (whether crabgrass or bermudagrass) are largely unaffected by spring frosts. The reason for this is not completely clear, but it is likely that these seedlings are insulated from frosts that occur at the top of the turf canopy because the emerged seedlings, such as crabgrass, are protected next to the warmer soil surface. Since I do not believe that there is a guarantee that a late spring frost will kill emerged crabgrass, then I recommend making sure that you apply your preemergence herbicide early this year prior to emergence. Just how early is uncertain, but it would not hurt to target making applications 7-10 days earlier than normal. To track crabgrass germination and the optimum window for preemergence applications, check the following website http://www.gddtracker.net/.
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