Spring fever may be setting in.  I think everyone is tired of freezing temperatures and shoveling snow.  So on a brighter happier note, we can start thinking about Crab Grass Control.  

Did you notice at the end of summer that you had crab grass?  The leggy, possibly hairy weed that grows close to the ground?  You may have noticed it near the edge of your driveway or encroaching on your sidewalks...   Or maybe you are worried that with all the wild weather throughout the winter that you may have a long road ahead in getting your lawn in tip top shape? 

Crabgrass is a warm season annual grass that grows best in the heat of the summer in areas that receive full sun.  Most lawns are semi dormant at this time and cannot compete with the mighty crab grass.  You will see it most often near cement or asphalt, any hard surfaces that get nice and warm. Crabgrass sticks around through the winter as a seed and will begin to emerge mid way through May and won't just go away or die until the first hard frost.  

If you had crab grass at the end of the summer and left it alone, you will have it again next month. You have a few options for your plan of attack.

If you know where you had an outbreak of crabgrass at the end of the season last year, you could try a PRE-EMERGENT lawn application.  This means it would need to be applied before the seed has time to germinate.  Ideally the soil should still be below 50 degrees, with the herbicide applied to an established lawn that is NOT going to be seeded or raked early in the spring.  This is to ensure the application will be effective.  

You begin to notice crabgrass once the warm weather arrives, towards the end of May.  Be sure its crabgrass...  It can be identified by noticing it grows very close to the ground, and has "legs" that will stretch out around the base of it, and it can be hairy or smooth. 

You can get down and dirty and take the organic approach and simply yank it out by hand.  It comes up very easily after a good rain.  If you have a larger outbreak and choose to use a chemical application, you will need a POST-EMERGENT control.  This will work best if the plant is still young and just getting established, with only 3 or 4 leaves.  ACCLAIM (can be found at most retailers) is an excellent option with only a single application being needed.  

CAUTION!  Always, read the labels!  Any chemical is dangerous.  Carefully follow the instructions on the bottle, especially if you have little ones or pets that will be running around.  

If it is too late and the crab grass has already made its home, it would be better to leave it alone.  You could rake out the affected area in early fall and overseed to fill in the spots where the crabgrass took over.  

Believe it or not, the best crabgrass control is by maintaining a thick vigorously growing lawn that is mowed no closer than 2.5".  Best of luck tackling this weed.