Crabgrass and moles start making trouble around the same time each spring, and both can leave homeowners wondering what went wrong. The good news is that healthy lawn care practices go a long way toward preventing bigger problems.
For crabgrass, prevention is everything. A thick, healthy lawn is the best defense. Mowing at about 2½ inches or taller helps shade the soil and gives desirable turfgrass the upper hand. Deep watering during dry periods and regular fertilization, especially in the fall, also help your lawn crowd out unwanted weeds.
While there are herbicides that can control crabgrass after it sprouts, the best strategy is still to stop it before it starts. Crabgrass preventers work by keeping seedlings from developing, so they must be applied before the plant emerges. Once you can see crabgrass, the window for prevention has already closed.
So when should crabgrass preventer be applied? In northern Indiana, the best timing is usually late March through early April. Crabgrass begins to germinate when soil temperatures remain between 50 and 57 degrees for several days. Since weather changes from year to year, the exact date varies. Turf experts often use growing degree days to estimate when germination will begin, and tools like the Michigan State GDD Tracker can help pinpoint the right time.
Moles also become more active this time of year. March is mole breeding season, which is why fresh tunneling and ridges start showing up across lawns. Unfortunately, controlling them in early spring can be tricky because their main food source, earthworms, is often deeper in the soil.
One of the biggest myths about moles is that grub control will eliminate them. In most lawns, that simply is not true. Grubs are rarely present in high enough numbers to support a mole population. Earthworms are their primary food source, and most grub-control insecticides are not meant to affect earthworms.
Spring is also the wrong time for grub control. At this point in the season, grubs are larger, more developed, and deeper in the soil. Treatments are far more effective in August, when young grubs are small, vulnerable, and closer to the surface. Timing matters.
Another common mistake is using rodent bait for mole control. Moles are not rodents like mice, rats, or gophers. They do not eat grains or seeds, so poison peanuts and grain-based baits are ineffective. Unfortunately, those products still show up on store shelves and mislead a lot of people.
Homeowners should also be cautious about so-called home remedies. Mothballs, chewing gum, razor blades, gasoline, human hair, noisemakers, and ultrasonic devices are not reliable solutions. Smoke bombs do not work either. The tunnels do not hold enough smoke to kill the mole, but they can damage or kill the surrounding grass.
Real mole control usually comes down to two methods: trapping or using specialized mole bait designed to mimic their natural food source. In either case, placement is critical. The best place to set traps or bait is in a straight tunnel that appears to be used often. These active runs are usually found along sidewalks, curbs, or landscape edges where moles travel between nesting and feeding areas. A simple test is to flatten a tunnel and check it the next day. If it has been pushed back up, that run is active.
Spring lawn care is all about timing. Stay ahead of crabgrass with prevention, and approach mole control with realistic expectations and the right tools. Lawns do not fix themselves by magic, though plenty of products on store shelves would love for you to believe otherwise.
Need help protecting your lawn this spring? Contact GreenLawn by Design for expert crabgrass prevention, mole control guidance, and a free estimate.
GreenLawn by Design
Local • Veteran-Owned • Serving Hamilton County for 21 Years
317-804-8088
www.greenlawndesign.com
https://greenlawndesign.com/contact-us/
Give us a call and let’s get your property ready for spring.