10 Best Crabgrass Preventers in 2022
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Eliminating crabgrass is one of the trickiest parts of maintaining your lawn. Everyone with a garden will be aware of the annoyance that weeds bring, and the problems they can cause if you want to grow a fresh green lawn. The most common of those weeds is crabgrass, and even if you’ve not heard the term before, you’ll probably recognize it straight away if you see any.
There is a load of different weed killers available in garden centers, all labeled as turf herbicide, pre-emergent herbicide, or more specific crabgrass killers. If you don’t know what you are looking for, then before you head off to your local store, why not look through some of the best products available online to help solve your crabgrass problem.
View the Best Crabgrass Preventer, Below.
- Compare-N-Save Concentrate Grass and Weed Killer
- Tenacity Turf Herbicide
- Spectracide HG-95703 Lawn Weed Killer
- RM43 43-Percent Glyphosate Plus Weed Preventer
- BioAdvanced Weed & Crabgrass Killer
- Southern Ag Amine 24-D Weed Killer
- Roundup 4375010 Safe Weed Killer
- BioAdvanced 100532514 Weed & Feed Crabgrass Killer
- Scotts 32367F Lawn Food
- Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer for Lawns Plus Crabgrass Control
1. Compare-N-Save Concentrate Grass and Weed Killer
The first crabgrass killer to check out is this herbicide solution from Compare-N-Save. As the name suggests, this brand wants to help you save money, and by selling a herbicide concentrate, you can do just that. Mixing this with water can produce a huge 85 gallons of herbicide spray, which you can use to eliminate crabgrass. It’ll even cover up to 30,000 square feet.
This stuff is incredibly effective, with the results being visible in just a few days. It is also a post-emergent herbicide, rather than a pre-emergent herbicide. This means you can kill off crabgrass when it appears, but it won’t be a barrier to future growth. As a result, you are able to replant in the sprayed area shortly after use. The herbicide is Glyphosate, which attacks the roots through the foliage, meaning you can be sure to eliminate the whole weed.
A herbicide solution like this is an easy way to kill crabgrass as and when you need to, simply by mixing with water.
Check Price on Amazon ➞2. Tenacity Turf Herbicide
Next up, we have this product from Tenacity, designed to kill pests in your lawn. Tenacity takes pride in offering a very powerful weed eliminator, which will stop crabgrass from growing again in the future. The reason this stuff is so good, is that it can kill a wide range of weeds in your garden, yet leave the rest of your lawn intact. This means you can get the job done effectively without needing to repeat it.
However, it does seem that you pay for the privilege, as it costs a bit more than the other herbicide solutions on the market. It is also harder to find, as it is often out of stock online, should you wish to use a big retailer like Amazon. Nevertheless, this stuff will produce a huge amount of herbicide spray to get rid of your crabgrass problems, if you can get hold of it.
This is an effective solution that kills a wide range of weeds and crabgrass efficiently while leaving the rest of your lawn unharmed.
Check Price on Amazon ➞3. Spectracide HG-95703 Lawn Weed Killer
Spectracide have produced their own lawn herbicide which boasts an impressive coverage area. For a standard, small bottle, that is quite a large area to be covered, so it will be enough to use multiple times on a big yard. Not only this, but when you use it, it will leave the rest of your lawn unharmed, so you can feel free to spray it everywhere for effective results.
Those results are effective, too, as it kills off over 470 different types of weed and crabgrass. You can even see the results of this in as little as 8 hours, which is much quicker than most concentrated herbicide products on the market. This is an eliminating, not a preventing product, so you may have to carry out the process again after a while, but there is little chance you will need to buy more herbicide.
This is an affordable and effective product that you can apply to a variety of weeds across 5,000 square feet.
Check Price on Amazon ➞4. RM43 43-Percent Glyphosate Plus Weed Preventer
A less commercial option is this Glyphosate Plus Weed Preventer from RM43. This is 43% glyphosate, which makes it a strong and powerful herbicide solution. It is advertised as a weed preventer, which can stop vegetation for a year after growth. It can also be used as a herbicide to get rid of unwanted weeds on the spot, as you need to. However, if using it this way, make sure you don’t want other growth to occur anytime soon.
Such potent weed killers are unable to take care of other plants when it attacks. This means it is only really suitable for otherwise barren areas, not gardens. However, there is no safety risk involved in entering such an area once it has dried. It takes a couple of days to really see the results, but you can be sure that the glyphosate will get to the root of the problem.
This is an affordable and powerful herbicide, which can also prevent crabgrass seeds from germinating for up to a year after use.
Check Price on Amazon ➞5. BioAdvanced Weed & Crabgrass Killer
One of the more commercially designed herbicide options is this Bayer Advanced weed and crabgrass killer. This is an effective solution available from a range of online stores. It works very well to eliminate over 200 different broadleaf weeds, and you can see the results within a few days. This stuff is rainproof in just one hour, which is less than most of its competitors. It also covers quite a large area, unlike most ready to spray bottles this size.
As well as a spray bottle, you can choose to buy this crabgrass killer as a solution too. It also comes in a range of quantities, from 24 ounces to one gallon, with different spray nozzles to match. If you choose this product, you will have a lot of choice depending on how much you need to apply and the size of the area to which you would like to apply it.
This is one of the better-designed crabgrass killers, as it is available in a range of different sizes, as well as in both concentrate and ready to spray versions.
Check Price on Amazon ➞6. Southern Ag Amine 24-D Weed Killer
Southern Ag has produced this herbicide to work to great effect. This is not for use on the grass in your lawn, as it is quite powerful and won’t take care of the grass you want to protect. In fact, it is so powerful that you only need a very small amount of it. 2 or 3 tablespoons should be enough to mix with 3 to 5 gallons of water, so this bottle could last a very long time.
If you are worried about where to apply this solution, it is best to apply it in large areas where you don’t want any other plant growth. It will work well on a wide range of broadleaf weeds, including crabgrass, and it can do a lot of damage to them. This will prevent crabgrass as well as just killing weeds, so a small amount should do a lot of work, and you won't need to apply more for quite some time.
This is another standard herbicide concentrate, but it works to both kill and prevent crabgrass, so you can be sure it will do the job where it matters most.
Check Price on Amazon ➞7. Roundup 4375010 Safe Weed Killer
A popular herbicide brand is Roundup. You can find their products in a range of online stores, and they have a solution for most grass problems. This is a crabgrass killer, meaning it will eliminate your already existing crabgrass rather than preventing further growth. However, it is good as it will not damage grass seed or any plants you want to grow in your garden.
It covers quite a large area and results normally become visible in a couple of days. Roundup offers you a lot of choices when purchasing herbicide too. This is one of many solutions that can be bought. This one specifically aims to work on northern grass types, but will kill over 250 different weeds. It is available in a range of quantities and styles too. If you want to stock up and save money, you can try the concentrate bottle rather than the ready to use spray.
This Roundup product is designed to kill the plants you don’t want, rather than the grass you do, and is specifically aimed at northern grass types.
Check Price on Amazon ➞8. BioAdvanced 100532514 Weed & Feed Crabgrass Killer
Most crabgrass killers are essentially the same, but with different levels of strength and different results. Bayer Advanced has this new, fresh idea which offers you the best of both worlds. Rather than simply killing off crabgrass, it also feeds good grass and helps it grow better. By combining fertilizer and crabgrass killer, this product can do everything you need for your lawn, and it comes in one easy to use bottle.
It comes in 2 different size options too, so you can choose how much you need. It is sensible to go for a larger quantity if you think you might need it because the crabgrass killer is not the best. It takes longer than most products to see the results too. However, if you want a product that will look after your grass while eliminating weeds, this might be the best option.
This is a great, all in one solution for your grass. It will help your good, green grass grow naturally while killing crabgrass as required.
Check Price on Amazon ➞9. Scotts 32367F Lawn Food
Scotts is another popular brand in the world of herbicides. This product, in particular, does a lot more than most when it comes to looking after your lawn. Scotts halts the growth of crabgrass and a whole range of other weeds that you want to avoid. It also fertilizes the good grass to keep your lawn looking as fresh and green as it possibly can.
Scotts Lawn Food can be a bit of a slow burner, as it will work to keep your grass fresher over long periods of time. For the best results, some customers find that they continue to use it regularly over many years, and any problems they have with crabgrass tend to disappear. If you want a fast solution, a concentrate crabgrass killer might be best, but if you want a consistently fresh garden, this is the best product for it.
Scotts halts the growth of crabgrass while also fertilizing the grass you want to keep, so it can manage your garden in the most efficient way possible.
Check Price on Amazon ➞10. Ortho Weed B Gon Weed Killer for Lawns Plus Crabgrass Control
Last but not least, we have this crabgrass control concentrate from Ortho. This is designed to kill over 200 different types of weed, including crabgrass, but attacking the roots. When mixed with water, this solution can cover a large land area and run through the soil to attack the roots of the unwanted nuisances in your lawn. What is more, it leaves the actual grass unharmed, allowing it to grow fresh and green.
This stuff becomes rainproof in as little as one hour, making it one of the best options available for beating the weather. This means that hardly any of the crabgrass killer will go to waste, as it will all be used to get rid of weeds. You only need to apply it once as well, so you won't have to spend too much of your precious time fixing the garden when you could be enjoying the fresh grass instead.
This is another great herbicide which deals with unwanted crabgrass quickly and efficiently by attacking the roots through the soil.
Check Price on Amazon ➞Crabgrass Preventers Buyer’s Guide
Now that you’ve had a chance to look at a few of the herbicide products available, it is important to remind yourself of what you are looking for when buying crabgrass killers and similar products designed to kill off nuisances in your lawn.
Every product out there has good points and bad points, and sometimes it can be hard to keep track of what is best in order to kill crabgrass while allowing the plants in your lawn to keep growing. This buyer’s guide goes through some important things to keep your plants healthy while attacking any crabgrass in your turf.
The Good Plants
When you set out to kill off the crabgrass on your turf, it can be easy to forget about the plants you want to keep. While herbicides are great for eliminating a crabgrass problem, we all want to keep our lawn looking fresh and let the plants we like grow properly. For this reason, it is a good idea to check the rain proofing time that comes with most herbicides.
When you buy a product to deal with crabgrass, it usually states how long it takes to become rainproof. This means it has settled in the soil, and no bad weather is going to drag it across your turf. If it did, it would damage your other plants that want to grow.
You should also check how strong the herbicide you buy is. If it is a strong concentrate, it might kill off the grass on your lawn, which is not good. You should look out for weaker herbicides, some of which even contain fertilizer, which will help your lawn to flourish while eliminating the stuff you don’t want.
The Bad Plants
Of course, you really want to get rid of the bad stuff. In order to do this, it can be tempting to go for the really strong herbicide concentrate options. However, it can be a good idea to choose a product that will prevent the growth of further crabgrass, as well as just eliminating the present pests. These will go deep into the soil under your lawn and stop any germinating crabgrass seeds. It is likely that they will also stop other seeds from developing, too, so you shouldn’t use them when planting something you like.
Another good idea is to check how much land the products cover. If you have a large lawn that you want to clean up, you will need a high quantity of solution. Different strengths require different amounts, but it is always best to have too much so you can save some for the future. With the right amount of solution, you should be able to rid the soil of crabgrass seeds and keep your lawn fresh for the long term.
Finally, you should decide in advance what sort of product you are looking for. You will know whether you want to kill crabgrass or prevent it, but this can be done in different ways and with different amounts of solution. To keep weeds under control you might want to buy in bulk, so concentrate might be the way to go. However, a spray bottle is normally the easiest if you are dealing with a simple lawn. Some even come with hose pipe attachments to help spray larger areas quickly.
Expert Tip
Rain can be a real nuisance for crabgrass eliminators. To be safe, it is best to buy a product with a fast rain proofing time to avoid any problems.
Did you know?
Some crabgrass preventers also contain fertilizers, so you can help your good grass grow while eliminating the weeds you don’t want.