8 Best Post Emergence Herbicide For Crabgrass 2020 Buyer’s guide

Post emergence herbicide for Crabgrass. Post emergent control of Crabgrass. Crabgrass and other weeds are a usual problems in lawns. Many professionals and homeowners are commonly spent time, effort and money trying to get rid of crabgrass from their turf grass stands.

If you have Zoysia grass in your lawn, it would be annoying to see a grown and mature Crabgrass. You can get rid of it using post emergence herbicide for crabgrass.

To resolve this problem, Crabgrass and weeds that can be controlled using chemical and/or non-chemical methods. If you properly take care of your lawn, it can encourage a dense stand of strong and healthy grass.

This proper care can be the best way to prevent weeds from spreading like a parasite to your lawn. One way of proper lawn care is by mowing height.

This method could provide a strong effect to lessen Crabgrass problems. Lawns mowed higher than 2½ inches, will have fewer problems with Crabgrass or annual grasses.

Close mowing can cause a brown lawn. Other than that, it could also provide many harmful side effects.

These side effects are including increasing the vulnerability to pests such as Crabgrass, and injuring the crown of grass. Light and frequent watering will allow Crabgrass to thrive. In late spring where bare soil is more to be seen, the Crabgrass would grow well.

One way to eliminate and control Crabgrass annually is by applying herbicides or weed killers. The pre emergence herbicides will keep out Crabgrass and other annual grassy weeds from emerging. While the post emergence herbicides will kill Crabgrass on its growing stage.


What is the best post emergence herbicide for crabgrass? Post emergent control of Crabgrass?

If you want to fight Crabgrass invasion, the most recommended job is to maintain a healthy turf, dense turf, regular mowing and feed the turf. Crabgrass thrive well at high temperatures’ climate because it is a warm season annual.

If you decide to control Crabgrass with post-emergence, here is the best choice of herbicide.

Post-emergence control is effective when crabgrass is at a younger age. Mature Crabgrass can be challenging for post emergence control and usually require multiple applications in the space of two to three weeks apart. It is necessary to become successful

Herbicide that contains Quinclorac give great control of Crabgrass at any growth stage (such as the seedling or when it reaches a huge size). It is safe to be applied to new seeding.

Quinclorac can also improve the effectiveness of other broad leaf herbicide when mix together. It can also is excellent for control of some broad leaves including white Clover and Dandelion.

Herbicide that contains Fenoxaprop-ethyl is commonly not as effective as Quinclorac on controlling mature crabgrass. However, it can provide control of other Grassy weeds, including Goose grass.

Another effective herbicide is Mesotrione to control Crabgrass for post emergence.

1. Quinclorac

Quinclorac (usually with the brand Drive XLR8, Quinclorac 75DF, and others) is a post emergence herbicide for control not only Crabgrass, but also broad leaf weed like foxtail, barnyard grass. It kills newly emerged warm grasses, as well as mature grasses or grasses with more than 4 tillers).

This herbicide can not kill grasses with 2, 3, or 4 tillers. Quinclorac can be utilized as a pre emergence and post emergence herbicide in new turf grass seeding.

Tall fescue seedlings can be treated by post emergent herbicide 7 days after emergence. Kentucky blue grass should not be treated until 28 days after emergence with post emergent herbicide.

Drive XLR8 is 64 fl oz (1.89 liters) per acre. When being applied, it should be blended with methylated seed oil for better performance.

Do not exceed 128 fl oz/acre in one season. Drive XLR8 can be blended with Pendimethalin products if you want to use it on a pre emergence control of Crab grasses.

2. Fenoxaprop p-ethyl

Fenoxaprop p-ethyl (or by the brand name Acclaim Extra) is a post emergence herbicide that is penetrating the Crabgrass plant very slow. This herbicide can control tillered annual grasses with just one application.

Other than controlling and kill Crabgrass, this herbicide can also kill goose grass, barnyard grass, foxtail species, Japanese stilt grass, and panicum species. It safe on cool season turf grasses.

Be careful when applying on Kentucky bluegrass cultivars because it can injure them at at high temperatures. Use this herbicide with a rate from 3.5 to 39 fl oz/acre. It is recommended to be used on annual grasses that increase up to 4 to 5 tillers.

On Kentucky bluegrass, 28 fl oz/acre per application is the right rate of application. Do not use this herbicide in cool season turf.

Fenoxaprop p-ethyl becomes weak when blended with phenoxy type herbicides such as 2,4 D and MCPP. But when it is blended with pendimethalin or other pre emergence herbicides, it can improve the effectiveness of killing Crabgrass.

3. Mesotrione

Mesotrione (brand name Tenacity) can kill Crabgrass, goose grass, barnyard grass, and yellow foxtail with post emergence. Other broad leaf including creeping bent grass, nimblewill, and nutsedge in turf.

Kill Crabgrass when they emerge in new seeding of Kentucky bluegrass, perennial rye grass, and tall fescue. Do not use this herbicide in new fine fescue. It is effective when applied to plants with fewer than 4 tillers.

The herbicide range from 5 to 8 fl oz/acre. Repeat applications if necessary for controlling of summer annual grasses completely.

The total applications should not exceed 16 fl oz/acre. Apply only after newly germinated turf grasses or 4 weeks after emergence. It can be blended with prodiamine, dicamba, triclopyr, fluroxypyr, or carfentrazone for those established turf.

It is effective in killing summer annual grasses, mixed with a nonionic surfactant. A visible treatment effect for 2 to 3 weeks following application.


List of post emergence herbicide for crabgrass | best crabgrass killer

1. Fusilade II Turf and Ornamental Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

Post Emergence Herbicide For Crabgrass

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This herbicide product is a selective post-emergent herbicide that can kill many annual and perennial grass weeds like Crabgrass. You can apply this product in landscaped and turf areas. You can see the result fast and very effective. The herbicide run fast into the roots, rhizomes, stolons, shoots, and during the growing stage of grass weeds.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]It can be applied as an over the top or spot treatment application. You do not have to worry about the herbicide may damage other ornamental plants. At a reduced rates, this herbicide can eliminate Bermuda grass including Tall fescue and Zoysia grass.[/su_highlight]

After application, the result will emerge within a week. You will see there is loss of vigor, yellowing and/or reddening, and death of the grassy weeds without killing ornamental plants.

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2. Drive XLR8 Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

Post Emergence Herbicide For Crabgrass

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]If you are having crabgrass in your garden or lawn or yard, this herbicide is the best choice on the market. This water-based herbicide contains quinclorac (18.92%) that has increased control of most weeds. Including Bindweed, Clover, Crabgrass, Dandelion, Dollarweed, Foxtail, Kikuyugrass, Signalgrass, Speedwell, Torpedograss.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]This product is known for its effectiveness for post-emergence control of crabgrass and other ornamental turf. 1 bottle of this herbicide will treat an acre. It works very fast, and you can see the result in just 1 hour. It can be as long as 45 days at the maximum application rate.[/su_highlight]

It can control many broadleafs and grass weeds at an airport, residential grasses, commercial grasses, industrial turf grasses, golf courses, sod farms, sports or recreation fields, school, roadside, parks, picnic ground, cemetery, and athletic fields.

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3. Drive – Quinclorac 75 DF Selective Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

Post Emergence Herbicide For Crabgrass

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This herbicide has a size of small bottle of 1.5 ounce that can cover approximately 4,000 square feet of land. You can start applying for the purpose of killing crabgrass with a rate of 0.367 ounces per gallon of water for each 1,000 square feet.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]It controls crabgrass in mature stages and also provides up to 45 days pre-emergence for crabgrass in Bermuda grass. the best crabgrass killer available. The ingredients is quinclorac that is a post emergent especially for controlling crabgrass. You can spray it on crabgrass in a growing stage to stop growth and later will kill it.[/su_highlight]

This herbicide quickly controls a broad-spectrum of both broadleaf and grassy weeds including Barnyardgrass, crabgrass, foxtail (giant, yellow, green), Clover (hop, white, red), dandelion, dollarweed, black medic, morning glory, speedwell (common, slender, thymeleaf), and wild violet.

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4. Primesource Meso 4 SC Select Crabgrass Control Killer

Post Emergence Herbicide For Crabgrass

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This is a recommended herbicide that can be applied for both pre emergence and post emergence control of wide variety (up to 45) of broadleaf weeds and grasses in turf grass. This product is classified as a group 27 herbicide. It works by forbidding photosynthesis in targeted plants and will absorb via roots, leaves, and shoots.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]The herbicide can be applied prior to and/or during seeding grasses. It contain active ingredient is Mesotrione. It is a pale yellow solid with a rather pleasant odor that is used on field grain sorghum, seed corn, sweet corn, corn, and yellow popcorn.[/su_highlight]

It can give post-emergent control of tough weeds including crabgrass (pre-emergent and post-emergent), ground ivy, yellow foxtail, yellow nutsedge and dandelion.

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5. Syngenta – Tenacity Turf Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This product is a systemic post-emergence and pre-emergence herbicide for the residual control and selective contact of weeds in turf grasses. During a pre-emergent stage, tough weeds will be absorbed with this herbicide from the soil.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]It can control wide variety of weeds including Barnyardgrass, Yellow Nutsedge, Purslane, Thistle, Wild Carrot, Carpetweed, Chickweed, Clover, Crabgrass, Dandelion, Foxtail, Goosegrass, and Henbit.[/su_highlight]

This herbicide product contains active ingredient of Mesotrione 40%. The formulation can control grass and broadleaf weed cool season and warm season. To keep the safe storage, keep this product out of extreme temperature and direct sunlight.

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6. Bayer Acclaim-Extra Selective Grass Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This herbicide is a selective post-emergence herbicide that controls annual and perennial grasses. It contains active ingredient of fenoxaprop-p-ethyl (6.59%). This herbicide product works in a single treatment as a systematic herbicide. It has a good tolerance on desirable turf and work effectively against crabgrass. It can kill crabgrass during wide range of growth stages.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]This herbicide will kill the Crabgrass and it will not kill Kentucky bluegrass, Ryegrass, Fescue, Bluegrass, Zoysia, or Creeping Bentgrass. This product works fast and do not mow treated areas for a minimum of 24 hours in time for penetration into the grass weeds.[/su_highlight]

The application can be for commercial and residential turf, sod farms and ornamental, Barnyardgrass, Crabgrass, Goosegrass, Foxtail, Panicum, and Johnsongrass (seedling).

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7. PBI / Gordon Q4 Plus Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This herbicide product is highly selective for turf grasses (cool season). It is also for a limited warm season turf grasses. This product can control Yellow nutsedge, Crabgrass, Foxtail, Chickweed, Clover and Dandelion. It is a water based formulation of herbicide for getting rid of Crabgrass (weed killer).[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]Labeled species for use in grasses including Kentucky bluegrass, Fescue grass, Perennial ryegrass, Annual ryegrass, Bermuda grass, and Zoysia grass. It is suitable for application on Residential sites, Golf courses (fairways and roughs), Commercial areas, Recreation areas, Roadsides, Cemeteries, and Sod farms.[/su_highlight]

It include Protox inhibitor activity for rapid rapid removal of moisture and the elimination of broadleaf weeds. After application you will see the result fast visually. It is a good fit for application up to 90° Fahrenheit.

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8. FMC Solitare Herbicide Crabgrass Killer

[su_highlight background=”#e2f0fc”]This herbicide product is formulated for specifically to eliminate or kill Crabgrass, broadleaf weeds and sedge. This is a good solution of post emergence weed control. It can resolve problems in just a single application. It can offer a powerful broad spectrum weed control with just one easy mix.[/su_highlight]

[su_highlight background=”#ddff99″]It contains active ingredient of Sulfentrazone (18.75%) and Quinclorac (56.25%). This herbicide can control weeds including Yellow Nutsedge, Carpetweed, Chickweed, Cinquefoil, Clover, Cudweed, Deergrass, Dandelion, Dock, Dollar weed, Evening Primrose, Fiddleneck, Filaree, Foxtail, Goldenrod, Goosegrass, Ground ivy, Henbit, Sedge (globe, cylindric, Surinam, Texas), Crabgrass (large and smooth), Bittercress, Barnyardgrass, Kyllinga, Purple Nutsedge, Black medic, Buttercups, Carloina geranium, Knotweed, Kochia, Lambsquarters, Lawn burweed, Lespedeza, London Rocket, Mallow, Morningglory, Yellow Nutsedge, Parsley, Pigweed, Pineapple Weed, Plantain, Puncture, Purslane, Pusley, Redweed, Signalgrass, Smartweed, Sorrel, Speedwell, Spurge, Star of Bethlehem, Torpedograss, Velvetleaf, Violet (wild), Wild Garlic, Wild Onion, and also Woodsorrel.[/su_highlight]

This post emergence herbicide is for use in selective weed control in turf such as commercial, cemetery, golf course fairways and roughs, residential, institutional lawns, athletic fields, commercial sod farms, and other non-crop sites. It is labeled for use on Kentucky Bluegrass, Rough Bluegrass, Tall Fescue, Perennial Ryegrass, Bermuda grass, Buffalo grass, Centipede grass, Seashore Paspalum, and Zoysia grass.

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How to apply post emergent herbicide on Crabgrass?

After you mix herbicide and have a spray mixture, spray post emergence herbicide directly on crabgrass. It can be done after Crabgrass has sprouted.

Pulling by hand is very effective, if roots are not deep. If the roots are deeply embedded in your lawn, it is very hard to pull them out.

Do not apply a post emergence herbicide product on Crabgrass that has gone to seed. It would take two weeks for the post emergence herbicide to work effectively. If Crabgrass has gone to seed, wait to apply the post emergence herbicide product for next spring.

Post-emergence herbicides product are in their most effective state when the soil is moist and the Crabgrass are dry. Usually, you apply the herbicide with a hand pump sprayer.

When to apply post emergent herbicide?

Summer months is the time to apply post emergence herbicide on Crabgrass. Best to do it with low wind. Do not apply when the temperatures are low, the herbicide product can be ineffective.

Re apply the herbicide if you are applying to mature Crabgrass a few days later to kill and get rid of the plant. After the application, notice the treated area. If the condition becomes too dry,  water the Crabgrass two days after the application to help with absorption.

If your grass are turning brown, you spray too much and too much spill over. You can solve this problem by soaking the damaged area with water.

It is to remove the chemical and avoid further damage. If you see new Crabgrass sprouts after application, you may require for another post emergence herbicide treatment. You can also pull them out by hand.

Do not ever apply post emergence herbicide in the fall. It will kill crabgrass, but when the temperatures are falling Crabgrass plant will soon die anyway.


Why is Crabgrass such a problem?

Crabgrass sound like an ugly plant. Well, it can take over your lawn quickly, and how hard it is to get rid of. So why it is so bad?

Crabgrass sees its opportunity in the lawn and moves in or take over. Spread very fast over any available terrain. It is not actually as harmful as it looks.

Crabgrass will not crowd out your grass, and it is even can be called as weed. You are not to be worried about Crabgrass taking over your lawn.

If you are very proud of your lawns, you will argue about that. In the late summer months, a lawn take over by Crabgrass will look ragged. It will be clear to see if it is mixed in with more attractive grass species.

Crabgrass will die in the winter because it can thrive well in hot days. But before they die, they spread seeds all over your lawn.

One single dead Crabgrass plant can spread and produce 150,000 seeds each year. This is why it is essential to be proactive about controlling Crabgrass. That is if you do not like to have Crabgrass on your lawn.


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Henry Kaswandi, SS, M.Kom.

I had been doing gardening for the last 18 years. I enjoy writing reviews of many products and about gardening to give better experiences and accurate information.