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HELP!! Crabgrass is taking over not only my lawn but also my garden!!!
It seems every time I give my garden a good soaking the crabgrass doubles in size. Creeping closely to the ground and branching freely, it tenaciously hangs on to every inch of moist soil it comes into contact with. It reminds me of the alien plant in “Little Shop of Horrors”. Water me and I will keep growing!!
I recently read the interesting origin of crabgrass, the scourge of every turf grower. It was introduced to the U.S. in 1849 as forage for cattle, sheep, hogs and horses. When that venture failed, another opportunity came up fifty years later when immigrants from Slovak countries brought the grain, a type of millet known as manna grits (AKA crabgrass) with them to grow for food. Crabgrass it seemed grew well in any soil and quickly produced a large crop. Later, the immigrants discovered that corn and wheat could be grown just as easily, and it was worth more money. Within 10 years crabgrass farming was abandoned and it was destined to become the wayward wanderer growing on roadsides and waste areas – no longer a wanted crop but an immigrant weed.