Garden

[Mom2Dogs]

We have crabgrass growing in the back yard, where our dog runs.....sometimes she is leashed because she is an escape artist even though we have a fence!  I want to put down a scotts brand crabgrass preventer, but is it safe for the dog?.....if not what lawn product would be safe yet effective?

[fthunt]

Don't intend to be negative but.....crabgrass is a tough cookie.  I've had professional lawn service for decades; but yet it reappears every year - mainly along my sidewalk and driveway.  The roots get down and deep - however, in your doggy area probably no obstructions.  The best no chemical way is to buy Q's hand tool  that pulls dandelions out by the root instead of sprays.  Time consuming - yes.

[JustJazzmom]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

We have crabgrass growing in the back yard, where our dog runs.....sometimes she is leashed because she is an escape artist even though we have a fence!  I want to put down a scotts brand crabgrass preventer, but is it safe for the dog?.....if not what lawn product would be safe yet effective?

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Dig out crabgrass before it reseeds if it's actively growing. Crabgrass preventer just stops the seeds from germinating. You may have to call the company and ask them that. I try to apply it before rain in the forecast so it washes in. 

Try and use just the Halt's w/o fertilizer. If you apply fertilizer too early (early spring) to a lawn you get shoot growth instead of root growth that's needed for the summer when water is less available. 

I just googled Scott's Halt's safe for pets and a website SFGate was the first link. It said:

Is Scotts Fertilizer With Halts Safe for Pets?

Once herbicides are absorbed into the soil, the lawn should be safe for pets.
Crabgrass is an unwelcome inhabitant in many lawns, but you have two ways to eliminate it: use herbicides to kill it, or grow a lush, healthy lawn that crowds out weeds naturally. Scott's lawn fertilizer with Halts crabgrass killer is designed to accomplish both tasks at once. As with all chemicals used on lawns and in the garden, toxicity is a concern, especially if you own pets. Scott's Turf Builder with Halts Crabgrass Preventer and Super Turf Builder fertilizer with Halts Crabgrass Preventer contain 1.29 percent pendimethalin, a low-toxicity herbicide.

Pet Safety Considerations
Scott's fertilizers with Halts crabgrass herbicides are applied dry, usually with a spreader that provides even coverage of the lawn. Because this is a pre-emergent herbicide, application should be made in early spring to prevent crabgrass seed from germinating. While the product page on the company's website states that the product does not need to be watered in, it recommends watering in immediately and allowing the area to dry before pets are allowed access to the lawn. Laboratory tests on animals revealed no toxicity problems from pendimethalin exposure under normal conditions, according to Cornell University's Extension Toxicology Network website. If the product is applied as directed on the label, it should not be a problem for pets, especially after watering allows the soil to absorb the chemical. Runoff into water features containing fish can be deadly, however.

[Mom2Dogs]

@JustJazzmom...thank you so much for your great reply! 

I have about 5 large clumps....in heavy soil....I guess I should get to work.

I will need to buy several bags of dirt to fill the holes.