Crab Grass
Also known as
Bermuda grass, Bermuda grass, Dhoob, Dubo, Dog's tooth grass, Bahama grass, Devil's grass, Couch grass, Arugampul, Grama, Wiregrass, Scutch grass and Crab grass
Taxonomy
Cynodon dactylon
Cynodon
Poaceae
Poales
How to care for Crab Grass
Water
How often to water your Crab Grass
every 9
Crab Grass needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.
Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Water 0.5 cups every
9
Light
Check the growing potential in your area
A plant's growing potential is determined from its location, the time of year, and current local weather.
Select a city to check sunlight intensity
Finding light for Bermuda grass in your home
a window
Crab Grass love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.
Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.
Crab Grass does not tolerate low-light 🚫.
Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Crab Grass in your home 🏡.
Nutrients
How to fertilize Crab Grass
Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.
By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.
To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Crab Grass after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.
FAQs
Crab Grass can be challenging to care for, according to some plant parents. Check out the reviews down below to learn from their experiences!
Water Needs
Crab Grass prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.
Sunlight Needs
Crab Grass requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.
Soil
Crab Grass does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!
Fertilizer
Crab Grass is a fast growing plant and may deplete the nutrients in its soil over time. Replenish them with a gentle organic fertilizer or compost every 1-2 months depending on your location and season. Fertilize more often during the growing season and in warmer and brighter climates.
Growth Pattern
Crab Grass grows along the ground and sends out shoots which will spread across the soil.
Growing Outdoors
USDA Hardiness Zone
Crab Grass can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 6a-10b. Find your local hardiness zone here.
Propagation
Crab Grass can be propagated by division into new individual plants.
- Check to see if there is more than one plant. In some cases they may still be beneath the soil surface. If you feel confident, you may remove the soil to check for baby plantlets below!
- If there are multiple plants growing, unpot the plant and gently tug the plants apart, being careful not to disturb too many of the roots. They may be connected by large root segments which you may need to break to free the plantlet.
- Pot up the new plant in well-draining soil
- Repot the parent plant back into its original pot
Care Summary for Crab Grass
Crab Grass
Greg recommends:
Water
0.5 cups every 9 days
Placement
< 1ft from a window
Nutrients
Repot after 2x growth
Based on the 4” pot your plant is in, and that it doesn’t get direct sunlight.
