My lawn is almost as depressing as the voles eating every last watermelon plant I had. In spring I even dug up (on my hands and knees so I could save the soil) two ten by ten patches and re-seeded. Those two patches were coming in nicely then the quack grass took over them and the entire lawn. From my research I see that I'm pretty much screwed for this year unless I want to kill the good grass along w/the quack. Sounds like the thing to do is a pre-emergent in early spring. Does anyone recommend an organic one? I'm trying to eliminate as much lawn as I can with garden beds, but I would like what's left to look decent.

I've never used this product myself, but have heard very good things about corn-based pre-emergents like this one:

WOW

I've purchased a lot of stuff from Gardens Alive before, & have been very happy with all of their products - everything has performed as expected - plus customer service has been great & shipping has been prompt.

Since their stuff can be pricey, you may want to order a small amount & "test" first, but keep in mind that if you get on their mailing list, they do run very advantageous "coupon" sales in the late winter/early spring that make testing products quite painfree. I take advantage of them every year.

Anyway - just a suggestion. I have no connection with the company - just enjoy their products.

WOW is corn glutin meal. I have seen it mentioned on this site as available more cheaply in feed stores.

Thanks! I'll check them out.

Along with all the information you can find when you search through these forums about Corn Gluten Meal (or CGM), remember that quackgrass is a perennial weed. Perennial weeds are 'attacked' w/CGM in the fall. The Spring application of CGM is for annual weeds.

Quack Grass is spread most readily by rhizomes and only a little by seed which a pre emergent is meant to control, plants gerowing from seed. So Corn Gluten Meal, WOW, would not be an effective method of controlling quack grass. The only way to eliminate quack grass from any space is to dig up all the roots, and bits of roots you can to keep it from growing.

Unless you mean crabgrass which is an annual weedy grass that in the northern tiers of the USA grow only from seed.

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Unless you mean crabgrass which is an annual weedy grass that in the northern tiers of the USA grow only from seed.

From everything I've read, it seems like quack.

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The only way to eliminate quack grass from any space is to dig up all the roots, and bits of roots you can to keep it from growing.

There's gotta be an easier way. It has taken over my entire lawn. I would have to dig up my entire lawn?

Because most all of the grass around here is quack grass that is what my lawn is and there is nothing wrong with a quack grass lawn which is more drought resistant than the bluegrass lawns around. Rather than concerning myself with the lawn I work at keeping this invasive grass out of the planting beds by inserting 10 inch flashing into the soil between the lawn and planting beds. Janet Macunovich, over around the Detroit area, uses plastic carpet runner but she works in clay which is mulch easier to dig than sand, but what ever barrier you put in it must go deep into the soil.