Why homeowners should rethink crabgrass in New Jersey

This may sound crazy, but here me out. New Jerseyans should stop killing crabgrass and just embrace it already.

Yes, crabgrass isn't technically our true native grass because it's more of a southern type of grass. More northern varieties are what we typically grow around here.

And, probably like most other homeowners in New Jersey, I was also against the crabgrass growing in my yard. Every time I'd see it pop up, I'd move quickly to rip it out.

But as the years have gone by, the more and more that crabgrass tried to grow during the summer months. And it became obvious its roots were also spreading.

On the flip side, the more native grasses in my yard slowly died back, allowing the crabgrass to take hold. But rather than overhaul my entire yard, I decided to embrace the parts where the crabgrass wants to grow, and here's why.

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Hotter & more humid summers

One of the main reasons I'm accepting this is that our summers have been changing. Year after year, our Jersey summers seem to be getting hotter and more humid, which is something crabgrass loves.

And that grass will grow thick if you allow it. I remember being in the tropics and seeing crabgrass grow on lawns everywhere. It really didn't look bad.

So if this trend of hotter, more humid summers continues, then why not embrace crabgrass? Simply put, it's a more southern variety of grass that's slowly moving northward as our climate becomes more favorable for it.

More drought-resistant

This was a big one I noticed when New Jersey had its last summer drought. The crabgrass seemed to hold up better when compared to its northern counterparts - a big win when it comes to cutting back on watering.

I don't know, it's just what I've noticed over the past several years that works in favor of just letting the crabgrass grow. I mean, if the yard is green with it, then why not leave it?

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 Sunday morning host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.