On 30 Mar 2005 12:03:02 -0800, raycruzer wrote:
There are also several long-handled weed removal hand tools that can
help you do the dandilion and crabgrass job without tearing apart your
lawn or using toxic chemicals.

Why would you want to pull crabgrass? It's an annual. Keep it mowed,
and in the fall seed with standard lawn grasses, use fertilizer and lime and
get the desired species growing well. Crabgrass is intolerant of shade
and a warm weather species, so if you get the standard northern cool
species grasses well established, there's no room for crabgrass.

Dandelions, however, are perennials, and you can dig them if you like.

The secret to avoiding weed establishment is canopy closure... when the
soil is well covered with the plants you want, or with a good thick mulch,
weeds can't move in.