Killing crab grass in garden

[ShannonR]

Any way to kill it once and for all without weed killers?

I moved to this place in May, it was a little late to get the summer garden in but I did it anyway. I planted right into the front lawn, which is mostly crab grass. It is the only place on the property that gets enough sun... I mulched with several straw bales, laid down cardboard, pulled the grass where I could. Now It's fall, I am wanting to get the winter garden in and.... holy crab grass batman! I have runners close to 10 ft long and it is sprouting through the heavy mulch. Oh, dear. The only way to get the stuff out at this point is to rake up all the mulch and pull it out by hand. So far I have filled 2 dumpsters full of the evil stuff and haven't even cleared a quarter of the garden out.

Will tilling then mulching heavily kill this stuff? What works? I have some experimental black plastic laid in another piece of the lawn for garden expansion, seeing if that is a feasible option. But the crab grass in the existing garden needs to go, like last week.
Please help me send this crab grass to hell where it belongs.

 

[cavemanrich]

I do not use herbicides on my lawn for several reasons. I do have some crabgrass in one section of lawn. My way to control it,,,,, is to keep cutting it (mowing) and not let it go to seed. Once it goes to seed,,,, then its a never ending battle. I control dandelions same way. Cut the growth before it blooms. Not always very successful since neighboring lawns go to seed. The seeds fly on the wind.
I will be watching here as what others suggest.
WISHING YOU BEST.......................

 

[ShannonR]

Thanks! I've been keeping at it today, pulling the straw mulch back to bare earth and pulling the clumps and runners out. I have a little over a row completed so far. I'll at least be able to get some peas and lettuce planted....

Can't believe a foot thick mat of cardboard and straw doesn't even kill this evil stuff. At this rate, I'll have it under control in 5 years or so, haha