Drive XLR8 Herbicide
Drive XLR8 is BASF’s liquid quinclorac and the top pick in our crabgrass killer tests. It takes out crabgrass that is already up, plus clover, speedwell and several other weeds, without hurting Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass or tall fescue. The liquid pours and measures easily, which is why we reach for it over dry quinclorac.
Active ingredient
Quinclorac 18.92%
Best for
Crabgrass that has already come up
Rate
0.5–1.45 fl oz per gallon per 1,000 sq ft (label)
Lawn types
Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescue, bermuda, zoysia
Where to buySold by Solutions Pest & Lawn.
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Plate · Drive XLR8
Drive XLR8, the liquid quinclorac that topped our crabgrass killer tests.
What it’s for
Drive XLR8 is a post-emergent: it kills crabgrass you can already see, so it’s the fix when a pre-emergent failed or was skipped. In our crabgrass killer tests it came out on top, and it’s the only crabgrass killer our author uses on customer lawns. Besides crabgrass, the label covers weeds like clover, speedwell, kikuyugrass and torpedograss.
It also tank-mixes well. We pair it with a halosulfuron product when nutsedge is in the mix, or with a broadleaf herbicide for dandelions, so one pass handles several weeds.
How to use it
Our standard mix is 1.45 fl oz of Drive XLR8 plus 0.55 fl oz of methylated seed oil (MSO) per gallon of water per 1,000 sq ft, the top of the label range. The MSO matters most on mature crabgrass. Our quinclorac timing guide covers the details: spray when weeds are actively growing at 65–80°F, expect the first signs within three days and a full kill in 10–14 days, and make a second pass after 14–21 days if needed. Stay under 2.9 fl oz per 1,000 sq ft per year.
Skip mowing for 2 days before and after spraying and hold off on irrigation for 24 hours, per the label. The label also allows use before, during and after seeding many turfgrasses.
Not for St. Augustinegrass, centipedegrass, bahiagrass, carpetgrass or dichondra. Use caution on fine fescue unless it’s part of a blend. Keep the yearly total under the label maximum.
Read our full guides
Guide
The 5 best crabgrass killers
How Drive XLR8 stacked up against Acclaim Extra, Tenacity and quinclorac 75 DF.
Guide
How long quinclorac takes to work
Timing, temperatures, MSO and repeat applications.
Ready to buy Drive XLR8?
The easiest crabgrass killer to measure for a cool-season lawn that already has crabgrass up.