Live in the South? Your Lawn Needs This Now

One of the most effective ways of keeping weeds from taking over your yard this summer is by applying a pre-emergent to your lawn, and now is the time to do it if you live in the South. Pre-emergent is a herbicide that prevents common lawn weeds like crabgrass, spurge, foxtail, and chickweed from developing roots and growing. By killing off those weeds, you’re eliminating the competition, so your grass can grow lush and thick. In short, by putting down pre-emergent, you’re nipping your weed problems in the bud, saving yourself a lot of time and money trying to control weeds after they’ve established themselves.  

Related: Here's How I Spring Seed My Lawn as a Yardcare Expert

When to Apply a Pre-Emergent

The window for applying pre-emergent is small. Weed seed like crabgrass starts to germinate when the top inch of soil temperatures are above 55℉. Once soil temperatures hit 60℉, the weed seed cracks open and roots begin forming. At that point, pre-emergent will no longer kill the weed. Mid February to early March is typically when soil temperatures in the South climb above 50℉, so it’s time to strike now. 

Apply Pre-emergent in Two Phase

Get the most out of your pre-emergent treatment by applying it in two phases. Make your first application in early spring when soil temperatures reach 50℉. Use a kitchen meat thermometer to check the top couple inches of soil and apply pre-emergent when temperatures surpass 50℉ but before it reaches 55℉. 

Hit it again with a booster about six to eight weeks later when soil temperatures have reached 65℉ to kill off late germinating weeds like goose grass and chickweed. Go with a half dose for each application as adding too much pre-emergent will stunt the growth of your grass.  

Related: Snow Melt Reveals a Hidden Lawn Killer—Here’s the Fix

How to Apply Pre-emergent

• Choose the pre-emergent. Pre-emergent comes in both liquid and granular form. While you can choose either, I highly recommend going with granules. It’s much easier to control the amount of pre-emergent you're applying with granules and a spreader than it is with a liquid pre-emergent and a sprayer.
• Spread it. Fill a broadcast spreader and set the distribution rate, keeping in mind that you're using half the normal rate since you'll be making a second application in the late spring. Apply the pre-emergent, making overlapping passes to ensure good coverage.
• Water. Water the lawn with 0.5 to 1 inches of water to activate the pre-emergent.