Today, I want to address the exciting topic of crabgrass
prevention. Since the warmer temperatures came a little earlier
this spring, I've had so many people ask me when they should apply their
pre-emergent weed killer. Normally, I say around the middle of May.
But this spring, which has not been normal in any way, the answer is now!
And here's why...
Each spring, grassy weeds such as
crabgrass, are just waiting to sprout up through your lawn. By applying a
pre-emergent weed killer, you can prevent those weed seeds from ever
germinating. Timing is of the essence in applying this type of herbicide. If
you apply it too soon, when the soil is too cold and the seeds are not ready to
germinate, you'll be wasting your time and money. If you apply it too
late and the seeds have already germinated, you'll need to come up with a
Plan B.
So, when is the best time to
apply a pre-emergent? The timing is critical and even tricky to predict
in a "normal" spring. The seeds typically begin to germinate
when the soil is about 52 degrees at ½' depth. Since most of us aren't
prepared to take our soil's temperature, you can just remember that
the soil should be warm enough about the time the lilacs begin to bloom. And
have you noticed that the lilacs have started blooming? So now is the
right time to apply your pre-emergent. Make sure to read and follow all
directions on the package before you begin.
Since all crabgrass seeds do not
germinate at the same time, it won't hurt to put a second application on your
lawn a little later. If you miss the window of opportunity, you can still
attack crabgrass with a post-emergent herbicide after it has sprouted, but for
the greatest success, apply it when the leaves are young and tender.
Remember, weeds can't compete with a thick, healthy (well
fed) lawn. If your lawn has a lot of weeds, it probably needs a health
check-up. Check out my blog on Lawn Care Made Easy to see what you
can do to have a lush, healthy lawn this summer:
http://flaknes.blogspot.com/2011/05/lawn-care-made-easy.html
