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It’s almost time for
applying pre emergent herbicides to the lawn…pre emergent meaning they stop
weed seeds from germinating or growing…which, by the way, is one of the
best ways to help control crabgrass. So the question is – “I see several
types of pre emergent herbicides available at the garden stores…which one
should I use?”
If you think the lawn
needs an early spring feeding, as well as applying a pre emergent herbicide,
look for the Step 1 in the 4 step programs. These feed the lawn as well as
stop the weed seeds from growing. Bluegrass and perennial ryes lawns
usually like the extra nitrogen feeding.
If you need a pre
emergent, but would rather not feed the lawn in early spring, especially if
you have a tall fescue lawn, then look for the pre emergent without the
fertilizers. I like this route, as in most cases, the lawn is already
growing too fast in early spring without adding fertilizer.
If you dormant seeded
the lawn this past winter, and want to add a pre emergent, remember you can
not use the normal pre emergents. They will stop your grass seed from
germinating. Look for the pre emergent specially formulated for newly
seeded lawns. They’ll also have a starter fertilizer, perfect for the new
grass seedlings.
And if you’re looking
for a natural or organic pre emergent, look for corn gluten meal. It’s a
natural weed seed inhibitor, as well as giving the lawn a slow release shot
of nitrogen.
Timing for pre emergent
applications will depend on the weather…the air and soil temps must be 55
degrees consistently for 4-5 days for crabgrass to start to germinate. One
of the easiest ways to know when this is…watch the forsythia. When they’re
in bloom, get your pre emergent herbicides in place. |
