Crabgrass Prevention and Treatment
The time to apply crabgrass preventer in the Twin Cities
is when the soil temperature reaches 50°-to-55°, usually between
April 15 and May 15. The best date is determined by how warm the Spring
is; if it is still cold in April, hold off on the application. If a pre-emergent
crabgrass preventer is applied, a lawn cannot be reseeded until the Fall.
All pre-emergent crabgrass killers must be watered into the soil to be effective.
If crabgrass is discovered growing in the lawn, a post-emergent crabgrass killer can be applied. There are liquid and granular products that kill only annual grasses. When sprayed during the growing season, the crabgrass will slowly yellow and die. It may take two or more applications to totally kill all the crabgrass. To be effective, do not apply when rain is likely within the next 48 hours, and do not water for 48 hours.
For further information, read online our care sheet on "Lawn Weeds", and "Crabgrass and Quackgrass in Your Lawn".
Revised: 03/10/98
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