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The Pros And Cons Of Using Pre-Emergents To Banish Crabgrass Weeds
By CHRISTY RAE AMMONS
Crabgrass is an annual weed that’s notoriously prolific and aggressive, and even if you prefer using natural products, you may need to resort to an herbicide to eliminate it.
The best time to treat crabgrass is before it begins appearing in your yard. To do this, you’ll need to apply a pre-emergent herbicide, which prevents weed seeds from sprouting.
You can apply a pre-emergent herbicide as early as February if necessary, but the latest you should use it is within the first two weeks of April or before spring arrives.
Crabgrass germinates once the surface of the soil has been at 55 degrees Fahrenheit for a few days in a row. After it’s begun to grow, pre-emergents will no longer be effective.
While a pre-emergent will likely stop the crabgrass from gaining a foothold, you’ll need to wait until later in the season to sow grass seeds, as the herbicide can kill grass too.