Pre-emergent weed control is a way to actually stop weeds from entering your lawn!
As the name suggests, pre-emergent weed control, also referred to as pre-m weed control or herbicide, literally stops some weeds from ever germinating or emerging from the soil in the first place. If this sounds like something you are interested in learning more about, read on!
Premier Lawn Services is a local lawn care service in the Syracuse area that loves sharing lawn care tips!
How Pre-Emergent Weed Control Works
Pre-emergent herbicides create a barrier on the soil surface which impedes some types of weeds and grassy weeds from ever emerging in your lawn. It is important to note that pre-emergent herbicides will also stop grass seed from growing. If you are planning on sowing grass seed within the next 6-8 weeks, you should not apply pre-emergent!
Once this special type of weed control that stops weeds from growing before they start to grow is applied to the lawn the barrier begins to do its job. It’s all in the formulation of the product and works in a different way but very similar to how ‘post-emergent’ weed control products work. Instead of killing an existing undesired plant by entering the plant through its foliage or root system, it kills the weeds as they try to break through the soil surface.
When To Apply Pre-Emergent Weed Control
Pre-emergent weed control should be applied in the springtime before the soil reaches 55 degrees, typically earlier in the spring than later.
Pre-m herbicides are most effective against grassy weeds such as the pesky crabgrass plant. Since crabgrass germinates when the temperatures begin to rise in the early summer, an early spring application gives the barrier created by the pre-emergent to set up before the crabgrass begins to attempt to grow.
How To Apply Pre-Emergent Herbicides
Pre-emergent herbicides are available in liquid and granular form. Liquid pre-m will need to be sprayed on the lawn and granular pre-m needs to be spread onto the lawn. Liquid pre-m is more suited for lawn care companies that run a liquid fertilization program and have the right equipment to spray the entire lawn. Granular pre-m can be spread over the lawn with a typical fertilizer spreader.
Both are effective, the important thing is to get good even coverage of the product over your entire lawn at the rate stated on the product label. You always want to follow the instructions found on lawn care product labels like we do at Premier Lawn Services.
Pre-emergent is also available mixed in with fertilizer in liquid and granular forms as well.
Our 5-Step Lawn Care Program Contains Pre-Emergent In Round 1
We prefer to aerate and overseed lawns in the fall in the Syracuse area as this gives the new grass’s root system more time to develop before the next summer arrives along with its heat! This also allows our 5-step lawn care program to include the important pre-emergent weed control application in the early spring when it will yield the best results for our clients.
We hope you learned something about pre-m weed control and how to care for your lawn like a pro by reading this article!
If you aren’t the DIY type and want to hire a lawn service to care for your lawn on the North or East side of Syracuse, please contact us today as we’d love to provide you with a free quote and then show you just how beautiful your lawn can be!