Weed Control Begins With Pre-Emergent Herbicide

Lawn maintenance usually requires attentive weed control.  One of the most effective ways to control weeds is to apply pre-emergent herbicide, a chemical that prevents unwanted growth from appearing.  Contrary to popular belief, pre-emergent weed control doesn’t destroy weeds and their seeds, it simply stops them from growing.  Some seeds are known to last fifty years, so if the herbicide isn’t applied each year, the weed will grow!

Timing Weed Control

The big question about pre-emergent weed killers is when to apply them.  The professionals at Ultra-Lawn suggest an application in both spring and fall for the following reasons.  Pre-emergent herbicides only work if they are applied before the weed’s growth period and so if they are applied too early, weather will dilute the herbicide and the weed will grow unencumbered.  To further complicate matters, major summer weeds like crabgrass and clover only emerge once the soil is consistently over 50 degrees.  Even after a pre-emergent treatment, Mother Nature can blow in new seeds that will germinate and grow later in the season.  These "new weeds" can be controlled by hand-pulling or spot treating with Round-Up.

Fall is the perfect time to re-treat with pre-emergent herbicides, to catch any "blown in" weeds as they set new seed.  This will limit any late fall growth and potentially ease weeding work next spring.