Even though it may not seem like it, September is the time to prepare your lawn for weed prevention in the winter and spring. Weeds typically are triggered to germinate by soil temperature and as we head into October our nightly temperatures are dropping along with our soil temperatures. This will start the winter weed germination and these are the ones that really cause all the issues from February through April.

The goal is to apply a pre-emergent before they start to germinate and get in control of most of the weeds before they ever emerge from the soil. If this small window to apply the product is missed, then there could be a weed outbreak that you would see starting either December or January. There are different types of products that can be applied and it’s a good idea to rotate them to prevent resistant issues. For a very effective application, a split application may be applied with the first one in September and the second one in November or December depending on the product.

There will always be break through and it’s best to have a post application product on hand. Always follow the label rates and watering instructions when applying.

Good luck with the rest of the year!