Warmer tempuratures and rain are sure to bring green growth, spring flowers, and of course, summer weeds. Now is the time to take action and apply a pre-emergent product that can help eliminate many summer lawn & garden weeds before they become an issue.
Crabgrass, grassy sandbur, goosegrass, and spurge are all weeds we commonly see in lawns & flowerbeds, all of which can be controlled this month with a pre-emergent product. While there are many pre-emergent products available, two products are available for summer-long weed prevention:
o Dimension (active ingredient = dithiopyr)
o Barricade (active ingredient = prodiamine)
Other products available will typically need repeat applications throughout the summer, so be sure to read and follow the label instructions. Pre-emergents must be applied before summer weeds begin to grow, so application timing is critical. Look for the purple flowers of the Eastern Redbud tree to tell you when to apply weed control pre-emergent. Once the trees begin to bloom, it’s best to apply a pre-emergent within the next two weeks.
If you plan to re-seed your lawn this spring, most pre-emergent products will kill grass seeds as well as weed seeds, so most products are not safe to use when seeding. There are, however, a few options that are safe to apply around the time of planting grass seed:
o Siduron (the active ingredient in products like Tupersan)
o Meotrione (the active ingredient in products like Tenacity)
Always read and follow the label instructions before applying any of these products. Although fall seeding is preferred, Tall Fescue grass seed will start to germinate when soil temperatures reaches an average of 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
For more information, you can visit any of the articles below:
• Crabgrass
• Grassy Sandbur
• Wichita Area Soil Temperatures
• Pre-Emergent Products & Spring Grass Seeding
• For weekly reminders of timely gardening activities, visit our K-State Horticulture Newsletter with new gardening suggestions each week!
