Time Nears for Pre-emergent Booster

The most common pre-emergent granules include Dimension, Halts and Balan, although there are several other good ones.

Each of these will prevent germination of annual grassy weeds for approximately 90 days.

If you followed most recommendations, your first treatment went down in early to mid-March.

That means that in early to mid-June you will need to make a second treatment to get you through the entire growing season. This application does not have to be the same pre-emergent product you applied back in March.

That’s especially true this year, with all the rains much of Texas has endured over the past several weeks.

But, if you didn’t make the first treatment, the second treatment will be pretty much useless.

You may remember that I warned that many stores don’t bother to handle pre-emergents after that big early-spring rush. I encouraged you to buy enough to get you through this treatment as well.

But in case you didn’t stock up back then, I’m giving you this warning a week or two early so you’ll have time to search should it boil down to that. (Nurseries, hardware stores and feed stores can order supplies in if given a few days of lead time.)

However, do not apply pre-emergent granules to new turf that has recently been planted. Wait until after it has gone through its first winter.

And do not apply pre-emergent granules if you intend to plant new grass anytime soon.

Apply according to label directions, but for most products that will mean to apply them when the foliage is dry. Then water the lawn thoroughly to move the herbicide into position across the soil surface.

Note: Your next treatment will be an application of one of those same three pre-emergents between August 25 and September 5 to prevent germination of winter grassy weeds, including annual bluegrass, rescuegras and ryegrass. Only one treatment will be required for cool-season weeds. Once again, many dealers will not be stocking pre-emergents at the end of the summer. If you find them in the next few weeks, buy enough to carry you through that treatment as well. Store them dry and they’ll be fine.