Homeowners in the Tri-Cities and Yakima who want a weed-free lawn can use pre-emergents, a proactive solution that stops weed seeds before they even start. To make lawn care easier, today we explain what pre-emergent lawn treatments are, how they work, and why they play a critical role in preventing weeds before they appear.
What are Pre-Emergent Lawn Treatments?
Pre-emergent lawn treatments are a weed-control method that prevents weeds from growing. Essentially, it stops the seed from sprouting, preventing weeds from popping up in your lawn. In the Tri-Cities and Yakima regions, pre-emergent lawn treatments are an excellent option for controlling weeds like crabgrass, foxtail, chickweed, and spurge.
How do Pre-Emergent Lawn Treatments Work?
Pre-emergent weed control is a specific herbicide treatment designed to target weed seeds early in their lifecycle. Here is how the process works:
The treatment is sprayed across a designated area, laying a protective barrier in the soil that prevents weeds from germinating and taking root.
Once applied, the treatment is activated by water, moving the herbicide from the top layer of soil to deeper layers where weed seeds lie dormant.
The treatment then forms a thin chemical barrier in the soil, disrupting seed cell division during germination. When a weed seed begins to sprout, the treatment prevents it from developing roots and shoots, effectively stopping growth. Therefore, the seed cannot develop into a mature plant that will grow and disrupt your lawn.
However, it is essential to note that pre-emergent lawn treatments only target germinating seeds. Once the weed has germinated and started to grow, the treatment has no effect. It is at that point that post-emergent treatments or manual removal are necessary.
When is the Best Time to Apply Pre-Emergent Treatments?
It is typically recommended to apply pre-emergents to the lawn early in the season, usually in early spring and sometimes again in fall, before weed seeds begin to sprout. The timeframe for preventing many weed species is when soil temperatures are between 55° F and 70° F for about a week.
This doesn’t come with a precise action date, as temperatures fluctuate each year. However, for us in Eastern Washington, this usually applies in early spring and mid-fall. You simply want to keep an eye on the weather forecast, as you must complete your fall application before the temperature drops below 55 °F.
Benefits of Pre-Emergent Weed Control
Being preemptive with your lawn care provides numerous benefits for homeowners, including:
1. Saved Time
Very few people find spending each weekend pulling weeds to be enjoyable. Pre-emergent lawn treatments prevent most weeds from ever taking root in your lawn. This, in turn, reduces the need for post-emergent chemicals and manual weed pulling. Overall, this decreases your outside workload, leaving more time for other pursuits.
2. Healthier Grass
Weed seeds, like grass seeds, need the same essential components to grow: water, sunlight, nutrients, and air. However, there are limited resources in a lawn. Weeds can quickly choke out grass if left unchecked, stealing nutrients and leaving an unhealthy lawn prone to disease, drought, pests, and other problems. Pre-emergent lawn treatments protect your grass seeds, leading to thicker, well-rooted grass that can withstand Eastern Washington’s harsh seasonal changes.
3. Improved Curb Appeal
Nothing decimates a first impression of a home quite like a weed-riddled yard. Whether you want to have the best house on the block, you are having family or friends over for an event, or you are planning to sell your home in the future, pre-emergent helps keep your lawn looking clean, lush, and neat by blocking weeds.
Mistakes to Avoid with DIY Pre-Emergents
Like any lawn care, it takes time, knowledge, tools, and skill to learn how to apply DIY pre-emergent lawn treatments properly. As a result, homeowners often make mistakes during the treatment process, rendering it ineffective. Here is what we see the most often:
1. Performing the Treatment Too Late
Timing when to apply the treatment takes diligence. You must watch the weather and hit that temperature window we discussed above to ensure an effective application. Unfortunately, most homeowners wait too long; they either misjudge the changes of the season, forget to do it, or are too busy with their daily schedule to find enough time.
2. Applying the Area with Uneven Coverage
Another requirement for an effective treatment is to get an even application across the designated area. Unfortunately, most homeowners struggle to apply an even application. If they use too little, the weeds will break through. However, if they use too much, it can cause severe stress on the lawn. Other issues, like wind (which can scatter the product) or wet grass (which can cause it to clump), can also negatively impact the application process if not accounted for.
3. Forgetting to Water
Water activates the barrier and helps the product settle evenly in the soil. Oftentimes, homeowners wait for rain, but watering needs to happen within a specific window. For granular pre-emergent, water is required within 12 to 24 hours to dissolve it into the soil. For liquid pre-emergent, it is okay to wait 12 to 24 hours before watering to allow the herbicide to be absorbed.
4. Disrupting the Soil Barrier
Another common mistake we see homeowners make is disrupting the soil barrier after treatment application. For example, digging or aerating one’s lawn can disturb the soil, interrupt the barrier, and decrease the treatment’s effectiveness.
Why Professional Application Matters
Managing pre-emergent lawn treatments for one’s property is a time-consuming process that requires significant research and manual labor to be done right. If this does not fit into your lifestyle, hiring a professional lawn care service can make all the difference.
At Colonial Lawn & Garden, our expert lawn technicians will select the right products for your property’s unique attributes, apply them at the correct rate, and time treatments to match local weather patterns for effective results.
Ready to stop weeds before they start? Contact Colonial Lawn & Garden today to schedule your pre-emergent lawn treatment and keep your lawn healthier all season long.
