What it is
A 40-pound bag of granular pre-emergent herbicide. Active ingredient prevents annual weed seeds — crabgrass, foxtail, henbit, chickweed, and most annual broadleafs — from germinating. Won't affect established turfgrass.
What it's for
Stopping weeds before they come up. This is the lowest-effort, highest-payoff lawn product we sell — one bag, applied twice a year at the right windows, prevents 80% of the weeds you'd otherwise spend the season pulling or spot-spraying.
Important: pre-emergent does nothing once the weed is visible. You can't spray a crabgrass plant with this and kill it. Pre-emergent works by creating a chemical barrier in the top inch of soil that stops the seed from germinating into a seedling. Miss the application window, miss the season.
When to apply (North Texas calendar)
| Window | Why |
|---|---|
| Feb 15 - Mar 1 | Stops spring-germinating annuals (crabgrass, henbit, dandelion seedlings) before soil hits 55°F |
| Sept 15 - Oct 1 | Stops fall-germinating annuals (poa annua, chickweed) before fall rains start germination |
The spring window is the critical one — miss it and you're fighting crabgrass all summer. The fall window prevents the cool-season annuals that show up in lawns in December and January.
How to apply
- Apply with a broadcast spreader at the rate on the bag (typically 4-5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft).
- Water in within 24-48 hours — water moves the active ingredient into the soil where it forms the barrier.
- Don't apply right before mowing — wait at least 48 hours.
- Don't apply on newly seeded lawns — pre-emergent stops grass seed from germinating too. Wait until new sod or seed is fully established (3-4 mowings).
Coverage
A 40-pound bag covers approximately 8,000-10,000 sq ft per application.
| Lawn size | Bags per app |
|---|---|
| 2,000 sq ft | 1 (covers easily, save the rest for fall) |
| 5,000 sq ft | 1 |
| 10,000 sq ft | 1-2 |
| 1/2 acre | 3 |
A bag bought in February usually handles both the spring and fall apps on a typical residential lawn.
Common mistakes
- Applying after the weeds are visible. Doesn't work on existing weeds. Switch to a post-emergent.
- Skipping the watering-in. Without water, the granules sit on top of the grass and don't form the soil barrier.
- Missing the window by 2-3 weeks. Spring soil hits 55°F early in DFW — late February is the safe window, not late March.
- Using on newly sodded lawn. Wait until the new sod has been mowed 3-4 times.
Buying tips
- One bag, applied right, saves you hours of weed pulling. Best ROI of any lawn product.
- Don't double-up on rate. More isn't better; it just risks turf injury.
Plan the whole job
How much do I need? Rates are set per square foot of lawn, so start with your lawn's area. The satellite measure tool traces it on an aerial map, and how to measure sod for your lawn shows the by-hand method.
