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.