Well, it’s a month into spring now. The flowers are budding, the leaves are back and so are the weeds. So is that it? Is it too late for pre-emergent weed control? Yes and no. Discover what you can still do to help stop more weeds from emerging this season.

What’s Pre-emergent Weed Control

Generally, pre-emergent weed control is what prevents weed seeds from germinating. It’s typically a product you use early in the spring or late in the fall to battle weeds before they appear. However, different weeds sprout and spread at different times. Since weed control is an ongoing process, it’s never too late for preventative measures.

It’s also safe to say that even if you use pre-emergent weed control products when you’re supposed to, it’s not a one-and-done type of job. You may see some weeds pop up here and there that you need to spot treat. Any weed control method you use will do more than not using any method at all.

Why It’s Not Too Late

If it takes seeing some weeds popping up to remind you to take some weed control action, so be it. There’s still time to get the upper hand. If you’re looking for a good excuse, just remember that most pre-emergent products only work under the right conditions. This includes needing the ground to be warm enough to take hold. Depending on where you live, it may not be warm enough until May anyway.

Here are some of the most common weeds that could be waiting in the wings:

• Crabgrass. If you have bare spots in your lawn or weaker areas of grass, you may notice this invasive weed filling in soon. Crabgrass is more prominent in the summer, so if you take measures now to reseed the bare spots and use a preventative product you’ll have less to worry about later.
• Henbit. If you like the purple flowers this weed produces you may not even consider it a weed. But you may once it takes over your lawn and/or garden. Take action before it does.
• Chickweed. This weed is more like a creeping vine that spreads quickly and produces a white flower. While pre-emergent treatments are usually applied in the fall to stop this weed, what you do now can help keep it from taking over.

For more specific weed treatments and information on the effective timing of preemergent weed control, contact Cardinal Lawns for expert tips. Just remember that every little bit helps when it comes to stopping little weed seeds from becoming a big problem.