I’m new to the lawncare game and wish I had seeded in the fall, but now that the paste is out of the tube, I’m looking for some advice on whether to prioritize weed prevention in my yard for the upcoming season or to overseed (or a combo of both). The first photo is of my backyard, which has pretty much been decimated by my dog using it as a bathroom over the last few years. My wife and I are dedicated to taking him on walks to avoid continuing the ruination of our yard. The second photo is of the front yard. It gets better growth but is definitely a bit patchy, and typically gets hit pretty hard in a lot of areas by weeds each season. My question essentially is for this growing season should I overseed the entire yard and try to maintain the weeds throughout the spring and summer. Or should I put down pre-emergent and focus on the seeding in the fall. I suppose there’s also the option of overseeding the back (where bare spots are prominent) and using the pre-emergent in the front (where bare spots are less common and weeds have more of a foothold).
All-in-all I’d like some advice on where to start. I know it will be a few year process before my yard is where I’d like it to be.
by ChexLemeneux80
2 Comments
The common lawn pre-emergents (prodiamine, pendimethalin, and dithiopyr) work to help reduce the germination of certain seeds… Mostly grasses and only a handful of broadleaf weeds. The labels will list which weeds are targeted. To prevent more broadleaf weeds, a specialty broadleaf pre emergent like isoxaben is required.
Pre-emergents work by preventing the germination of seeds of the target species. So in order to be effective, a pre emergent needs to be applied BEFORE those seeds germinate. For winter annual weeds (annual weeds that are present in the fall, winter, and spring, like poa annua), a pre emergent needs to be applied in the fall before soil temps fall below 70F. In order to prevent summer annual weeds (like crabgrass), a pre emergent needs to be applied in the spring before soil temps reach 55F. (In very southern areas, timing can be more closely tied with periods of higher moisture AND climbing soil temps. Consult your state extension service for more specific guidance)
Pre emergents will not kill existing weeds. Pre-emergents alone will rarely control a weed problem. Pre-emergents are tools to **reduce** the need for post-emergents. They rarely eliminate the need for post emergents.
The labels of pre emergents have many important instructions and use restrictions. ALWAYS READ THE ENTIRE LABEL. For example, you are limited to 2 applications of each active ingredient per year.
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Late summer/early fall is the best time to seed cool season lawns.
Regardless, if you are you looking for information about how to overseed a cool season lawn. You can find a comprehensive guide [in this post here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/lawncare/s/pUsKCxyvwQ)
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