Written by Paul Blessing - Turf & Horticulture Manager
This winter has been very mild, and it is starting to show. Soil temperatures have reached 55 degrees, and closely reaching the optimal soil temperatures for Crabgrass seed germination. Crabgrass (seen below) will start to germinate when soil temps reach 57 – 64 degrees but we won’t see mass germination until soil temps reach 73 degrees, generally between April - May for our North Carolina markets.
Crabgrass in Tall Fescue Turf - photo credit Arbor-Nomics
The best visual indicator that I’ve seen in our market is when the dogwoods bloom (as seen below), so does crabgrass. This year, the weather is two weeks ahead of where I thought it should be, but our properties are in good shape to have the pre-emergent / fertilizer round completed before crabgrass starts to germinate.
Weston Parkway - Cary, NC
Additionally, the time is now to get your pre-emergent application down for your landscape plant beds. Mulched bed soil will warm must faster than turf soil. If you have plans to apply a pre-emergent and think that you can wait a week or so, then you will be too late to get it down for it to be effective in your turf or landscape beds this summer, and a post-emergent application will be necessary.
If you have any questions please reach out to your GreenView Partners representative.
