We all want to make sure that our lawn looks amazing, but sometimes nature decides to intervene, and we can find some weeds or crabgrass in your green lawn. You do know what crabgrass is, yes? Also called Digitaria this plant causes a lot of problems for everyone that has a little green corner. Mainly because it’s quite ugly, and very opportunistic, so to speak. Meaning that it can grow very fast, and overtake your lawn, unless dealt with quickly. So to obstruct its growth, you need the best pre emergent crabgrass preventer, and we will help you find it.

Top 7 Best Pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventers: Comparison Chart

	Area Covered	Grass Not to Use On	Control Time	Weight
Scotts 32367F	5000 sq. ft.	Dichondra, Bentgrass	3 months	n/a
GreenView 2129268	10000 sq. ft.	Colonial Bentgrass, Floratam St. Augustine, Carpetgrass, Dichondra	n/a	36 pounds
GreenView 2131251	5000 sq. ft.	n/a	All season	13.5 pounds
Scotts WeedEx	5000 sq. ft.	Dichondra, Bentgrass	n/a	10 pounds
Jonathan Green & Sons 12350 39178	5000 sq. ft.	n/a	n/a	12.5 pounds
Spectracide 85832-1	3000 sq. ft.	Floratam St. Augustine	5 months	10.8 pounds
Bonide BND60400	5000 sq. ft.	n/a	n/a	9.5 pounds

The Difference Between Pre-emergent and Post-emergent Herbicide Needed for Crabgrass

There are two types of crabgrass preventers. The first type, pre-emergent, is used before the crabgrass starts germinating, and the second, post-emergent is used right after the crabgrass has grown. So let’s take a look at them in more detail.

As mentioned previously, the pre emergent crabgrass preventer kills the seeds of weeds before they can grow in your lawn. So this type of herbicide is a preventive measure, to protect your green corner from issues beforehand. Overall, the pre emergent crabgrass herbicide is an effective killer since it protects your grass from facing any weed attack. When you apply this product, it causes a hindrance on the surface, killing the seeds. Just keep in mind that this herbicide requires water to activate. 

If the Digitaria has already started to grow, then you need to kill it with the post-emergent herbicide for crabgrass. By applying this crabgrass preventer you’ll be able to get rid of the crabgrass and weeds once they’ve already emerged – fast and simple. It’s also important to point out, that while creating this best pre emergent crabgrass preventer review, we’ve noticed a lot of questions from the people, worrying if this herbicide can harm your “good grass” in the process. And no, the only purpose of the pre emergent Crabgrass Preventer is to kill the aforementioned weed, so it’s not supposed to affect your other plants.

Picking the Best Pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventer

Liquid vs. Granular?

There are two types of pre emergent crabgrass control. One is the liquid or the spray, and the other is granular. And you can choose whichever works best for you. 

To apply the granular type, you have to pour water on the grass and then apply the best pre-emergent crabgrass control. Meanwhile, to apply the liquid pre emergent crabgrass preventer, you need to mix it with water and use a sprayer, attached to a garden hose.

How Much Quantity of the Product Will You Require?

The amount of herbicide you need depends on how big your yard is. Usually, one container should be fine, however, you can also purchase one, as a spare, or check the label for information regarding the usage. Another useful way to learn how much herbicide you need is by checking some best pre emergent crabgrass preventer reviews from users.

Can You Keep the Edibles Close Safely?

If you mean edible plants, then in that case it’s important to make sure that even the best pre emergent crabgrass preventer is safe for such plants. Usually, specific herbicides are dangerous only for the plant it’s intended to kill. However, it wouldn’t hurt to ensure that your edible plants are safe, so always make sure to ask the seller regarding the toxicity of the pre-emergent crabgrass control products.

And if you mean food, then, of course, you need to keep it away from the herbicides – that is one of the most important pesticide safety rules.

Are There Any Limitations in Your Area?

The crabgrass preventer can cause several health problems for humans and pets, so you should not use it in heavily populated areas if there are humans and animals nearby. However, if your lawn is in an open space, there’s no one around, then feel free to use it. Also, make sure to check for the details on the packaging and see if is restricted in the place where you’re applying it.

What Else to Pay Attention to?

• Whether they affect other weeds: Some pre-emergent crabgrass control products can kill not only this plant but other weeds as well. However, keep in mind that these products are usually more expensive than the regular crabgrass herbicide.
• Weatherproof: Try to purchase a product that can work even during the rainy season. This will help your crabgrass work effectively in any weather, especially in rain. That is because rain can wash away your weed control, so you’ll have to apply the product again, essentially wasting it. You can also apply a pre emergent crabgrass preventer without fertilizer to have an even greener and healthier lawn.

How to Apply the Best Pre Emergent Crabgrass Preventer?

The Right Time to Apply Pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventer

The best time to apply any weed control product is from March to April since it will kill the seeds before they grow. 

Summer is also a great time to apply herbicides. To do so, make sure that the soil temperature is above 55 F, and remain such from 36 to 72 hours. After this, you can apply the crabgrass preventer. While it’s best to apply the herbicides during warm seasons, if you need to use them in fall, then make sure that the temperature is around 70 F for 5 days.

The Right Way to Apply Pre-emergent Crabgrass Preventer

If your crabgrass preventer is granular, then you have to pour water and then apply the product. That way the formula will get into the soil a lot better. 

However, if you’re using a liquid crabgrass preventer, then put the water to the product first and then spray it on the crabgrass. This is because the crabgrass and weeds can capture the active formula before it reaches the soil thus application of water is essential. Just make sure not to spray or apply the herbicide all over the lawn – only in the areas where there is crabgrass growth.

Final Word

All and all, when you need to choose the best crabgrass preventer, the most important thing is to determine, whether you need a liquid or granular type. And since both of them do their job quite well, it’s all a matter of preference.

We also wish to remind you that whichever best pre emergent crabgrass preventer 2023 you want to choose, you must always keep in mind the safety measures to protect yourself and the people and animals around you. 

So keep in mind the information we gave you, and let us know if you have any more questions regarding the best pre emergent crabgrass preventer and how to apply it the right way! You can also share your knowledge with other people in the comments, so we could help each other keep our lawn healthy and beautiful!