Are you overwhelmed with the weeds popping up like crazy in your landscape beds? Can’t seem to keep up with pulling or spraying them? What if we told you that by applying a pre-emergent in the spring, you could reduce the amount of weed growth in your landscape beds by up to 90%! Applying a pre-emergent is a simple, easy, and effective way to take control over the weeds in your mulch and rock beds so you can spend more time enjoying your landscaping instead of fighting with weeds.
Pre-emergent is a granular herbicide that controls and suppresses more than 120 different broadleaf weeds and grasses for up to 8 months. The most common weeds in our area that a pre-emergent helps suppress are; dandelions, clover, ragweed, quackgrass, crabgrass, and thistles. Our favorite pre-emergent that we have used for years is called Snapshot. Snapshot works by the granules binding with soil particles to prevent weed germination. It hinders the healthy germination of weed seeds, which causes the seedlings to gradually die off before they break the soil surface. A simple process that helps keep your mulch and rock areas weed free!
The best time to apply pre-emergent is in spring before weed germination- which happens when soil temperatures rise above 55 degrees fahrenheit. It is very important to apply the pre-emergent at the correct time because it unfortunately does not control or kill off established weeds. If weeds have already started to poke through the ground, it’s too late! A post-emergent herbicide will have to then be used to kill off the weed.
There are many benefits to applying a pre-emergent including preventing weeds before they grow, reducing the need for post-emergent herbicides, long lasting weed control, and saving a homeowner’s valuable time and money. When a pre-emergent is not applied to landscape beds, weeds grow quickly which can become an uncontrollable task if not eradicated correctly. Using a pre-emergent and stopping weeds before they grow is the best way to maintain a weed free landscape bed.