In Savannah, pre-emergent for crabgrass and goosegrass should go down before the soil reaches 55 °F, which on the coast usually means mid-February. UGA Extension gives south Georgia a window of about February 15 to March 15, and warns that coastal lawns warm earliest, so the safe target here is the middle of February rather than the end of the window.
Why soil temperature sets the date
Crabgrass and goosegrass are summer annual weeds. They come back every year from seed, and that seed germinates when the soil warms into the mid-50s and stays there. A pre-emergent herbicide works by forming a treated layer in the top of the soil that stops those seedlings from establishing. It has to be in place, and watered in, before germination starts; put it down late and the first flush of weeds is already up, where pre-emergent cannot touch it.
That is why UGA's advice is framed around a soil temperature of 55 °F instead of a date. Ben Hill County Extension gives south Georgia a window of roughly February 15 to March 15; Colquitt County Extension tightens it to February 15 to March 5. Both are inland counties. Savannah's climate runs warmer and earlier: NOAA's 1991–2020 normals give the median last spring freeze as March 2, February's average high is 65.1 °F and March's is 71.4 °F. By the end of the inland window, coastal soils are often past 55 °F. Aim for mid-February and treat the early March dates as the last call, not the plan.
How to check Savannah soil temperatures
The UGA Weather Network posts soil temperature readings from stations across the state at georgiaweather.net. Watch the trend from late January on, and apply while the readings are still in the low 50s and rising. A run of readings at 55 °F or higher means you are late. A soil thermometer pushed a couple of inches into your own lawn gives a local check; shaded lawns under live oaks warm later than open, sunny ones.
What pre-emergent does and does not do
- It prevents, it does not cure. Pre-emergent stops seedlings. It has no effect on weeds that are already up, so a lawn full of crabgrass in June needs a post-emergent product labeled for your grass, and a better pre-emergent date next year.
- It is for annual weeds from seed. Perennials that spread from roots and runners, dollarweed above all, are a different problem. UGA's guidance on dollarweed is to fix irrigation and drainage first, since it thrives in wet soil, and to accept that complete eradication is often unattainable.
- It wears off. The treated layer breaks down over weeks to months depending on the product, rain and soil. Some programs use a second spring application; the label sets the interval.
- It interferes with new grass. Pre-emergent does not know the difference between a crabgrass seed and a grass seed, and many labels restrict seeding or sodding for a period after application. If you plan to lay sod or overseed this spring, read the label or ask the company before treating that area. Our guide to the best grass for Savannah lawns covers what to plant.
- It needs water. Most granular products must be watered in to activate. On Savannah's odd-even schedule that means timing the application just before your watering day or a forecast rain; see the watering schedule.
The fall window
The UGA sources we rely on address the spring crabgrass window. Many pre-emergent products are also labeled for a fall application aimed at winter annual weeds, which germinate as soils cool in autumn and show up green against a dormant lawn. If you use one, the same logic applies in reverse: it has to be down before those seeds germinate, and the product label governs the timing and rate. A company with a year-round program will usually schedule a fall treatment; ask what it targets. For what else happens on the lawn between November and February, see our winter lawn care guide.
Grass type matters
Pre-emergent labels list which turfgrasses a product is safe on. Centipede and St. Augustine, the two most common coastal lawns, are sensitive to some herbicides that bermuda and zoysia tolerate, so a product that is fine on a neighbor's bermuda can injure a centipede lawn. Weed-and-feed products raise a second issue: UGA's advice for centipede is about one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet per year, applied after green-up once the 4-inch soil temperature holds at 65 °F, so a mid-February weed-and-feed delivers nitrogen too early and too close to the window where it feeds large patch disease. If you have centipede, a straight pre-emergent in February and fertilizer later is the safer pairing. Our centipede care guide has the full feeding schedule.
Georgia license check. In Georgia, a business that applies pesticides, including weed killers, weed-and-feed, insect, fire ant or mosquito treatments, to someone else's property for a fee needs a Pesticide Contractor License from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, with a certified commercial applicator on staff (O.C.G.A. § 2-7-99). Lawn and shrub work falls under applicator Category 24 (Ornamental and Turf). Ask for the license number and check it with the Georgia Department of Agriculture. A homeowner treating their own lawn with general-use products does not need these licenses.
This is general information, not legal advice.
Hiring it out
Pre-emergent is a timing job, which is why many homeowners hand it off: a company with a route and a soil-temperature habit is more likely to hit mid-February than a homeowner who remembers in late March. Companies that offer weed control and fertilization in Savannah usually sell it as part of a program of several visits a year. When you compare quotes, ask:
- What date range do you target for the spring pre-emergent, and do you use soil temperature data?
- Which product, and is it labeled for my grass type (centipede, St. Augustine, zoysia or bermuda)?
- Is it a straight pre-emergent or a weed-and-feed, and when does nitrogen go on?
- Is there a second spring application or a fall application, and what does each target?
- What is the Pesticide Contractor License number?
No reliable local average was published for weed control and fertilization per application, so get two or three quotes and compare what each program includes. Lawn size, number of visits and bundled insect or fungus treatments move the price. Typical ranges for other services are on our Savannah prices page, and the Georgia lawn care license rules guide walks through what to verify before you sign.
Frequently asked questions
When should I put down pre-emergent in Savannah?
Before the soil reaches 55 °F. UGA Extension gives a south Georgia window of about February 15 to March 15, and on the coast the advice is to aim for mid-February, because Savannah soils warm earlier than inland Georgia. Watch the 2-inch or 4-inch soil temperature on the UGA Weather Network at georgiaweather.net rather than the calendar, and apply while it is still in the low 50s.
Is it too late to apply pre-emergent in March in Savannah?
Often, yes, at least for the first flush of crabgrass. Once soil temperatures hold above 55 °F the early seeds have already germinated, and pre-emergent does nothing to weeds that are up. A late application can still catch seeds that germinate later in the season, so it is not wasted, but expect to deal with early crabgrass by other means. Next year, move the date up.
Does pre-emergent kill weeds that are already in my lawn?
No. Pre-emergent herbicides stop germinating seeds from establishing; they do not kill weeds that have already come up, and they do not control perennial weeds like dollarweed that spread from roots and runners. Existing weeds need a post-emergent product labeled for your grass type, and dollarweed in particular responds more to fixing excess moisture and drainage than to herbicide.
Does a company need a license to apply pre-emergent in Georgia?
Yes. In Georgia, a business that applies pesticides, including weed killers and weed-and-feed, to someone else's property for a fee needs a Pesticide Contractor License from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, with a certified commercial applicator on staff. Lawn work falls under applicator Category 24. Ask for the license number and check it with the agency. This is general information, not legal advice.
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