NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone, first time posting here. I'm in Paramus and really stressed about my lawn. I have a mix of tall fescue and perennial rye (had a company seed it last fall) and I never got around to putting down pre-emergent this spring.Been seeing all these posts about Dimension and Team Pro but it's already May 15th and I honestly procrastinated. My neighbor keeps telling me I'm too late and I should just forget it until fall, but I really don't want crabgrass taking over my whole yard.Is it even worth applying at this point? I'm seeing conflicting info online and honestly just want someone to give me a straight answer. Any chance it'll still work or am I wasting my money at this stage?Thanks in advance for any help - really appreciate this community!

Honestly Nate? You're in gray territory at this point. Pre-emergent works by creating a barrier that stops crabgrass seeds from germinating - but once soil temps hit that 55-60 degree mark consistently, the window starts closing fast.I've been organic for 8 years now and honestly I'd say save your money on the chemicals at this point. Just focus on keeping your grass thick and healthy so it chokes out weeds naturally. I use corn gluten meal in early April as a natural alternative - much safer around kids and pets.If you do decide to spray, don't expect miracles. You might get some late germination control but you'll probably still see some crabgrass pop up. Spot treat with MSMA or quinclorac later in summer instead.

Not to completely contradict WeedWarrior (love your organic content BTW) but I've had decent results applying Dimension as late as Memorial Day weekend in Ramsey. It won't be perfect but it's not hopeless.The key is water it in within 24 hours - that activates the barrier. And honestly? Better late than never. I'm looking at my backyard right now where I skipped it two years ago and I still have bare patches where crabgrass took over.My recommendation: check soil temps with a meter (they sell them at the Home Depot on Route 17). If you're still under 65 degrees regularly, go for it. Just don't expect 100% control. The later you go, the less effective.Also for what it's worth - your tall fescue and perennial rye mix should handle most of the season fine if you keep up with watering. Those are solid cool season grasses for Bergen County.

Fair warning - I've seen a lot of people mess up the application timing AND the watering part. Just my 2 cents since irrigation is half the battle with pre-emergentYou've got about 5-7 days left realistically before you're really pushing it for early crabgrass germination in this area. That said - don't water it in IF you haven't applied yet! That's the mistake I see every year.People put down Dimension and then don't water for 10 days and wonder why it didn't work. Needs light watering within 24-48 hours to activate, then stay off it for 2-3 weeks while it sets up.If you have an irrigation system, program it to run early morning (5-6 AM) - less evaporation. I can share my setup notes if helpful. Also make sure your sprayer nozzle is right for the product - wrong nozzle = uneven coverage = crabgrass wins.

OK so reading all this and I'm getting mixed signals which is exactly what I was afraid of lol. Some saying don bother, some saying you still have a window.WeedWarrior - I hear you on the organic angle but honestly I just want the crabgrass gone and I'm willing to spray if it'll actually work.LawnLover - did you apply Memorial Day and still get decent control? That's only 10 days from now and I'm wondering if I should just go buy some Dimension tomorrow and try it? Also which store did you get yours from - I know the garden center at Agway in Ridgewood has it but they sometimes mark it up.Help me decide guys - should I pull the trigger or accept my fate?

I'll be direct - go for it if you want. I'm not here to talk anyone out of their choice. This is your lawn, your money.At minimum you'll get SOME reduction compared to doing nothing. Just manage expectations.My bigger concern with Dimension and Team Pro is the prodiamine - it's pretty persistent in soils. Not great for organic gardens or if you're planning to overseed later in fall. Keep that in mind for September.Alternatively look at the snapshot granular products - they have some quick-release components that kick in faster. Harder to find locally though, usually order online. Bayer Advanced and Greene Pacific both carry good options.Give us an update in 3 weeks - let us know what you decided and how it's looking. We're all here to help