NJ Lawns Community

Hey everyone! Just moved to Hackensack from NYC and finally have a backyard to care for. Got a bag of Scotts Halts crabgrass preventer but I have no clue when to put it down. My lawn is mostly tall fescue with some KBG mixed in. Can someone help me understand the timing here? All my NYC friends think I'm crazy worrying about grass! 😅

Welcome to Bergen County! You're going to love having a lawn once you get the hang of it. For Scotts Halts, you want to apply it BEFORE the soil hits 55°F consistently - that's usually around late March to early April here in Hackensack. Problem is, we've had some weird weather swings lately. I'd check the extended forecast and maybe aim for mid-April to be safe. If you see forsythia blooming in neighbors' yards, that's your signal - crabgrass germinates right after that pops.

Adding to what Steve said - if you've already missed the window, DO NOT apply it now. Scotts Halts is a pre-emergent, meaning it works on seeds BEFORE they sprout. Once you see crabgrass growing, it's too late for this product and you'll need a post-emergent like quinclorac instead. Also, make sure you water it in within a few days of application - the granules need moisture to activate and create that barrier in the soil. Hit up Belase's in Garfield if you need more supplies, they've got good stock this time of year.

I'm going to respectfully disagree with the chemical route here. For a newbie coming from NYC, I'm guessing you might not know that those herbicides can affect nearby flower beds and veg gardens. If you want to go organic next year, look into corn gluten meal - it's a natural pre-emergent that also feeds your lawn. Timing is similar (around 55°F soil temp) but it's not as strong so you might need to reapply. That said, for THIS year since you already bought the Scotts, go ahead and use it - better than doing nothing and dealing with a crabgrass nightmare all summer!

@WeedWarrior makes a fair point about the organic alternative, though I'd just add that corn gluten meal is hit or miss in our area - humidity around here sometimes reduces its effectiveness. @GreenThumb - one more tip: set your mower tall fescue at 3.5-4 inches once it starts growing. Taller grass shades out crabgrass seedlings and is your best defense along with the pre-emergent. Good luck! Feel free to ask more questions as the season progresses.