Crabgrass preventer timing in Indiana and Ohio
Updated October 23, 2026. Live numbers refresh hourly.
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In Indiana and Ohio, apply crabgrass preventer one to two weeks before crabgrass germinates, which Purdue Extension ties to soil near 60°F for three to five days at a quarter-inch depth; Michigan State's 50–55°F soil target gets you there in time. Today the 0–4 inch soil around Indianapolis, IN averages 62°F and is warming.
- Soil today
- 62°F
- +8.1°F over 7 days
Live data for Indianapolis, IN. Check your own ZIP below for local numbers.
Our picks
Chosen from the research below and the makers' own listings. We haven't lab-tested them.
- Homeowners with a spreader
The Andersons Barricade 0.48% Prodiamine Pre-Emergent (APTDG48BR18A, 18 lb)
5,800sq ft per 18 lb bag (Andersons)
A straight granular prodiamine with no fertilizer, spread with an ordinary broadcast spreader and watered in. Andersons times its spring application to before 4-inch soil reaches 55°F, the same trigger this guide tracks.
- Lawns where timing may slip
Jonathan Green Season-Long Weed Preventer
3rd leafcrabgrass stage it still controls (Jonathan Green)
A granular dithiopyr (Dimension) preventer with no fertilizer. Besides stopping seeds, Jonathan Green says it controls crabgrass that has already come up, to the third leaf stage, which gives some slack if a warm spell beats you to the window.
- Pros and big lawns with a sprayer
Prodiamine 65 WDG
65%prodiamine (DoMyOwn listing)
The concentrated, sprayable form of prodiamine. It's mixed with water and sprayed, which suits people who already own a calibrated sprayer or treat a lot of turf; DoMyOwn lists spring and fall use.
- Pros who want early post control
Dimension 2EW herbicide
5-leafcrabgrass stage it still controls (DoMyOwn)
The liquid, professional form of dithiopyr. DoMyOwn lists it as pre-emergent plus early post-emergent on crabgrass up to the five-leaf stage, with single or split applications.
Side by side
| Pick | Best for | Form | Active ingredient | Covers | Young crabgrass already up | Retailer link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Andersons Barricade 0.48% Prodiamine Pre-Emergent (APTDG48BR18A, 18 lb) | Homeowners with a spreader | Granular (spreader) | Prodiamine 0.48% | 5,800 sq ft per 18 lb; 12,880 sq ft per 40 lb | No (prevents only) | Check price at Andersons |
| Jonathan Green Season-Long Weed Preventer | Lawns where timing may slip | Granular (spreader) | Dithiopyr (Dimension) | 5,000 sq ft per 10 lb; 15,000 sq ft per 30 lb | Up to the 3rd leaf stage (Jonathan Green) | Check price at Jonathan Green |
| Prodiamine 65 WDG | Pros and big lawns with a sprayer | Water-dispersible granule, sprayed | Prodiamine 65% | 0.185–0.55 oz per 1,000 sq ft (label rate); 5 lb jug | No (prevents only) | Check price at DoMyOwn |
| Dimension 2EW herbicide | Pros who want early post control | Liquid concentrate, sprayed | Dithiopyr 24% (2 lb per gallon) | 0.28–0.73 oz per 1,000 sq ft (label rate); 64 oz jug | Up to the 5-leaf stage (DoMyOwn) | Check price at DoMyOwn |
Forms, active ingredients, coverage and early post-emergent claims are from each maker's page or the linked DoMyOwn listing. A dash means the maker doesn't list it.
The Andersons Barricade 0.48% Prodiamine Pre-Emergent (APTDG48BR18A, 18 lb)
Homeowners with a spreader
A straight granular prodiamine with no fertilizer, spread with an ordinary broadcast spreader and watered in. Andersons times its spring application to before 4-inch soil reaches 55°F, the same trigger this guide tracks.
Why we picked it
- 0.48% prodiamine on Andersons' dispersible granule, which it says breaks down when watered and moves into the soil.
- Andersons lists 30 grass and broadleaf weeds it prevents, including crabgrass, goosegrass, poa annua and henbit.
- Comes in 18 lb (up to 5,800 sq ft) and 40 lb (up to 12,880 sq ft) bags; spreader settings are posted on the product page.
Downsides
- Prevention only: Andersons says it won't eliminate weeds that are already up, and it doesn't prevent dandelions or clover.
- It needs at least 0.2 in of water to activate (Andersons).
- It stops grass seed too. Andersons says to wait at least 4 months before seeding, longer at higher rates.
- Form
- Granular (spreader)
- Active ingredient
- Prodiamine 0.48%
- Covers
- 5,800 sq ft per 18 lb; 12,880 sq ft per 40 lb
- Young crabgrass already up
- No (prevents only)
- Fertilizer
- None
- Model
- Andersons APTDG48BR18A (18 lb)
Jonathan Green Season-Long Weed Preventer
Lawns where timing may slip
A granular dithiopyr (Dimension) preventer with no fertilizer. Besides stopping seeds, Jonathan Green says it controls crabgrass that has already come up, to the third leaf stage, which gives some slack if a warm spell beats you to the window.
Why we picked it
- Contains Dimension (dithiopyr) and no fertilizer, so it can go down on its own schedule (Jonathan Green).
- Jonathan Green says one application lasts 3 to 4 months and suggests early spring plus a second application by the end of May for the whole crabgrass season.
- Sold in 10 lb (up to 5,000 sq ft) and 30 lb (up to 15,000 sq ft) bags.
Downsides
- Wait 90 days after applying before you plant grass seed, and 60 days after seeding before you apply (Jonathan Green).
- Post-emergent control is limited to young crabgrass; other weeds have to be prevented before they germinate.
- Water in about 1/2 in after applying to activate it (Jonathan Green).
- Form
- Granular (spreader)
- Active ingredient
- Dithiopyr (Dimension)
- Covers
- 5,000 sq ft per 10 lb; 15,000 sq ft per 30 lb
- Young crabgrass already up
- Up to the 3rd leaf stage (Jonathan Green)
- Fertilizer
- None
Prodiamine 65 WDG
Pros and big lawns with a sprayer
The concentrated, sprayable form of prodiamine. It's mixed with water and sprayed, which suits people who already own a calibrated sprayer or treat a lot of turf; DoMyOwn lists spring and fall use.
Why we picked it
- 65% prodiamine water-dispersible granule from Quali-Pro (EPA Reg. 53883-429), sold in a 5 lb jug.
- DoMyOwn lists a label rate of 0.185 to 0.55 oz per 1,000 sq ft, so a small jug goes a long way.
- Water in with about 1/2 in of rain or irrigation, per the listing; DoMyOwn gives a 3-year shelf life.
Downsides
- You need a sprayer and have to mix and measure small amounts accurately.
- Prevention only: it doesn't kill weeds that are already up (DoMyOwn).
- DoMyOwn doesn't sell it to Alaska or New York, where it's restricted to licensed applicators.
- Form
- Water-dispersible granule, sprayed
- Active ingredient
- Prodiamine 65%
- Covers
- 0.185–0.55 oz per 1,000 sq ft (label rate); 5 lb jug
- Young crabgrass already up
- No (prevents only)
- Model
- Quali-Pro 83013356
Dimension 2EW herbicide
Pros who want early post control
The liquid, professional form of dithiopyr. DoMyOwn lists it as pre-emergent plus early post-emergent on crabgrass up to the five-leaf stage, with single or split applications.
Why we picked it
- 24% dithiopyr (2 lb active per gallon) from Corteva, EPA Reg. 62719-542.
- Label rate of 0.28 to 0.73 oz per 1,000 sq ft; DoMyOwn says a 1/2 gallon treats 2 to 4 acres.
- Non-staining and low odor, per the listing.
Downsides
- Sold in 64 oz and larger jugs, more than most single lawns need.
- It needs 1/2 in of rain or irrigation, ideally within 7 days (DoMyOwn).
- DoMyOwn doesn't sell it to New York.
- Form
- Liquid concentrate, sprayed
- Active ingredient
- Dithiopyr 24% (2 lb per gallon)
- Covers
- 0.28–0.73 oz per 1,000 sq ft (label rate); 64 oz jug
- Young crabgrass already up
- Up to the 5-leaf stage (DoMyOwn)
- Maker
- Corteva
What Purdue says
A Purdue Extension article from northern Indiana describes crabgrass germinating when soil at about a quarter inch reaches around 60°F for three to five days, and recommends applying pre-emergent one to two weeks before that. In northern Indiana that typically falls from mid-March to mid-April. Purdue also notes most pre-emergents keep working for roughly 60 to 120 days depending on product and rate.
That residual matters in the Ohio Valley, where crabgrass can keep germinating into summer. Applying too early in a warm March can leave you with a thin barrier by June. Some products allow a split application, half the labeled rate early and half several weeks later; check the label.
North vs. south
Southern Indiana, Cincinnati and Louisville usually warm one to several weeks ahead of Fort Wayne, Toledo and Cleveland. Lake Erie also slows spring warming along Ohio's north coast. Use the live soil temperature for your area: Indianapolis, Fort Wayne, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland.
Fitting it into a Purdue lawn program
Purdue's lawn improvement publication AY-13 puts the most important fertilizer application in mid-September and a late-fall round after the last mowing while grass is still green. Spring feeding is lighter, so a straight pre-emergent, or a combination product with modest nitrogen, fits. For the fall program see Midwest fall fertilizer timing, and for summer insects, grub control timing.
- Water the product in as the label directs.
- Don't aerate after applying.
- Pre-emergents also stop grass seed; plan seeding for late summer.
Questions
When should I apply crabgrass preventer in Indiana?
One to two weeks before crabgrass germinates. Purdue cites mid-March to mid-April for northern Indiana; southern Indiana is usually earlier. Watch for soil holding 50–55°F.
How long does crabgrass preventer last?
Purdue says roughly 60 to 120 days depending on the product and rate.
Is Ohio's timing the same as Indiana's?
Similar, with the same north-south gradient. Northern Ohio near Lake Erie typically warms later than Cincinnati.
Prodiamine or dithiopyr: what's the difference?
Both prevent crabgrass seed from establishing. Prodiamine only prevents; Andersons says Barricade won't eliminate existing weeds. Dithiopyr (Dimension) also controls crabgrass that has just come up, to the third leaf stage per Jonathan Green or the five-leaf stage for Dimension 2EW per DoMyOwn.
Bottom line
In Indiana and Ohio, apply crabgrass preventer one to two weeks before germination, when soil holds 50–55°F; Purdue cites mid-March to mid-April for northern Indiana, earlier in the south. Expect 60 to 120 days of control depending on product and rate (Purdue). Prodiamine and dithiopyr both work; dithiopyr adds early post control if you're late.
Check price at AndersonsThe Andersons Barricade 0.48% Prodiamine Pre-Emergent (APTDG48BR18A, 18 lb)
Sources
- Purdue Extension: Do you get crabby about crabgrass?
- Michigan State University Extension: Timing crabgrass pre-emergence applications
- Purdue Extension AY-13: Lawn Improvement Programs
- The Andersons: Barricade 0.48% prodiamine pre-emergent product page
- Jonathan Green: Season-Long Weed Preventer product page
- DoMyOwn: Prodiamine 65 WDG listing
- DoMyOwn: Dimension 2EW herbicide listing
Soil temperatures: NOAA GFS model, 0–10 cm layer. Snow: NOAA and National Weather Service. See how we measure.