Centipede grass is low-maintenance. durable, and coarsely-textured grass.
This pale green grass is native to hot and wet areas in China.
It is drought tolerant and will do well in acidic, sandy soils, which allows it to spread slowly over time.
The drawback is that centipede grass can become very overgrown and will quickly look like a nuisance, as it is very vulnerable to weeds.
If this is the case, it would be good to introduce some pre-emergent to control the mess.
What to Expect? By the end of the article, you will have a good perspective of what is the best pre-emergent to use on weeds growing in your centipede grass.
Some Common Weeds Found in Centipede Grass
Let’s take just a moment to discuss some common weeds that might plague centipede grass. They are:
Spurge
This quick-growing weed is found in sparse grassy areas of your lawn and cracks in your sidewalk.
It has a reddish-brown stem with leaves coming off opposite one another.
Crabgrass
It grows in regularly mowed lawns.
Most species develop as annual grass weeds with reproduction occurring solely via seed. The identifiable attributes will vary by species.
However, most species have a prostrate growth habit and wide leaves which are easily separated from centipede grass.
Foxtail
These weeds have a seed head that looks like the tail of a fox.
The seed stands upright under which is the stem.
This stem flattens out with the base turning into a reddish-brown color.
Factors To Consider When Buying Pre-Emergent for Centipede Grass
During your purchase you may be confused by the selection of herbicides on the market.
If this happens, you need to know how to find a product that will work for your needs.
It varies based on a number of things, but here’s a guide to the most important.
Personal Preference
Again, here comes a product that is easy to use.
Pre-emergent products are either sprayed or applied as granules.
Sprayers will have the benefit of even distribution of the herbicide.
Granules are going to take more water to apply.
Temperature Of the Soil
This greatly affects how well the pre-emergent works.
The herbicide needs to be applied before the soil temperature reaches 50-55°F for a period of five days.
You will certainly want to purchase a soil thermometer to check the soil temperature.
Annual Amount of Rainfall
Rainfall is a characteristic that must be taken into account when purchasing pre-emergent.
To put it simply, the more rain there is, the better the herbicide.
That is only true if the pre-emergent is applied before it rains.
The water will soak up the herbicide and incorporate it in the soil, thus improving the efficacy for weed suppression.
The Type of Weed
The regular types of weeds differ by location.
The type of weed a particular pre-Emergent is suitable for is usually listed in the product’s labeling.
Whether Or Not The Pre-emergent is Selective
Selective pre-emergent is one that is meant to kill specific types of weeds and not affect other plants.
A non-selective pre-emergent, on the other hand, will kill anything that it comes in contact with, which includes your centipede grass.
Thus, you should be particular about the pre-emergent that you select so you do not destroy your grass.
5 Popular Pre-Emergent for Centipede Grass 2022
1. Quali-Pro Prodiamine Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Key Features
- It is granular
- Propamidine is the primary component
- Weighs 5 pounds
A granular formulated-pre-emergent, mixed with water at a specified rate before applying, as instructed in the label.
A 5- pound container treats an area up to 44 000 sq ft. It also works great for broadleaf weeds controlling.
Apply whenever you prefer in spring and fall. This is an excellent opportunity for long-lasting weed control throughout the year.
It is applied to lawns, ornamental beds, trees, and golf courses.
Pros
- Its flexible application ensures season-long weed control
- Very effective against weeds
- Prevents weed seeds from germinating
Cons
- It does not kill already established weeds
The effective species have specifically been developed to control weeds like knotweed, annual bluegrass, chickweed, foxtail, and spurge.
It contains 65% Propamidine as the active ingredient. This ingredient works well to prevent the germination of weed seeds but will kill the weed seeds at the rooting stage.
The product is only effective against germinating weed seeds and will not kill weed seeds already established.
2. Southern Ag Atrazine
Key Features
- Applied by spraying
- Weighs 8.82 pounds
- Destroys young and grown weeds
This herbicide is sprayed onto centipede grass and works great on broadleaf weeds and suppresses crabgrass- which I think is a pain.
Not only does crabgrass contain several viruses, but it can lower corn yields by a horrible 20%. This product must be sprayed onto the grass accurately without overlapping spray.
Because of this, hose-end sprayers can not be used because they do not make accurate spots when spraying. For best results, apply this product in early Spring.
After the application, DO NOT water the centipede grass for 72 hours to obtain good results with this product, but we will need water for the product to prevent weed seed germination in approximately 7-10 days.
This product works on weeds that have already emerged and are grown, and it works very well!
Pros
- Very effective against broadleaf weeds and crabgrass
- It can be used against already established weeds
- Affordable
Cons
- Not suitable for use with hose-end sprayers
- It may also require a few weeks before it can reach its full potential
Additionally, you will want to be vigilant about your pets coming in contact with freshly sprayed grass.
Atrazine has a potential effect on an animal’s sexual development with direct contact so they should not be allowed onto the treated area until it is totally dry.
Again, one negative is that this product may take a few weeks to reach full effectiveness.
3. Scotts Weedex Prevent With Halts-Crabgrass Preventer, Pre-Emergent Weed Control For Lawns
Key Features
- Pendimethalin is the active ingredient
- Kills young and germinating weeds
- Weighs 10.3 pounds
This product works very well to stop crabgrass, even through the entire growing season. In order to achieve this, you would apply in the early spring.
For weeds that occur in the winter like poa annua, you apply in the fall.
It is also effective against broadleaf weeds such as foxtail, spurge and oxalis.
It has Pendimethalin as the active ingredient, and this is very toxic to both people and pets.
Be sure to wear protective clothing while applying.
Do not allow people or pets into the area that was treated until it dries out completely.
Pros
- Effective against weeds all season long
- It is an all-weather pre-emergent
Cons
- This product does not kill weeds that are already grown
- Its active ingredient is toxic to people and pets
This product works in any weather conditions so you are able to put it down at all times.
This product is designed to stop weed seeds from germinating, it is not for killing weeds that are already grown.
4. Bayer Celsius Wg 10 Oz
Key Features
- It weighs 10 ounces
- It is granular
- No high-temperature limitations
This product is awesome. It is able to control over 150 weeds.
Very effective against even resilient weeds and grasses; such as chamber bitter, common purslane, dollarweed, carpetgrass, and doveweed.
Easy to use because is it a water-dispersible granule and also very safe on centipede grass.
There are no limitations on high temperatures, so it can be used in many different areas around the world.
Pros
- This product is effective against more than 150 weeds
- It comes in easy-to-use water-dispersible granules
- It has no high-temperature limitations
Cons
- It should not be applied under very humid conditions
Conversely, its effectiveness may be diminished if heavy dew or rain occurs when it is applied.
The excessive moisture may dilute the granules and totally ineffective.
5. Southern Ag- 12401- Surfan A.S- Pre-Emergent Herbicide
Key Features
- Weighs 2.64 pounds
- It is selective
- Kills weeds before they germinate
This product is quite efficient in stopping weed seeds from germinating. It can be used on turf or ornamental grasses.
It is best being used on turf including industrial sites, landscape ornamentals and non-bearing trees and vines.
It is extremely reliable as a selective pre-emergent herbicide in fighting off broadleaf weeds and annual grasses.
To apply it, it is surface-applied over the grass or lawn in sufficient quantities to cover all of the target area. Care has to be taken during the application to make sure it in distributed equally over the target area.
As a pre-emergent, it will kill the weed seeds in the ground before they grow. This means it is not effective for grown in weeds.
For those cumulatively for that, you would need a post-emergent weed killer which is a completely different product.
Pros
- An effective pre-emergent herbicide
- It may be used on both turf and ornamental grasses
- It is selective, so it will only destroy weeds and spare your centipede grass
Cons
- It does not kill weeds that are already grown
- The product is very thick and may clog your hose-end sprayer
Nonetheless, this product is thick and may be clogging your hose-end sprayer.
To combat this, you’ll need to put water in the sprayer tank.
You may also need to keep swirling the hose-end sprayer while using, which may or may not be an annoyance to you.
When To Apply pre-emergent On Centipede Grass
Pre-emergent application on centipede grass would be best when the soil starts to warm up, so late winter early spring.
This is when weed seeds begin germinating, and since pre-emergent works by inhibiting weed germination, you want to apply it when weeds are starting to germinate.
You can also apply pre-emergent in the fall to restrict cold season weed germination for things like dandelion and henbit.
Key Takeaway: The best time to apply pre-emergent is when weeds are in the germination stage.
Final Thoughts
Centipede grass is a good choice for a lawn because of its low demands and high durability.
However, as with all grasses, it is not immune to weeds and other grass infestations that may require eradication.
Pre-Emergent herbicides are quite effective in controlling and eradicating these weeds by destroying them at their germination phase.
When it comes to finding the right pre-emergent herbicide for your lawn, you will have to consider multiple factors and we have highlighted the most important ones in this article.
If you would like to purchase or find out more about the products mentioned in this article, please feel free to click through to the links.