After two relatively warm and dry winters in 2021-22 and 2022-23, North Carolina experienced an unusually wet and cool winter thanks to the El Niño weather phenomenon. El Nino is a global atmospheric pattern that reoccurs every two to seven years. It tends to bring more precipitation and cooler temperatures to the southeastern United States. In the South, the changes can affect normal weather patterns for nine to twelve months depending on the onset.
What might these unusual weather patterns mean for southern lawns?
The wet conditions may trigger an influx of diseases earlier in the growing season for fescue and warm season grasses. The moisture can contribute to soil-borne diseases, especially as soil temperatures rise over the next couple of months. The rise in temperatures, coupled with warm soil conditions, might require earlier than usual applications of fungicides to combat the potential diseases that can occur.
Controlling weeds in lawns depends on proper timing. Preemergence herbicides (Pre-M) are applied before grass seeds germinate in the spring. Ideally, the first application of Pre-M should be in February before soil temperatures reach 55 degrees. This temperature is generally when our nemesis of weeds can germinate, especially crabgrass, which is easier to control before it matures and becomes a real, costly nuisance. The time to act is now with a warm spell occurring over the last week of February. The best control for crabgrass and many other broadleaf weeds will require a second application about four to six weeks apart.
To determine the soil temperature in your area, you may find up-to-date readings for your area on websites such as Syngenta’s Green Cast site.
If you have missed the all-important first application of Pre-M, then we recommend that you treat weeds that have emerged with a post-emergent once the weeds have germinated.
We will post additional information about lawn maintenance here on our blog. If you have any questions or need a consultation, please call Green Gene’s Horticulture at 919-562-7524.
