Columbia lawns wake up hungry after winter — and how you feed them in March determines how they perform all summer. Greenlawn Inc has been getting the timing right for Columbia homeowners since 1986.
Pre-emergent crabgrass control must be in the ground before soil temperatures hit 55°F — which happens in late March to early April in Columbia. Once that threshold passes, crabgrass seeds have already germinated and pre-emergent is useless. The window to act is right now.
Columbia's spring window is short — secure your date now
Call for a FREE EstimateAfter several months of dormancy, your lawn in Columbia is nutrient-depleted and vulnerable. A well-timed spring fertilization does three things simultaneously: it jumpstarts root development before heat stress sets in, delivers the nitrogen your grass needs to green up weeks ahead of untreated lawns, and — critically — lays down a pre-emergent barrier that stops crabgrass before it ever breaks the soil surface.
Columbia's mix of clay-heavy and transitional soils in areas like Owen Brown, Long Reach, and River Hill means that timing and formula matter more than in lighter-soil regions. Apply too early and the pre-emergent degrades before crabgrass germinates. Apply too late and it's already too late. This is exactly where professional timing — built on 39 years of monitoring Howard County soil temperatures — pays for itself.
Columbia lawns that skip spring fertilization face a predictable summer:
We schedule applications when Howard County soil approaches 50°F — the sweet spot where grass actively uptakes nutrients but crabgrass hasn't yet germinated. Not a calendar date. Actual soil data.
Columbia's clay-based soils need a balanced nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium ratio that promotes deep rooting without burning. We don't use a one-size formula — your lawn's profile determines the application.
Applied simultaneously with fertilization for one efficient visit. Our commercial-grade pre-emergent holds for 10–12 weeks — longer than consumer products — covering the full germination window.
Precise, even application across every square foot. No skipped strips, no overlaps that burn. Consistent coverage is what separates a professional application from a DIY one.
Columbia sits in a transitional zone where soil temperatures in shaded, north-facing yards can lag two to three weeks behind sunlit, south-facing properties just a few streets away. That variation matters when you're trying to hit a pre-emergent window.
The visual cues that tell you the window is opening:
By the time forsythia peaks, you have roughly two to three weeks before pre-emergent becomes ineffective. For most Columbia properties, that means early to mid-March is the target. Our crews are scheduled and ready — we don't wait for the phone to ring before we start watching soil temperatures.
| Factor | Spring Prevention (March) | Post-Emergent Treatment (June–Aug) |
|---|---|---|
| Typical Cost | $50–$100 | $150–$400+ |
| Applications Needed | 1 | 2–4 |
| Effectiveness | 90–95% when timed correctly | 60–80%, seeds already produced |
| Dead Patches in Fall? | No | Yes — requires overseeding |
| Following Year Impact | Seed bank stays low | Seed bank grows — problem compounds |
Very close, but not identical. Columbia's soil tends to warm slightly more slowly in shaded or lower-elevation areas. The practical difference is usually just a few days, but we adjust our scheduling based on actual soil temperature readings rather than a fixed calendar date. That precision is part of what you're paying for.
Pre-emergent prevents all seed germination — including grass seed you put down. You have two options: seed before we apply pre-emergent and accept reduced crabgrass control in the seeded areas, or skip spring seeding entirely and overseed in fall, which is actually the better season for turf establishment in Maryland anyway. We'll help you decide based on the size and location of the bare areas.
You'll see improved color in 7–10 days and noticeable green-up within two to three weeks. The crabgrass prevention results become obvious in June and July — your lawn will look dramatically different from neighbors who skipped it. That contrast is usually the moment customers decide to stay with us year after year.
Light watering within 24–48 hours helps activate the pre-emergent and move the fertilizer into the root zone. About a quarter inch is ideal — enough to work it in without washing it away. We'll give you specific aftercare instructions when we complete the application.
Yes. We hold MDA Pesticide License #23902 and MDA Fertilizer Applicator License #F0684. Maryland requires specific licensing for both — you should never let an unlicensed applicator put chemicals on your lawn. All of our crews are trained and operating under these licenses.
March is here. Every week you wait narrows the window for effective pre-emergent crabgrass control. Greenlawn Inc has been serving Columbia and all of Howard County since 1986 — we know exactly when to apply, and right now is that time.
One well-timed spring visit changes everything
Call to Reserve Your DateFamily Owned · MDA Licensed · Since 1986
Greenlawn Inc has served Columbia, Ellicott City, and Howard County since 1986 with professional spring fertilization and pre-emergent crabgrass control programs timed precisely for Maryland's climate and soil conditions.