Weed Control in Lebanon, PA
Crabgrass prevention and broadleaf weed treatment for lawns in Lebanon, plus the weeds in mulch beds, driveway cracks and patios. Eric is a licensed Pennsylvania pesticide applicator, and every treatment is its own visit.
- Licensed applicator
- Spot or full-lawn spraying
- Lawns, beds and hardscapes
Know what you’re seeing
Common Lawn Weeds Around Lebanon
Most lawn weeds in Pennsylvania fall into two groups: grassy weeds and broadleaf weeds. Which one you have decides the weed control Lebanon, PA lawns get, and when it goes down.
- Grassy weed
- Broadleaf weed
Grassy, summer annual
Crabgrass
Light green clumps that spread low across thin or short-cut spots. Comes up from seed every spring and dies at the first hard frost.
Best time to treatPrevent it in early spring, before it sprouts
Broadleaf, perennial
Dandelion
Yellow flowers from early spring into fall, and a deep taproot that makes pulling it hard.
Best time to treatSpring, and best in late summer to early fall
Broadleaf, perennial
White clover
Low, creeping three-leaf clusters with round white flower heads.
Best time to treatSpring or fall, while it is actively growing
Broadleaf, perennial
Broadleaf plantain
A flat rosette of wide, ribbed leaves with narrow seed spikes.
Best time to treatSpring or fall
Broadleaf, perennial
Ground ivy
Creeping stems, round scalloped leaves and small purple flowers, common in shade.
Best time to treatFall works best
Broadleaf, perennial
Wild violet
Heart-shaped leaves and purple flowers in spring.
Best time to treatFall is the strongest window
Two kinds of treatment
Pre-Emergent vs Post-Emergent
| Before weeds appearPre-emergent | After weeds appearPost-emergent | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Stops weed seed before it sprouts | Treats weeds that are already growing |
| When it goes down | Early spring, 10 to 14 days before crabgrass starts to sprout | When weeds are actively growing in spring and fall, and works best above about 70°F |
| Works on | Crabgrass and other summer annual grasses | Dandelion, clover, plantain, ground ivy and violets |
Neither one does the other’s job. A pre-emergent won’t touch a dandelion that’s already up, and spraying the weeds you can see won’t stop crabgrass seed waiting in the soil.
The crabgrass year
How Crabgrass Takes Over a Lawn
Spring
It sprouts
Once the top inch of soil holds about 55 to 58°F at daybreak for several days, crabgrass seed starts to sprout. A pre-emergent has to be down before this.
Late spring to midsummer
It spreads
Most seed comes up by mid June, with a few stragglers into July. Thin and short-cut areas fill in first.
July to September
It seeds
A single plant can drop thousands of seeds.
First hard frost
It dies
The plant dies off, but its seed waits in the soil for next spring.
How it’s applied
Spot Spraying, Full Lawns and Hard Surfaces
Spot spraying
For a few scattered weeds. Only the weeds get treated, so less product goes on the lawn.
Full-lawn treatment
For weeds spread across much of the yard.
Beds, cracks and patios
Weeds in mulch beds, driveway and sidewalk cracks, walks and patios are treated too.
Planning Weed Control Around New Seed
Most crabgrass preventers stay active in the soil for weeks, and new grass seed won’t take while they’re working. If you plan to overseed, the waiting period on the label has to pass first, and for some products that’s as long as six months. Mention any seeding plans when you call, so overseeding and the weed control Lebanon, PA lawns get are scheduled in the right order.
Why Weeds Keep Coming Back
Thin turf
Weeds need open space to take hold. Regular lawn fertilization keeps grass thick.
Mowing too short
Penn State suggests mowing around 3 inches to shade out crabgrass seedlings.
Bare spots
Overseeding fills the gaps weeds would otherwise move into.
How it works
How Weed Control Works in Lebanon
Step 1
Call with your address
Tell Eric what is growing and where: the lawn, the beds or the hard surfaces.
Step 2
Get a price first
You know what the treatment costs before anything is sprayed.
Step 3
Treatment day
Spot or full-lawn spraying, plus beds and cracks if they need it.
Step 4
Aftercare
You’ll hear how long to keep kids and pets off the treated areas.
Step 5
Pay for that visit
You pay for the visit you booked and nothing more.
Where Eric sprays
Weed control around Lebanon, PA
From front lawns in the city to driveway cracks and mulch beds out in the townships, Eric provides weed control in Lebanon, PA across the 17042 and 17046 ZIP codes and the communities listed below. Not sure if your property is in range? Call with the address and Eric will let you know.
- North Lebanon Twp
- South Lebanon Twp
- West Lebanon Twp
- North Cornwall Twp
- Cleona
- Avon
- Hebron
- Sand Hill
Helpful answers
Lebanon Weed Control Questions
Something else on your mind? Call (717) 527-6546 and describe the weeds you’re seeing.
When should crabgrass preventer go down in Lebanon?
In early spring, 10 to 14 days before crabgrass starts to sprout. That happens when the top inch of soil reaches about 55 to 58°F at daybreak for several days.
When is the best time to treat dandelions and other broadleaf weeds?
Penn State calls fall the best time for most broadleaf weeds, especially perennials like ground ivy and violets. Spring treatment works too while weeds are actively growing.
Why do weeds keep coming back?
Weeds move into thin turf, short-cut grass and bare spots, and new seed keeps arriving on the wind, on mowers and on foot traffic.
Do you spray the whole lawn?
It depends on the lawn. A few scattered weeds get spot sprayed. Weeds spread across the yard get a full-lawn treatment.
Do you treat weeds in mulch beds and driveway cracks?
Yes. Beds, driveway and sidewalk cracks, walks and patios are all covered.
Can I seed my lawn after weed control?
Not right away if a pre-emergent was used. The product label sets a waiting period, which can run up to six months.
Is weed control safe for kids and pets?
Eric tells you how long to keep kids and pets off the treated areas, which depends on the product used.
Is weed control the same as weed & feed?
No. Weed & feed is fertilizer with broadleaf weed control mixed in, applied during a fertilization visit. Weed control is its own visit, focused on the weeds, including crabgrass prevention and spot spraying.
Do weed treatments come with a contract?
No. Weed control is booked one visit at a time.
Help for the Rest of the Lawn
Open Mon to Sat
Book Weed Control in Lebanon
Call with your address and tell Eric what’s growing.