Last Updated on March 13, 2026 by Duncan

Spring is here—the lawn’s Super Bowl season—and one of the most common errors homeowners make is waiting until it’s too late to purchase the supplies they need. By then, the early weeds will have emerged, crabgrass warming up on the sidelines, and your grass will have missed its greatest opportunity for a robust green-up.

You don’t want this, do you?

To help you out, this guide provides you with the must-have, can’t-miss sprays that will prepare your lawn for spring success. This is your spring shopping list, whether you’re looking for a deep green lawn, weed control, or fertilizers to help your lawn thrive.

Pre-emergent herbicides

Pre-emergent herbicides are the most effective line of defense against crabgrass, goosegrass, annual bluegrass, and most other spring/summer weeds. They act by generating a soil barrier that prevents germination, inhibits cell division in seedlings, and prevents weeds from growing.

As a consequence, you don’t have weeds on your lawn.

Pre-emergent herbicides are preventive, meaning they keep weeds from becoming a problem. When weed seeds develop and break the surface, pre-emergents are no longer effective.

In such a case, you need to put in more work, which frequently causes turf stress as you try to get rid of the weeds.

A well-timed pre-emergent application, particularly with the right product, significantly reduces weed pressure throughout the season, allowing you space, nutrients, and light for your grass rather than the weeds.

Spring fertilizer

A good spring fertilizer provides your lawn with the nutrients it needs directly after winter, particularly nitrogen for green-up, as well as potassium and, in certain cases, trace elements for resistance. The three numbers on a fertilizer bag (“N-P-K”) indicate exactly what you are feeding your turf.

Spring fertilizer replaces nutrients depleted during the winter, jumpstarts the greening process, and prepares your grass for vigorous growth, increased stress tolerance, and resilience during the summer.

When combined with pre-emergents and careful mowing, it provides your lawn with the best chance of having a thick, robust growing season.

By selecting the appropriate fertilizer, you can tailor your spring lawn care to your unique requirements, whether you want quick results, long-lasting nourishment, or stress tolerance.

When done correctly, spring fertilization establishes the tone for the entire growing season.

If you aren’t sure about the right fertilizer to go for, always get the input of professionals to guide you through.

Post-emergent fertilizers

Spring delivers more than just green grass—it also comes with weeds. Pre-emergents offer you a head start, but they do not control weeds that have germinated prior to treatment.

Post-emergent herbicides are vital for removing early survivors (winter weeds, early crabgrass, creeping broadleaf weeds) and preparing your lawn for the main growing season.

When used correctly, selective post-emergents can help you regain control without causing damage to your grass. When combined with proper pre-emergent treatment, fertilizers, good mowing, and soil health, your lawn is primed for a thick, healthy, weed-free season.

You use post-emergent herbicides after the weeds have sprouted. They destroy weeds at the leaf/shoot level and do not prevent germination as pre-emergents do.

Fungicides

Spring brings not just weeds and growth, but also the optimal conditions for fungal infections and insect pressure. Warm soil, damp weather, and hungry new grass are a recipe for disaster.

Common lawn illnesses include spring dead spot, brown patch, dollar spot, red thread, rusts, fairy ring, and others.

If left untreated, fungi and pests can undo all of your fertilizer and weed-control efforts, transforming a promising spring green-up into dead spots, thinning turf, or grub damage.

That is why applying a few targeted fungicide and insecticide applications in the spring (especially if your lawn has a history of problems) can save you a lot of trouble later. Ideally:

Timing is critical. Fungicides are best applied in early spring, before warm, humid weather arrives.

For insect control (such as grubs), administer before larvae hatch or early in their lifetime, which is generally just as the soil warms.

You should choose systemic treatments (granular or absorbable) for long-term protection that acts throughout the grass; liquid/contact fungicides for quick, surface-level treatment when disease is present.

Remember to combine fungicide/pesticide use with healthy lawn practices, such as proper drainage, mowing height, and avoiding overwatering or fertilization. Healthy turf is more resistant to pests and diseases, hence you don’t need to use plenty of products on it.

Best practices when spraying your lawn

Have your soil tested

Before you go ahead and spray your lawn with the various products, you need to have your soil tested.

A soil test comes with several perks:

It displays what is truly going on beneath the lawn. A soil test measures pH, nutrient levels (such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients), and whether the soil’s chemistry is balanced. Without such information, you will be fertilizing blindly.

It inhibits over- and under-fertilization. If you apply fertilizer without first determining the needs of your soil, you may end up adding nutrients to your lawn that it does not require, which is wasteful at best and hazardous at worst. A soil test allows you to apply the appropriate type and amount of fertilizer.

It allows you to detect soil pH or nutrient concerns before they become evident grass problems. Grass that seems yellow, thin, or patchy is usually due to an imbalance in nutrients or pH, not a lack of fertilizer. A soil test allows you to identify the fundamental reasons your lawn appears problematic.

It saves money and minimizes chemical waste. You just apply what your lawn really needs, which is more sustainable and often more effective.

Use the right backpack sprayer.

There are a number of reasons you should have a backpack sprayer as a serious homeowner. These reasons include:

You apply the liquid treatments more precisely. When applying liquid fertilizers, herbicides, fungicides, or sprays (such as kelp, humic acid, or weed killer), a backpack sprayer provides an even, controlled spray to avoid over-application or missing spots.

Sprayers are among the most often used instruments for administering herbicides, insecticides, and turf treatments.

Larger lawns benefit from greater efficiency and ease. A 4-gallon backpack covers a larger area with fewer refills than small handheld sprayers, saving time and guaranteeing uniform coverage.

Many lawn-care professionals choose backpack sprayers for herbicide, surfactant, and additive applications.

Accurate dosing and little waste. With a sprayer, you can calibrate the right rates and ensure that they adhere to product recommendations, reducing overuse, lawn stress, and environmental runoff.

Versatility: Use as weed killers, liquid fertilizers, soil supplements, foliar feeds, and even preventive fungicides or pest sprays. Once set up, you’ll have a versatile instrument for most liquid applications.

FAQs

What is the most common mistake that homeowners make while applying spring grass treatments?

Applying products while the soil is still too cold.

You should note that grass isn’t actively growing, and weeds aren’t germinating, so you waste your products when you apply them when the ground is still too cold. What you should do is check the soil temperature regularly (usually about 50-55°F for spring applications).

Do I have to apply all spring lawn care chemicals on the same day?

No—and, in most situations, you shouldn’t.

You should apply the pre-emergent herbicides first, then fertilize a week or two later. Apply weed killers when weeds appear. You should apply fungicides and insecticides based on weather or pest pressure, not on a calendar.

Can I seed my grass in spring if I intend to use pre-emergent?

Only use a seed-safe herbicide. Most pre-emergents will prevent grass seed in the same way that they do weed seed.

Should I aerate before or after using spring lawn products?

If you are aerating, do so before applying pre-emergent. Aeration creates holes in the soil, which might break the weed-prevention barrier if done later.

What spring lawn product provides the quickest observable improvement?

A liquid fertilizer usually produces the quickest cosmetic green-up. It absorbs faster than granular products and produces results within days.

Is it wise to mow right before applying spring lawn products?

Mowing before applying granular products might improve product penetration into the soil, so if your grass is tall enough, go ahead and mow it.

For liquid herbicides, maximize the leaf surface for the weed killer to cling to.

Can I use spring treatments on recently sodded or seeded lawns?

You should not use most pre-emergents and weed killers on young sod or seed until the turf has established itself. When in doubt, wait 6-8 weeks.