Omaha
Treat broadleaf60°F↓ cooling
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 9 – Oct 30
Nebraska Weed Watch · updated Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT
When to apply pre-emergent in Nebraska
Live soil temperatures for Omaha, Lincoln and North Platte, updated every three hours. Weeds sprout by soil temperature, not by the calendar, so the right week moves from year to year.
In Nebraska, pre-emergent is a spring job: it stops crabgrass. Fall is seeding season here, so fall weed control means treating broadleaf weeds instead.
Spring pre-emergentNext season
Typically Apr 8 – Apr 28
Stops crabgrass and other summer weeds before they sprout.
Fall: no pre-emergentThis season
Treat broadleaf weeds Sep 5 – Oct 30
Fall is seeding season here, and pre-emergent would stop grass seed too.
Right now · fall (seeding season)
Treat broadleaf weeds now across Nebraska
Soil is 55–61°F now. In fall, dandelions, clover and creeping Charlie pull sugars — and weed killer — down to their roots. Seeding this fall? Skip pre-emergent; it stops grass seed too.
Soil temperature by city
Soil 2 inches down, 5-day average: solid line = the last two weeks, dashed = the six-day forecast.
Lincoln
Treat broadleaf61°F↓ cooling
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 5 – Oct 24
North Platte
Treat broadleaf55°F↓ cooling
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 8 – Oct 23
Nebraska pre-emergent calendar
Spring pre-emergent stops crabgrass. The window runs from the typical day soil warms to 50°F to the day it holds 55°F, when crabgrass starts germinating (2016–2025). In fall Nebraska lawns are in seeding season, so there is no fall pre-emergent; the window shown is for treating broadleaf weeds instead, from September until two weeks after soil usually cools to 55°F.
| City | Spring pre-emergent (crabgrass) | Fall (seeding season) |
|---|---|---|
| Omaha | Apr 8 – Apr 18 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 9 – Oct 30 |
| Lincoln | Apr 10 – Apr 24 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 5 – Oct 24 |
| North Platte | Apr 14 – Apr 28 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 8 – Oct 23 |
These are typical-year dates (the median of 2016–2025); any one year can run a couple of weeks earlier or later, which is what the live readings above are for. For your exact yard, check soil temperature by ZIP.
What people in Nebraska are identifying
We record the state each identification comes from. Nebraska's list appears here once it has at least 40 identifications spread over 7 or more days — so no single scan stands out. Until then, see the national list, or add yours:
Identify a weed from a photoWeeds to watch in Nebraska this fall
Questions about Nebraska
When should I apply crabgrass pre-emergent in Nebraska?
Put crabgrass pre-emergent down as soil warms to 50°F, before it holds 55°F and crabgrass starts germinating. In a typical year (2016–2025) that window is Apr 8 – Apr 18 in Omaha; Apr 10 – Apr 24 in Lincoln; Apr 14 – Apr 28 in North Platte.
Should I put down pre-emergent in the fall in Nebraska?
Usually not. Fall is the best time to seed a cool-season lawn in Nebraska, and pre-emergent stops grass seed as well as weeds. Fall is the time to treat broadleaf weeds such as dandelion, clover and creeping Charlie, once the summer heat breaks and while they are still growing.
What is the soil temperature in Nebraska right now?
As of Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT: Omaha 60°F, Lincoln 61°F, North Platte 55°F (5-day average, about 2.4 inches down). Treat broadleaf weeds now across Nebraska.
How the readings and dates are made, and their limits: Weed Watch method. Soil data: Open-Meteo.com (CC BY 4.0); typical dates: NASA POWER.