Columbus
Treat broadleaf59°F↓ cooling
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 15 – Nov 7
Ohio Weed Watch · updated Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT
When to apply pre-emergent in Ohio
Live soil temperatures for Columbus, Cleveland, Cincinnati and Toledo, updated every three hours. Weeds sprout by soil temperature, not by the calendar, so the right week moves from year to year.
In Ohio, 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 Mar 16 – Apr 25
Stops crabgrass and other summer weeds before they sprout.
Fall: no pre-emergentThis season
Treat broadleaf weeds Sep 10 – Nov 11
Fall is seeding season here, and pre-emergent would stop grass seed too.
Right now · fall (seeding season)
Treat broadleaf weeds now across Ohio
Soil is 56–60°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.
Cleveland
Treat broadleaf58°F→ steady
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 11 – Nov 8
Cincinnati
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 15 – Nov 11
Toledo
Treat broadleaf56°F↓ cooling
Fall is the best time to treat dandelions and clover: they pull weed killer down to their roots.
Broadleaf window Sep 10 – Oct 30
Ohio 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 Ohio 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) |
|---|---|---|
| Columbus | Mar 26 – Apr 15 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 15 – Nov 7 |
| Cleveland | Apr 12 – Apr 25 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 11 – Nov 8 |
| Cincinnati | Mar 16 – Apr 12 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 15 – Nov 11 |
| Toledo | Apr 13 – Apr 25 | None (seeding season) · treat broadleaf Sep 10 – Oct 30 |
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 Ohio are identifying
We record the state each identification comes from. Ohio'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 Ohio this fall
Questions about Ohio
When should I apply crabgrass pre-emergent in Ohio?
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 Mar 26 – Apr 15 in Columbus; Apr 12 – Apr 25 in Cleveland; Mar 16 – Apr 12 in Cincinnati; Apr 13 – Apr 25 in Toledo.
Should I put down pre-emergent in the fall in Ohio?
Usually not. Fall is the best time to seed a cool-season lawn in Ohio, 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 Ohio right now?
As of Nov 3, 1:18 AM CT: Columbus 59°F, Cleveland 58°F, Cincinnati 60°F, Toledo 56°F (5-day average, about 2.4 inches down). Treat broadleaf weeds now across Ohio.
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.