When temperatures drop during winter, homeowners who own lawns or commercial yardmasters often feel they are gradually seeing the end of troublesome weeds such as Poa annua (which usually arises in the fall) or Crabgrass (which usually rises in spring).
Little do they know that the seeds of these horrendous weeds survive all through the winter season. They stay alive in lawns using residual nutrients on the soil to hibernate and then reemerge when spring comes and ugly up your garden.
At this stage, they become awfully difficult to control. This led to the need to stop weeds like Crabgrass before they reemerge in our yards with an active pre-emergent ingredient like Prodiamine.
Prodiamine Spreader Settings
These are the recommended spreader settings for this product. They are basically starting points, so consider them as suggestions and not rigid instructions. You can use the spreader settings below to start off your own calibration and testing.
| Spreader | Settings (3lbs/1000 sq. ft) |
| Scotts Elite | 5.5 |
| Scotts Edguard DLK | 5.5 |
| Scotts Edguard Mini | 5.5 |
| Earthway 2600 A Plus | 17 |
| Earthway 2050 | 17 |
| Echo R8 60 | 5 |
| LESCO | 15 |
Spreader Settings Guide for both Spray and Granular Application
Prodiamine usually comes in powdered or granular form. If it comes in powdered form, it must be mixed with water and put in a pump sprayer for application. It would have to be applied using a granular spreader if it comes in granular form.
Spray Application Guide
- You should measure your yard’s dimensions in square meters to determine the quantity of prodiamine-based product you will need.
- Following the instructions on the product label, mix the recommended amount of prodiamine with water into your sprayer.
- Release the product over your lawn at the appropriate time. It is best to apply prodiamine when the soil temperatures are considerably low (preferably no higher than 55°F)
- After application, you should water your lawn.
Granular Application Guide
- Firstly, measure your yard’s square footage to determine the amount of granules you need.
- Load your prodiamine granules into your spreader following the directions on its label. If you still don’t understand the prodiamine spreader settings tabulated above, we have provided a generic chart to guide you.
Follow the steps below:
- Find out the square foot a bag of the prodiamine-based product can cover and divide 100 by that figure.
- Multiply the weight of the bag by this dividend. The answer is the amount of granules needed to cover 100 square feet of your yard.
- Place this quantity in the spreader.
- Mark off 100 square foot portion (10ft by 10ft) of your yard.
- Apply the product using these values.
We would give you a practical example:
For instance, if the bag of the prodiamine-based product weighs 45lbs and covers 10,000 square feet, we would have…
100/10,000 × 45lbs = 0.45lbs
This, therefore, means that 0.45lbs of the product is required to cover 100 square feet of your yard.
Peradventure, the amount of product on the spreader, runs out or remains before and after you cover the 100 square feet area, repeat the setting test until the correct application rate is gotten.
- Next up, you broadcast the prodiamine granules over your yard before weed germination begins.
- Finally, water your yard for better effectiveness.
If you are wondering, it is necessary to note that prodiamine (whether in liquid or granular form) should always be watered after application for best results.
You can consider the effectiveness of the prodiamine as latent until water comes along to activate it. Watering the active agent into the soil will stimulate it to counter weed germination effectively.
Safety Precautions When Applying Prodiamine
You needn’t worry about the safety of prodiamine usage. Prodiamine is perfectly safe to use when applied following the instructions stated on its label. It is registered for commercial use to control weeds in areas like golf courses, nurseries, turf farms, landscaping, and even Christmas tree farms.
Prodiamine can also be used on some wanted grasses such as Fescue, Bermuda grass, and common turf grasses without causing harm to them. When mixing or applying the product, it is highly recommended that you wear personal protective equipment before handling it.
Long-sleeved clothing, protective eyewear, and gloves should be adequate. This product should as well be kept far away from the reach of children and infants. You should always refer to the product’s label for safety precautions recommended by the manufacturer.
Shortcomings of Prodiamine
In as much as we do not by any means belittle the effectiveness of prodiamine, it is crucial to note that the results of prodiamine or any other pre-emergent herbicide may not be 100 percent.
Although it has effectively controlled several weeds, the resilience of various weeds differs. The stubborn weeds may still pop up occasionally in a few places during the germination season, and post-emergent measures may have to be carried out.
What happens when you overapply Prodiamine?
When too much prodiamine is put down, the only effect you will experience is a significant reduction in the product’s effectiveness. When you apply excess prodiamine, the microorganisms that break it down multiply at an undesired rate. The excess breakdown of the product results in a pre-emergent barrier that wears down quickly, increasing the likelihood of weed germination on your lawn.
Can you apply Prodiamine in the rain?
As much as water is vital in the activation of prodiamine, it should not be applied in the rain. Rather, it is preferable to apply it before rainfall or 24 hours after a rainfall.
Does Prodiamine expire?
Sort of, yes. Prodiamine-based products have an average shelf life of 3 years after their production date, so it’s advisable to use them within that time frame.
