LawnWeather

Arizona Lawn Care Calendar

In Arizona, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Jan 17 and Jun 8: first in Mesa, last in Flagstaff. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Phoenix, Tucson, Flagstaff, Mesa, Scottsdale, Chandler, Prescott and Yuma, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in Arizona

Typically between Jan 17 and Jun 8, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Mesa (around Jan 17) and last in Flagstaff (around May 15). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
MesaJan 17 – Feb 4
ScottsdaleJan 17 – Feb 3
ChandlerJan 17 – Feb 10
YumaJan 18 – Jan 31
PhoenixJan 21 – Feb 3
TucsonFeb 1 – Feb 14
PrescottApr 3 – Apr 30
FlagstaffMay 15 – Jun 8

Warm-season lawn calendar

Lawns across Arizona are mostly warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
PhoenixMar 9 – Nov 2Mar 9 – Oct 23Nov 2 – Nov 23
TucsonApr 2 – Nov 2Apr 2 – Oct 12Oct 26 – Nov 16
FlagstaffJun 23 – Aug 21Jun 23 – Jul 19Jul 1 – Jul 22
MesaMar 15 – Nov 9Mar 15 – Oct 23Nov 9 – Nov 30
ScottsdaleMar 14 – Nov 1Mar 14 – Oct 23Nov 1 – Nov 22
ChandlerMar 29 – Nov 6Mar 29 – Oct 19Oct 30 – Nov 20
PrescottJun 3 – Sep 8Jun 3 – Aug 6Sep 7 – Sep 28
YumaFeb 28 – Nov 11Feb 28 – Oct 29Nov 11 – Dec 2

Frost dates in Arizona

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Phoenix——
TucsonFeb 16Dec 18
FlagstaffMay 30Oct 2
Mesa——
Scottsdale——
ChandlerJan 31—
PrescottMay 6Oct 20
Yuma——

Median dates, 2016–2025. A dash means frost does not occur in most years.

Frequently asked questions

When should I put down pre-emergent in Arizona?

Typically between Jan 17 and Jun 8, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Mesa (around Jan 17) and last in Flagstaff (around May 15). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in Arizona?

Seed or sod warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) once soil stays above 65°F: typically from Feb 28, finishing about 10 weeks before the first fall frost.

What type of grass grows in Arizona?

Most lawns in Arizona are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

Lawn care guides

Other states