LawnWeather

Arkansas Lawn Care Calendar

In Arkansas, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Feb 19 and Apr 9: first in Texarkana, last in Fayetteville. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Little Rock, Fayetteville, Texarkana, Fort Smith and Jonesboro, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in Arkansas

Typically between Feb 19 and Apr 9, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Texarkana (around Feb 19) and last in Fayetteville (around Mar 11). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
TexarkanaFeb 19 – Mar 13
Little RockFeb 28 – Mar 19
Fort SmithFeb 28 – Mar 25
JonesboroMar 7 – Mar 28
FayettevilleMar 11 – Apr 9

Cool-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Fayetteville, Jonesboro are mostly cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass).

CitySpring fertilizerOverseeding & seedingFall fertilizer
FayettevilleApr 2 – May 7Aug 17 – Oct 6Sep 18 – Nov 29
JonesboroMar 21 – Apr 25Aug 21 – Oct 10Sep 29 – Nov 28

Warm-season lawn calendar

Lawns in Little Rock, Texarkana, Fort Smith are mostly warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
Little RockApr 27 – Sep 27Apr 27 – Aug 25Oct 10 – Oct 31
TexarkanaApr 23 – Oct 1Apr 23 – Aug 29Oct 14 – Nov 4
Fort SmithApr 29 – Sep 29Apr 29 – Aug 27Oct 11 – Nov 1

Frost dates in Arkansas

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
Little RockMar 18Nov 8
FayettevilleApr 10Oct 31
TexarkanaMar 15Nov 12
Fort SmithMar 21Nov 10
JonesboroMar 21Nov 4

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 Arkansas?

Typically between Feb 19 and Apr 9, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Texarkana (around Feb 19) and last in Fayetteville (around Mar 11). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in Arkansas?

Seed or sod warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) once soil stays above 65°F: typically from Apr 23, finishing about 10 weeks before the first fall frost.

What type of grass grows in Arkansas?

Arkansas spans both zones: warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) does best in the warmer parts of the state, cool-season grass (tall fescue, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass) in the cooler parts.

Lawn care guides

Other states