San Diego, CA Lawn Care Calendar
In a typical year, put down crabgrass preventer in San Diego between Feb 1 and Feb 15. Seed or sod warm-season grass between Jun 13 and Jul 1. Frost is uncommon here. Most lawns here are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).
Typical lawn care dates in San Diego
| Task | Typical window |
|---|---|
| Crabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)Crabgrass sprouts once soil stays above 55°F. Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before that happens. | Feb 1 – Feb 15 |
| FertilizerFeed after green-up once soil stays above 65°F; stop about 6 weeks before the first frost. | Jun 13 – Jul 1 |
| Seeding, sodding & pluggingWarm-season grass needs soil above 65°F and about 10 weeks to establish before frost. | Jun 13 – Jul 1 |
| Fall pre-emergent (winter weeds)Stops annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and winter weeds; apply as soil drops below 70°F. | Jul 1 – Jul 22 |
Median dates, 2016–2025, from NOAA weather data for San Diego. This year's dates can differ by a few weeks.
Month-by-month lawn care in San Diego
- JanuaryNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- FebruaryCrabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)
- MarchNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- AprilNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- MayNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- JuneFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- JulyFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
- AugustNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- SeptemberNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- OctoberNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- NovemberNo treatments due; mow as needed.
- DecemberNo treatments due; mow as needed.
Soil temperature in San Diego by month
Average soil temperature 4 inches down, estimated from 2016–2025 weather. It bottoms out in January at 57°F and peaks in August at 72°F. Crabgrass preventer goes down when it reaches 50°F, usually around Feb 1.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57°F | 58°F | 59°F | 61°F | 63°F | 66°F | 70°F | 72°F | 72°F | 68°F | 63°F | 58°F |
San Diego lawn timing, year by year
Over the last 10 years, soil in San Diego reached 50°F, the signal for crabgrass preventer, as early as Jan 10 (2024) and as late as Feb 26 (2022): 47 days apart. A fixed calendar date can't follow that, which is why the report above uses this year's soil temperature.
| Year | Crabgrass window opened | Last spring frost | First fall frost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Jan 29 | — | — |
| 2024 | Jan 10 | — | — |
| 2023 | Jan 23 | — | — |
| 2022 | Feb 26 | — | — |
| 2021 | Jan 28 | — | — |
| 2020 | Feb 7 | — | — |
| 2019 | Feb 23 | — | — |
| 2018 | Feb 24 | — | — |
| 2017 | Jan 27 | — | — |
| 2016 | Feb 4 | — | — |
Estimated from daily temperatures for San Diego. A dash means it didn't happen that year.
Growing cool-season grass in San Diego?
| Task | Typical window |
|---|---|
| Crabgrass preventer (pre-emergent) | Feb 1 – Feb 15 |
| Spring fertilizer | Feb 8 – Mar 15 |
| Overseeding & seeding | — |
| Fall fertilizer | from Aug 4 |
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply pre-emergent in San Diego?
In a typical year, between Feb 1 and Feb 15. Put it down when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting. Early springs move this up by a week or more, so check this year's soil temperature above.
When is the best time to plant grass seed in San Diego?
Once soil stays above 65°F, typically Jun 13 – Jul 1, leaving about 10 weeks before the first frost.
When is the last frost in San Diego?
Frost does not occur in most years in San Diego.
How long is the growing season in San Diego?
Frost is uncommon in San Diego, so cool spells rather than freezes set the length of the season.
Lawn care guides
More California lawn calendars
Nearby cities in other states
- Yuma, AZ 147 miles away · crabgrass preventer Jan 18 – Jan 31
- Henderson, NV 261 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 3 – Feb 22
- Las Vegas, NV 265 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 3 – Feb 17
- Prescott, AZ 298 miles away · crabgrass preventer Apr 3 – Apr 30