Houston, TX Lawn Care Calendar
In a typical year, put down crabgrass preventer in Houston between Jan 27 and Feb 10. Seed or sod warm-season grass between Feb 28 and Oct 7. The last spring frost usually comes around Feb 6. Most lawns here are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).
Typical lawn care dates in Houston
| Task | Typical window |
|---|---|
| Crabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)Crabgrass sprouts once soil stays above 55°F. Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before that happens. | Jan 27 – Feb 10 |
| FertilizerFeed after green-up once soil stays above 65°F; stop about 6 weeks before the first frost. | Feb 28 – Oct 29 |
| Seeding, sodding & pluggingWarm-season grass needs soil above 65°F and about 10 weeks to establish before frost. | Feb 28 – Oct 7 |
| Fall pre-emergent (winter weeds)Stops annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and winter weeds; apply as soil drops below 70°F. | Oct 27 – Nov 17 |
Median dates, 2016–2025, from NOAA weather data for Houston. This year's dates can differ by a few weeks.
Month-by-month lawn care in Houston
- JanuaryCrabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)
- FebruaryCrabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)FertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- MarchFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- AprilFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- MayFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- JuneFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- JulyFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- AugustFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- SeptemberFertilizerSeeding, sodding & plugging
- OctoberFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
- NovemberFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
- DecemberNo treatments due; mow as needed.
Soil temperature in Houston by month
Average soil temperature 4 inches down, estimated from 2016–2025 weather. It bottoms out in January at 55°F and peaks in July at 86°F. Crabgrass preventer goes down when it reaches 50°F, usually around Jan 27.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55°F | 59°F | 66°F | 71°F | 78°F | 84°F | 86°F | 86°F | 83°F | 75°F | 65°F | 59°F |
Houston lawn timing, year by year
Over the last 10 years, soil in Houston reached 50°F, the signal for crabgrass preventer, as early as Jan 7 (2016) and as late as Feb 28 (2020): 52 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 27 | Feb 21 | — |
| 2024 | Jan 24 | Jan 21 | — |
| 2023 | Feb 6 | — | — |
| 2022 | Feb 10 | Feb 6 | Dec 23 |
| 2021 | Feb 23 | Feb 21 | — |
| 2020 | Feb 28 | — | — |
| 2019 | Jan 26 | Mar 6 | Nov 13 |
| 2018 | Jan 22 | Jan 19 | Nov 14 |
| 2017 | Jan 11 | Jan 9 | Dec 8 |
| 2016 | Jan 7 | — | Dec 19 |
Estimated from daily temperatures for Houston. A dash means it didn't happen that year.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply pre-emergent in Houston?
In a typical year, between Jan 27 and Feb 10. 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 Houston?
Once soil stays above 65°F, typically Feb 28 – Oct 7, leaving about 10 weeks before the first frost.
When is the last frost in Houston?
The median last spring frost is Feb 6 (2016–2025).
How long is the growing season in Houston?
Frost is uncommon in Houston, so cool spells rather than freezes set the length of the season.
Lawn care guides
More Texas lawn calendars
Nearby cities in other states
- Lake Charles, LA 133 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 1 – Feb 16
- Lafayette, LA 203 miles away · crabgrass preventer Jan 30 – Feb 15
- Shreveport, LA 214 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 6 – Mar 1
- Baton Rouge, LA 254 miles away · crabgrass preventer Jan 29 – Feb 16