McAllen, TX Lawn Care Calendar
In a typical year, put down crabgrass preventer in McAllen between Jan 25 and Feb 2. Seed or sod warm-season grass between Feb 15 and Oct 30. The last spring frost usually comes around Jan 21. Most lawns here are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).
Typical lawn care dates in McAllen
| 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 25 – Feb 2 |
| FertilizerFeed after green-up once soil stays above 65°F; stop about 6 weeks before the first frost. | Feb 15 – Nov 16 |
| Seeding, sodding & pluggingWarm-season grass needs soil above 65°F and about 10 weeks to establish before frost. | Feb 15 – Oct 30 |
| Fall pre-emergent (winter weeds)Stops annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and winter weeds; apply as soil drops below 70°F. | Nov 17 – Dec 8 |
Median dates, 2016–2025, from NOAA weather data for McAllen. This year's dates can differ by a few weeks.
Month-by-month lawn care in McAllen
- 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 & plugging
- NovemberFertilizerFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
- DecemberFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
Soil temperature in McAllen by month
Average soil temperature 4 inches down, estimated from 2016–2025 weather. It bottoms out in January at 61°F and peaks in August at 89°F. Crabgrass preventer goes down when it reaches 50°F, usually around Jan 25.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 61°F | 65°F | 72°F | 77°F | 83°F | 86°F | 88°F | 89°F | 86°F | 79°F | 70°F | 65°F |
McAllen lawn timing, year by year
Over the last 10 years, soil in McAllen reached 50°F, the signal for crabgrass preventer, as early as Jan 4 (2019) and as late as Feb 23 (2020): 50 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 26 | Jan 23 | — |
| 2024 | Jan 23 | Jan 18 | — |
| 2023 | Feb 4 | — | — |
| 2022 | Feb 8 | Feb 6 | Dec 23 |
| 2021 | Feb 22 | Feb 20 | — |
| 2020 | Feb 23 | — | — |
| 2019 | Jan 4 | — | — |
| 2018 | Jan 7 | Jan 18 | — |
| 2017 | Jan 10 | Jan 8 | — |
| 2016 | Jan 5 | — | — |
Estimated from daily temperatures for McAllen. A dash means it didn't happen that year.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply pre-emergent in McAllen?
In a typical year, between Jan 25 and Feb 2. 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 McAllen?
Once soil stays above 65°F, typically Feb 15 – Oct 30, leaving about 10 weeks before the first frost.
When is the last frost in McAllen?
The median last spring frost is Jan 21 (2016–2025).
How long is the growing season in McAllen?
Frost is uncommon in McAllen, 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 413 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 1 – Feb 16
- Lafayette, LA 469 miles away · crabgrass preventer Jan 30 – Feb 15
- Shreveport, LA 514 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 6 – Mar 1
- Baton Rouge, LA 519 miles away · crabgrass preventer Jan 29 – Feb 16