San Antonio, TX Lawn Care Calendar
In a typical year, put down crabgrass preventer in San Antonio between Jan 29 and Feb 21. Seed or sod warm-season grass between Mar 7 and Oct 9. The last spring frost usually comes around Feb 17. Most lawns here are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).
Typical lawn care dates in San Antonio
| 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 29 – Feb 21 |
| FertilizerFeed after green-up once soil stays above 65°F; stop about 6 weeks before the first frost. | Mar 7 – Oct 30 |
| Seeding, sodding & pluggingWarm-season grass needs soil above 65°F and about 10 weeks to establish before frost. | Mar 7 – Oct 9 |
| Fall pre-emergent (winter weeds)Stops annual bluegrass (Poa annua) and winter weeds; apply as soil drops below 70°F. | Oct 29 – Nov 19 |
Median dates, 2016–2025, from NOAA weather data for San Antonio. This year's dates can differ by a few weeks.
Month-by-month lawn care in San Antonio
- JanuaryCrabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)
- FebruaryCrabgrass preventer (pre-emergent)
- 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 San Antonio by month
Average soil temperature 4 inches down, estimated from 2016–2025 weather. It bottoms out in January at 53°F and peaks in August at 87°F. Crabgrass preventer goes down when it reaches 50°F, usually around Jan 29.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53°F | 56°F | 65°F | 70°F | 78°F | 84°F | 86°F | 87°F | 83°F | 74°F | 64°F | 57°F |
San Antonio lawn timing, year by year
Over the last 10 years, soil in San Antonio reached 50°F, the signal for crabgrass preventer, as early as Jan 6 (2019) and as late as Mar 1 (2020): 54 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 28 | Feb 21 | — |
| 2024 | Jan 24 | Jan 21 | — |
| 2023 | Feb 7 | Feb 1 | — |
| 2022 | Feb 11 | Mar 14 | Dec 23 |
| 2021 | Feb 24 | Feb 21 | — |
| 2020 | Mar 1 | Feb 28 | Dec 1 |
| 2019 | Jan 6 | Mar 6 | Nov 1 |
| 2018 | Jan 8 | Feb 12 | Nov 14 |
| 2017 | Jan 11 | Jan 9 | — |
| 2016 | Jan 29 | Feb 8 | Dec 19 |
Estimated from daily temperatures for San Antonio. A dash means it didn't happen that year.
Frequently asked questions
When should I apply pre-emergent in San Antonio?
In a typical year, between Jan 29 and Feb 21. 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 Antonio?
Once soil stays above 65°F, typically Mar 7 – Oct 9, leaving about 10 weeks before the first frost.
When is the last frost in San Antonio?
The median last spring frost is Feb 17 (2016–2025).
How long is the growing season in San Antonio?
Frost is uncommon in San Antonio, 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 321 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 1 – Feb 16
- Shreveport, LA 354 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 6 – Mar 1
- Lawton, OK 358 miles away · crabgrass preventer Mar 1 – Mar 25
- Texarkana, AR 382 miles away · crabgrass preventer Feb 19 – Mar 13