The 10 Best Pre and Post-Emergent Products for Virginia Lawns in 2026

Published: February 2026 | By Chris at Meadow Lawn and Pest

If you’ve ever browsed the lawn care aisle at Lowe’s or looked through herbicides on Amazon, you know it can be overwhelming. There are so many products, each claiming to be the best, with labels full of confusing chemical names.

The truth is, not all herbicides are the same. Some work well in Virginia’s climate, some don’t work at all, and some can damage your lawn if used at the wrong time.

After working on thousands of lawns in Hampton Roads, we’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and what isn’t worth your money. This article covers the 10 best pre and post-emergent products for Virginia lawns, including what’s effective and what’s just marketing.

Pre-Emergent vs. Post-Emergent: What’s the Difference?

Before we get into the specific products, let’s clarify what these terms mean:

Pre-emergent herbicides form a barrier in your soil that stops weed seeds from sprouting. It’s like a shield that blocks weeds before they appear. The key is to apply it before the weeds start to grow, so timing is crucial.

Post-emergent herbicides kill wPost-emergent herbicides target weeds that are already growing in your lawn. When you see a weed, you spray it, and it should die. These products are used to react to existing weeds.-emergents handle the big seasonal waves of weeds (crabgrass, goosegrass, poa annua). Post-emergents clean up the stragglers and the perennial weeds that laugh at pre-emergents.

The 10 Best Products for Virginia Lawns

1. Prodiamine (Various Brands: Barricade, ProDiamine 65 WDG)

Type: Pre-emergent
Best For: Preventing crabgrass, goosegrass, poa annua
Price Range: $30-60 for enough to treat 5,000-10,000 sq ft

Why it’s on the list: Prodiamine is the gold standard for pre-emergent control in Virginia. It’s what most professional lawn care companies use (including us at Meadow), and for good reason—it works. It has a longer residual than many competitors, meaning one application can give you 3-5 months of protection.

Pros:

• Long-lasting barrier (120-180 days)
• Safe on established lawns when applied correctly
• Prevents the biggest weed problems in Virginia
• Can be applied to warm and cool-season grasses

Cons:

• Timing is critical. If you apply it too early or too late, it won’t be effective.
• Not beginner-friendly; requires precise measuring and calibration
• Won’t kill existing weeds
• Can’t overseed for 3-4 months after application

Bottom line: If you can follow directions and have a good spreader, Prodiamine offers great value. However, if you miss the right timing or apply it unevenly, crabgrass can still appear.

2. Scotts Halts Crabgrass & Grassy Weed Preventer

Type: Pre-emergent (Pendimethalin)
Best For: DIY homeowners, preventing crabgrass
Price Range: $35-50 for 5,000 sq ft coverage

Why it’s on the list: This is the easiest pre-emergent for homeowners to find. It’s available at most big box stores and comes ready to use. The active ingredient, pendimethalin, isn’t as strong or long-lasting as prodiamine, but it’s much simpler for DIY users.

Pros:

• Easy to find and apply
• Pre-measured bags (no mixing required)
• Safe on most established lawns
• Decent crabgrass prevention

Cons:

• Shorter lasting effect than prodiamine (60 to 90 days)
• More expensive per square foot
• May require a second application mid-season
• Not as effective on goosegrass or poa annua

Bottom line: If you want reliable pre-emergent control without needing to learn a lot about lawn care, Halts is a good choice. Just keep in mind that you’re paying more for the convenience.

3. Tenacity (Mesotrione)

Type: Pre and Post-emergent
Best For: Crabgrass, nutsedge, and safe for new seedings
Price Range: $50-70 per bottle (covers 5,000-10,000 Why it’s on the list: Tenacity is unique because it works as both a pre-emergent and a post-emergent. You can even use it when seeding without harming new grass, which is especially helpful for Virginia lawns during spring and fall overseeding. fall overseeding season.

Pros:

• Can be used at seeding (rare for herbicides)
• Kills young crabgrass even after germination
• Effective on nutsedge (which most herbicides aren’t)
• Turns weeds white before they die (so you know it’s working)

Cons:

• Expensive compared to other options
• Requires mixing and spraying (not granular)
• Can temporarily bleach your lawn (white streaks that fade)
• Pre-emergent control isn’t as long-lasting as prodiamine

Bottom line: If you plan to overseed and need weed control at the same time, Tenacity is your best option. It costs more, but the flexibility can be worth it.

4. Speedzone Southern Broadleaf Herbicide

Type: Post-emergent
Best For: Killing broadleaf weeds in warm-season grasses
Price Range: $40-60 per quart (covers up to 21,000 sq ft)

Why it’s on the list: Speedzone is what we use at Meadow for post-emergent broadleaf control on Bermuda and Zoysia lawns. It’s fast-acting (hence the name), handles Virginia’s most common broadleaf weeds, and is safe on warm-season turf when applied correctly.

Pros:

• Works fast—weeds Works quickly; weeds start curling within 24 to 48 hoursover, dandelions, henbit, chickweed
• Can be applied spring through fall
• Safe on Bermuda, Zoysia, and Centipede

Cons:

• Can damage cool-season grasses if misapplied
• Temperature restrictions (too hot and it burns turf)
• Requires careful calibration and spraying
• Not recommended for DIYers who have trouble with steady spraying, as overspray can harm ornamental plants

Bottom line: If you have a warm-season lawn and are comfortable using a sprayer, Speedzone is a great choice. If you’re unsure about applying it or have mixed turf types, it may be best to hire a professional.

5. Ortho Weed B Gon Plus Crabgrass Control

Type: Post-emergent
Best For: DIY spot treatment of broadleaf weeds and young crabgrass
Price Range: $15-25 for ready-to-spray bottle

Why it’s on the list: Sometimes you only need to treat a few weeds without using complicated equipment. Ortho Weed B Gon is an easy option for homeowners who want a hose-end sprayer that is simple to use.

Pros:

• Very easy to use; just attach it to your hose and spray
• Kills most common Virginia weeds
• Safe on established cool and warm-season grasses
• Affordable for small areas

Cons:

• Only effective on young crabgrass (not mature plants)
• Less potent than professional products
• Can be inconsistent if you don’t maintain steady pressure
• Expensive per square foot for largBottom line: This product is great for treating small problem areas or keeping a mostly weed-free lawn. It’s not the best choice for heavy weed problems or large lawns.ications.

1. Dimension 2EW (Dithiopyr)

Type: Pre-emergent with limited post-emergent activity
Best For: Crabgrass prevention with some early post-emergent control
Price Range: $40-70 per bottle (covers 5,000-15,000 sq ft)

Why it’s on the list: Dimension stands out because it can kill very young crabgrass at the 2-leaf stage. This gives you some flexibility if you miss the ideal pre-emergent timing. While it’s not as flexible as Tenacity, it’s more forgiving than standard pre-emergents like Prodiamine.

Pros:

• Kills crabgrass that just germinated (small window)
• Long residual (similar to Prodiamine)
• Good on goosegrass and crabgrass
• Can be tank-mixed with post-emergents

Cons:

• More expensive than Prodiamine
• Post-emergent window is very short (days, not weeks)
• Still requires precise timing for best results
• Can’t overseed for months after application

Bottom line: If you sometimes miss the application window by a week or two, Dimension can help. However, timing is still important for the best results.

7. Drive XLR8 Herbicide (Quinclorac)

Type: Post-emergent
Best For: Killing mature crabgrass in cool-season lawns
Price Range: $60-90 per quart (covers 10,000-40,000 sq ft)

Why it’s on the list: If your pre-emergent doesn’t work and mature crabgrass is spreading in your fescue, Drive XLR8 is designed to help. It targets established crabgrass, which most post-emergents can’t handle.

Pros:

• One of the few products that kills mature crabgrass
• Safe on fescue, bluegrass, and ryegrass
• Works on other grassy weeds too (foxtail, goosegrass)
• Can be applied mid-summer when temps are hot

Cons:

• Expensive (premium price for specialty product)
• Requires surfactant and precise mixing
• Multiple applications often needed
• Not for warm-season grasses (will damage Bermuda/Zoysia)

Bottom line: If you have a lot of crabgrass in your fescue and it’s too late for pre-emergent, Drive is a good investment. Be sure to follow the label instructions carefully, as this product is strong.

8. Celsius WG Herbicide

Type: Post-emergent
Best For: Broadleaf and grassy weeds in warm-season turf
Price Range: $80-120 per bottle (covers large areas; this is a professional-grade product)

Why it’s on the list: Celsius is a top-tier post-emergent herbicide for warm-season lawns. It controls a wide range of weeds, including broadleaf, grassy, and some sedges, and is safe for most warm-season grasses. Professionals use it for tough weed problems.

Pros:

• Kills almost everything (wide spectrum of weeds)
• Safe on Bermuda, Zoysia, Centipede, St. Augustine
• Can be applied in hot weather
• Low use rates, so a small amount covers a large area

Cons:

• Expensive upfront cost
• Requires precise measuring (water dispersible granules)
• Not for cool-season grasses (will kill fescue)
• Overkill for simple weed problems

Bottom line: If you have a warm-season lawn with a lot of weeds and are comfortable using professional-grade products, Celsius is excellent. For basic maintenance, it’s more than you need, so save it for bigger issues.

9. Surge (Sulfentrazone + 2,4-D + Dicamba)

Type: Post-emergent
Best For: Nutsedge and tough broadleaf weeds in warm-season turf
Price Range: $50-80 per bottle

Why it’s on the list: Nutsedge is the bane of Virginia lawns, especially in poorly-drained areas. Surge is one of the few herbicides that actually kills it effectively. If you’ve got nutsedge in your Bermuda or Zoysia, you need something like Surge (or Sedgehammer, its cousin).

Pros:

• Kills nutsedge (both yellow and purple)
• Also handles tough broadleaf weeds
• Works fairly quickly
• Safe on warm-season grasses

Cons:

• Not cheap
• Temperature restrictions (too hot and it’s phytotoxic)
• Won’t fix drainage issues causing nutsedge
• Not for cool-season lawns

Bottom line: If nutsedge is your main problem, Surge is effective. However, herbicides only treat the symptoms. If your lawn has standing water or soil compaction, nutsedge will keep coming back unless you address those issues.

10. Specticle G (Indaziflam)

Type: Pre-emergent
Best For: Long-term weed prevention in established lawns and landscapes
Price Range: $90-150+ (professional product, covers large areas)

Why it’s on the list: Specticle is a new-generation pre-emergent that lasts a very long time, providing 6 to 8 months of control with one application. It’s ideal if you want to treat your lawn once and not worry about weeds until the next season.

Pros:

• Longest-lasting pre-emergent (6 to 8 months or more)
• Extremely low use rates (small amount needed)
• Effective on weeds that resist other pre-emergents
• Safe on established turf and ornamentals

Cons:

• Very expensive
• Not for newly seeded or sodded lawns
• Highly persistent (can’t overseed for 6+ months)
• Overkill for most residential lawns

Bottom line: Specticle is excellent for established lawns where you don’t plan to overseed. For most Virginia homeowners, it’s more product than needed and is quite expensive. It’s more often used in commercial or high-end maintenance programs.

What We Actually Use at Meadow

Here’s the honest truth: at Meadow Lawn and Pest, we primarily use Prodiamine for pre-emergent control and a rotation of post-emergents depending on the turf type and weed pressure (Speedzone for warm-season, various broadleaf mixes for cool-season, Tenacity when seeding, specialty products like Surge for nutsedge).

Why? Because they work. They’re cost-effective. And we’ve been applying them long enough to know exactly how they’ll perform on different grass types in differentBut what matters more than the product itself is timing and proper application. Even the best herbicide won’t work if it’s applied at the wrong time or at the wrong rate. We’ve seen homeowners lose money on expensive products by applying them too late or not calibrating their spreader correctly. correctly.

DIY or Hire a Pro?

Look, some homeowners are perfectly capable of doing their own weed control. If you’re detail-oriented, willing to invest in a good spreader or sprayer, and comfortable reading (and following) product labels, you can absolutely achieve professional-levHowever, most DIYers face challenges in these areas:ist.

But here’s where most DIYers struggle:

• Timing: Pre-emergents need to go down before soil temps hit certain thresholds. Miss the window by two weeks and you’ve wasted your money.
• Calibration: Too little herbicide and it doesn’t work. Too much and you risk damaging your lawn or violating EPA label restrictions.
• Identification: Knowing which weeds you have matters. Some herbicides kill certain weeds but not others. Blanket-spraying everything is expensive and ineffective.
• Safety: These are pesticides. Mishandling them can harm kids, pets, pollinators, and the environment.

At Meadow, we take care of all these details. We monitor soil temperatures, apply products at the correct rates, adjust for your lawn and weed issues, and ensure everything is done safely. If something doesn’t work, we return and fix it at no extra cost.

That said, if you enjoy lawn care as a hobby and want to DIY, more power to you. Just invest in the right tools, read the labels twice, and don’t skip steps.

Final Thoughts

The “best” herbicide for your Virginia lawn depends on your grass type, your weed problems, your skill level, and your budget. There’s no one-size-fits-all answer.

If you want to DIY:

• Start with Scotts Halts or Prodiamine for pre-emergent control
• Keep Ortho Weed B Gon or a similar post-emergent on hand for spot-treating
• Budget for Tenacity if you’re planning to overseed

If you want guaranteed results without the hassle, that’s what we do every day at Meadow. We’ve treated lawns in Hampton Roads for years, use professional-grade products, and always arrive as promised.

Have questions about your specific weed problem? Want to know what we’d recommend for your lawn? Give us a call. We’ll give you honest advice, even if that means telling you that a $30 bag of Halts is all you need.

That’s what makes Meadow different. We’re not here to sell you things you don’t need. Our goal is to help you achieve a lawn you can be proud of.

---

Need help with your Virginia lawn? Meadow Lawn and Pest serves homeowners throughout Hampton Roads with fertilization, weed control, pest control, and more. Contact us for a free quote or learn more about our programs.