LawnWeather

Alabama Lawn Care Calendar

In Alabama, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Jan 30 and Mar 15: first in Mobile, last in Huntsville. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Mobile, Tuscaloosa, Auburn and Dothan, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in Alabama

Typically between Jan 30 and Mar 15, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Mobile (around Jan 30) and last in Huntsville (around Feb 21). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
MobileJan 30 – Feb 15
DothanFeb 1 – Feb 17
MontgomeryFeb 4 – Mar 1
BirminghamFeb 6 – Mar 6
TuscaloosaFeb 6 – Mar 6
AuburnFeb 9 – Mar 9
HuntsvilleFeb 21 – Mar 15

Warm-season lawn calendar

Lawns across Alabama are mostly warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
BirminghamApr 6 – Oct 6Apr 6 – Sep 3Oct 11 – Nov 1
HuntsvilleApr 29 – Sep 26Apr 29 – Aug 24Sep 27 – Oct 18
MontgomeryMar 27 – Oct 7Mar 27 – Sep 4Oct 17 – Nov 7
MobileMar 12 – Oct 20Mar 12 – Sep 25Oct 23 – Nov 13
TuscaloosaMar 30 – Oct 4Mar 30 – Sep 1Oct 12 – Nov 2
AuburnMar 31 – Oct 3Mar 31 – Aug 31Oct 10 – Oct 31
DothanMar 19 – Oct 10Mar 19 – Sep 7Oct 18 – Nov 8

Frost dates in Alabama

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
BirminghamMar 16Nov 17
HuntsvilleMar 22Nov 7
MontgomeryMar 11Nov 18
MobileFeb 22Dec 2
TuscaloosaMar 16Nov 15
AuburnMar 19Nov 14
DothanMar 4Nov 21

Median dates, 2016–2025. A dash means frost does not occur in most years.

Frequently asked questions

When should I put down pre-emergent in Alabama?

Typically between Jan 30 and Mar 15, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Mobile (around Jan 30) and last in Huntsville (around Feb 21). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in Alabama?

Seed or sod warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) once soil stays above 65°F: typically from Mar 12, finishing about 10 weeks before the first fall frost.

What type of grass grows in Alabama?

Most lawns in Alabama are warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede).

Lawn care guides

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