LawnWeather

South Carolina Lawn Care Calendar

In South Carolina, crabgrass preventer typically goes down between Feb 4 and Mar 19: first in Charleston, last in Rock Hill. Below are typical fertilizer, seeding and frost dates for Columbia, Charleston, Greenville, Myrtle Beach and Rock Hill, from 2016–2025 weather data. Enter your ZIP code for this year's timing.

When to apply pre-emergent in South Carolina

Typically between Feb 4 and Mar 19, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Charleston (around Feb 4) and last in Rock Hill (around Feb 17). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

CityCrabgrass preventer window
CharlestonFeb 4 – Feb 16
ColumbiaFeb 5 – Mar 8
Myrtle BeachFeb 8 – Mar 1
GreenvilleFeb 17 – Mar 13
Rock HillFeb 17 – Mar 19

Warm-season lawn calendar

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

CityFertilizerSeeding, sodding & pluggingFall pre-emergent (winter weeds)
ColumbiaMar 30 – Oct 12Mar 30 – Sep 9Oct 12 – Nov 2
CharlestonMar 27 – Oct 16Mar 27 – Sep 19Oct 12 – Nov 2
GreenvilleApr 29 – Sep 30Apr 29 – Aug 28Oct 3 – Oct 24
Myrtle BeachApr 17 – Oct 19Apr 17 – Sep 16Oct 12 – Nov 2
Rock HillApr 29 – Sep 27Apr 29 – Aug 25Sep 25 – Oct 16

Frost dates in South Carolina

CityLast spring frostFirst fall frost
ColumbiaMar 9Nov 23
CharlestonFeb 10Dec 1
GreenvilleMar 16Nov 11
Myrtle BeachMar 5Nov 30
Rock HillMar 28Nov 8

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 South Carolina?

Typically between Feb 4 and Mar 19, depending on where you live. The window opens first in Charleston (around Feb 4) and last in Rock Hill (around Feb 17). Apply when soil reaches 50°F, before it stays above 55°F.

When is the best time to seed grass in South Carolina?

Seed or sod warm-season grass (Bermuda, zoysia, St. Augustine, centipede) once soil stays above 65°F: typically from Mar 27, finishing about 10 weeks before the first fall frost.

What type of grass grows in South Carolina?

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

Lawn care guides

Other states