Arkansas · 15 cities · spring 2026

When to apply crabgrass preventer in Arkansas

Last spring the soil reached 50°F aroundFeb 10Median of 15 cities; crabgrass temperatures (55°F) followed around Mar 1. Earliest: Pine Bluff Feb 9; latest: Paragould Mar 1.
Today
Season over
15 of 15 cities
Window last spring
19 days
median gap from 50°F to 55°F
Soil today
63°F
median, 0–4 in
Never below 50°F
0
cities with no spring window

Last spring's pre-emergent window, largest Arkansas cities

Each bar runs from the day the soil held 50°F to the day it held 55°F (2026).

FebMarAprMayLittle RockLittle Rock: Feb 10 to Mar 1Fort SmithFort Smith: Feb 10 to Mar 1FayettevilleFayetteville: Feb 12 to Mar 2JonesboroJonesboro: Feb 28 to Mar 2ConwayConway: Feb 10 to Mar 1RogersRogers: Feb 12 to Mar 2Pine BluffPine Bluff: Feb 9 to Feb 11Hot SpringsHot Springs: Feb 10 to Mar 1BentonBenton: Feb 10 to Mar 1RussellvilleRussellville: Feb 11 to Mar 1ParagouldParagould: Mar 1 to Mar 2CabotCabot: Feb 10 to Mar 1
FebMarAprMayLittle RockLittle Rock: Feb 10 to Mar 1Fort SmithFort Smith: Feb 10 to Mar 1FayettevilleFayetteville: Feb 12 to Mar 2JonesboroJonesboro: Feb 28 to Mar 2ConwayConway: Feb 10 to Mar 1RogersRogers: Feb 12 to Mar 2Pine BluffPine Bluff: Feb 9 to Feb 11Hot SpringsHot Springs: Feb 10 to Mar 1BentonBenton: Feb 10 to Mar 1RussellvilleRussellville: Feb 11 to Mar 1ParagouldParagould: Mar 1 to Mar 2CabotCabot: Feb 10 to Mar 1
Source: NOAA NCEP GFS analyses, 0–10 cm; 5-day mean held 10 days.

Every Arkansas city

Spring 2026 dates and today's verdict.

CityHeld 50°F (2026)Held 55°F (2026)Soil todayToday
Little Rock, ARFeb 10Mar 167°FSeason over
Fort Smith, ARFeb 10Mar 161°FSeason over
Fayetteville, ARFeb 12Mar 258°FSeason over
Jonesboro, ARFeb 28Mar 262°FSeason over
Conway, ARFeb 10Mar 165°FSeason over
Rogers, ARFeb 12Mar 258°FSeason over
Pine Bluff, ARFeb 9Feb 1170°FSeason over
Hot Springs, ARFeb 10Mar 164°FSeason over
Benton, ARFeb 10Mar 166°FSeason over
Russellville, ARFeb 11Mar 163°FSeason over
Paragould, ARMar 1Mar 261°FSeason over
Cabot, ARFeb 10Mar 165°FSeason over

Crabgrass seeds start to germinate once the top 2 to 4 inches of soil stay near 55°F for several days. A pre-emergent works as a barrier in the soil, so it has to be down and watered in before that: the usual advice is to apply it while the soil holds 50 to 55°F. The dates here are when the modelled soil began to hold each temperature last spring; this year's window will move with the weather, which is why each city page shows today's reading and the 7-day forecast.

Questions

When should I put down crabgrass preventer in Arkansas?
When the soil holds 50 to 55°F. Last spring that was around Feb 10 to Mar 1 across 15 Arkansas cities, earlier in the south and in cities.
Is it too late to apply pre-emergent?
Once the soil has held 55°F for a week or more, crabgrass is germinating and a pre-emergent will not stop the seedlings already up. Each city page says which side of that line it is on today.

Soil temperature today in Arkansas →

Data: Global Forecast System (GFS) 0.25°, soil temperature 0–10 cm (TSOIL) (NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP)); GeoNames gazetteer (cities15000) (GeoNames).