Minnesota · 18 cities · spring 2026

When to apply crabgrass preventer in Minnesota

Last spring the soil reached 50°F aroundMay 12Median of 17 cities; crabgrass temperatures (55°F) followed around May 25. Earliest: Minneapolis Apr 13; latest: Hibbing May 26.
Today
Season over
18 of 18 cities
Window last spring
13 days
median gap from 50°F to 55°F
Soil today
48°F
median, 0–4 in
Never below 50°F
0
cities with no spring window

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

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

FebMarAprMayMinneapolisMinneapolis: Apr 13 to May 12RochesterRochester: May 13 to May 25Saint CloudSaint Cloud: May 13 to May 26LakevilleLakeville: May 11 to May 24MankatoMankato: Apr 13 to May 12ShakopeeShakopee: May 12 to May 25Cottage GroveCottage Grove: May 12 to May 25AndoverAndover: May 12 to May 25WinonaWinona: May 15 to May 26OwatonnaOwatonna: May 11 to May 24AustinAustin: May 11 to May 15WillmarWillmar: May 10 to May 12
FebMarAprMayMinneapolisMinneapolis: Apr 13 to May 12RochesterRochester: May 13 to May 25Saint CloudSaint Cloud: May 13 to May 26LakevilleLakeville: May 11 to May 24MankatoMankato: Apr 13 to May 12ShakopeeShakopee: May 12 to May 25Cottage Gro…Cottage Grove: May 12 to May 25AndoverAndover: May 12 to May 25WinonaWinona: May 15 to May 26OwatonnaOwatonna: May 11 to May 24AustinAustin: May 11 to May 15WillmarWillmar: May 10 to May 12
Source: NOAA NCEP GFS analyses, 0–10 cm; 5-day mean held 10 days.

Every Minnesota city

Spring 2026 dates and today's verdict.

CityHeld 50°F (2026)Held 55°F (2026)Soil todayToday
Minneapolis, MNApr 13May 1251°FSeason over
Rochester, MNMay 13May 2548°FSeason over
Duluth, MNMay 27–45°FSeason over
Saint Cloud, MNMay 13May 2647°FSeason over
Lakeville, MNMay 11May 2450°FSeason over
Mankato, MNApr 13May 1249°FSeason over
Shakopee, MNMay 12May 2548°FSeason over
Cottage Grove, MNMay 12May 2548°FSeason over
Andover, MNMay 12May 2548°FSeason over
Winona, MNMay 15May 2648°FSeason over
Owatonna, MNMay 11May 2449°FSeason over
Austin, MNMay 11May 1549°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 Minnesota?
When the soil holds 50 to 55°F. Last spring that was around May 12 to May 25 across 17 Minnesota 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 Minnesota →

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