Granular vs. liquid is a question that comes up all the time when it comes to pre-emergents. If you've browsed the shelves at your local hardware store, you've probably noticed that most of what's available is granular. But if you've paid attention to professional lawn care companies in Midlothian, Prosper, and throughout North Texas, you may have noticed that most of us use liquid.
So which is better? Let's break it down.
Why Professionals Use Liquid
The reason lawn care companies use liquid pre-emergents is simple: they're better. Liquid applications give you even coverage across your entire lawn, ensuring that every square foot receives the same application rate.
With granular products, you just can't achieve that level of uniformity. Some areas may receive more product, others less, which results in sporadic weed breakthrough here and there throughout the season.
This uneven coverage is especially problematic in corners and along the edges of your turf. Getting consistent granular coverage in those areas is extremely difficult. As a result, those spots typically see more weed breakthrough than the main lawn area. With liquid applications, this isn't an issue at all—the spray reaches everywhere evenly.
The Post-Emergent Bonus
There's another significant advantage to liquid pre-emergents that often gets overlooked. These liquid products typically have a post-emergent aspect to them as well. Any young weeds that have already germinated and sprouted will be directly hit with the liquid and killed on contact.
Liquid applications also allow you to mix in additional post-emergent herbicides to enhance this effect. Pre-emergent applications are the only time we recommend broadcasting a post-emergent across the entire lawn—for all other applications, weeds should just be spot sprayed.
With granular products, you aren't going to get nearly as much post-emergent benefit. The granules sit on the soil rather than coating the weed foliage, so any existing weeds are largely unaffected.
Granular Still Has Its Place
Having said all of that, this doesn't mean granular applications are useless. Granular pre-emergents will work—just not as effectively as liquid applications.
When it comes to ease of use, granular takes the cake by far. The average homeowner in Waxahachie, Midlothian, or Prosper doesn't have the equipment to properly apply a liquid pre-emergent. Sprayers, proper calibration, mixing ratios—it's a more involved process that requires an investment in equipment and knowledge.
So if granular is your only option, by all means use it. A granular application will be far better than doing nothing at all. You'll still prevent a significant number of weeds, even if it's not quite as effective as what the professionals are putting down.
The Bottom Line
If you have the equipment and means to apply liquid pre-emergent, that's the way to go. You'll get better coverage, fewer breakthrough weeds in corners and edges, and post-emergent benefits that granular can't match.
If you don't have the equipment, granular is a perfectly acceptable alternative that will still make a noticeable difference in your lawn's weed pressure. The best pre-emergent is the one you actually apply.
Watch the video below to learn more about the differences between granular and liquid pre-emergent applications.
For professional fertilization and weed control in Midlothian and Prosper, contact Vista Lawn and Pest.
