How to Use Preen Weed Control (2024)

FAQs

Do you water after applying Preen? ›

Sprinkle Preen on top of the mulch and integrate with a rake. Be sure to keep granules away from plant foliage. Immediately water this product into the mulch. Always wash or brush off stray granules from plant foliage to avoid damage or discoloration.

Time the application when rain is not in the forecast at least 48 hours, and be sure not to water it in or irrigate the lawn once applied as this will wash the granules from the weed leaves. Be patient – as granular lawn weed killer does not have an immediate effect.

You should not use Preen on newly seeded areas or on areas where you plan to sow seeds in the near future. Additionally, Preen should not be used on lawns, as it can prevent grass seed from germinating.

PREEN – You sprinkle Preen on top of the mulch in order to create this weed barrier. As with any gardening product, it's important to read the product label and follow instructions. Most gardeners apply their first application of Preen right now.

This chemical may leach into ground water if used in areas where soils are permeable, particularly where the water table is shallow. and habitat of non-target organisms by following label directions intended to minimize drift. Causes moderate eye irritation. Harmful if swallowed or inhaled.

When plants are dry, sprinkle the product granules on top of the soil or mulch at the rate recommended on the label. Use a rake to work the granules into the top layer of soil or mulch. Once activated by watering, it forms a weed control barrier in the top layer of soil, preventing weed seeds from germinating.

It should take approximately 2 to 4 weeks to see the label-listed broadleaf weeds succumb. For use on established bahiagrass, bermudagrass, buffalograss, centipedegrass, fine fescues, Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, tall fescues, and zoysiagrass.

Preen lasts for about 8-12 weeks, so you will need to reapply it at least once per season. Round Up can last for up to several weeks, but you may need to reapply it more frequently if you have a lot of weeds. The Preen and Round Up Method is a simple and effective way to control weeds in your garden.

Just as Preen when used as directed won't affect your existing garden plants, it won't kill existing weeds either.

Use a rake to work the granules into the top layer of soil or mulch or stone-covered bed.

Should you water after spreading Preen? ›

Preen has to make contact with the soil, then get lightly watered in. It will release a gas that will kill all annual seeds, weeds or not. I'd clean the bed, dig out any weeds, rake flat, apply Preen, water it in, then add mulch (not compost).

After pulling weeds, putting preen down, it works great! When I first bought Preen a few years ago and put it on my rocks, it worked brilliantly. I used the six-month variety and the first weeds didn't dare raise their heads for about four and a half months. So I was one happy camper.

Preen Natural Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer is made with 100 percent corn gluten, a natural herbicide that works as a pre-emergent — it keeps weed seeds from sprouting. And, Preen Natural Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer is safe to use around children and pets.

Spring is the optimal time to apply Preen but it's never too late to start.

Preen Extended Control Weed Preventer prevents crabgrass and more than 125 other weeds for up to six months in ornamental gardens. (It's not for use in edible gardens.) It's best applied in mid-spring between the time forsythia bushes have finished blooming and the first dandelion flowers are opening.

Preen should not be used on flower seeds. It can be used after flowering plants have germinated and are 2-3 inches tall. Preen may also be incorporated into the soil when seeding vegetables or applied after mulching beds. By applying Preen as early as possible, you can eliminate the need for hand-weeding.

I would not use it at all - the main active ingredient triflurin causes stunting in perennials plus remember not only does it prevent weed seeds from germinating but any seeds the perennials have set as well.

Apply Preen in Fall to Reduce Spring Weeds

A fall application of Preen can stop sneaky winter weeds like henbit, purple dead nettle, chickweed, and speedwell from taking over the ornamental spring garden.

Wiki tells us that fourteen million pounds of the stuff is applied to American landscapes every season--and that it's been banned for use in the European Union since 2004 because of its devastating effects on marine life.

The active ingredient in Preen, Trifluran, is not considered to be hazardous to birds.

What to do if you get Preen in your eye? ›

IF IN EYES: • Hold eye open and rinse slowly and gently with water for 15-20 minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present. after the first 5 minutes, then continue rinsing eye . Call a poison control center or doctor for treatment advice.

Approximately 4 – 6 weeks per application. The rate at which Preen^® Natural Vegetable Garden Weed Preventer biodegrades in the soil and loses its effectiveness will depend on temperature, soil type, rain/moisture, sunlight and amount applied.