Three steps. Then forget about it.
You sign up once. We do the watching. You get an email only when it actually matters.
Drop your zip
Email and ZIP code — that's it. No account, no password, no app to download.
We watch the soil
Every day we check the actual soil temperature near you and the 8-day forecast.
You get the green light
One plain-English email: "It's time — put down your crabgrass preventer this week." Done.
One email. Exactly when it matters.
No app, no dashboard, no newsletter. Just a plain-English heads-up the week your window opens — what to do, how long you have, and what to buy. Then we leave you alone until the next one.
One signup. A whole year of perfect timing.
Crabgrass prevention is just the start. We track every soil-temperature window that matters and nudge you at each one — only the ones that apply to your lawn.
Crabgrass preventer
Put down a crabgrass preventer (a “pre-emergent”) before the seeds sprout, as soil nears 55°F.
Light spring feeding
An optional light feed at green-up — go easy; fall is the big one.
Spring feeding
Feed once your warm-season lawn has turned green and is actively growing (around 65°F soil).
Aeration (loosen the soil)
Pull small plugs of soil to relieve compaction during active growth, so your warm-season lawn bounces back fast.
Grub prevention
Put down preventive grub control before eggs hatch, then water it in.
Summer feeding
Keep your warm-season lawn fed through its peak summer growth.
Winter-weed preventer
Stop poa annua (annual bluegrass) and other winter weeds before they sprout, as soil cools toward ~70°F — a fall “pre-emergent.”
Overseeding (new grass seed)
Spread fresh grass seed over your existing cool-season lawn to thicken it — the best window as soil cools.
Aeration (loosen the soil)
Pull small plugs of soil to relieve compaction while your cool-season lawn can recover — pairs with overseeding.
Late-fall feeding
The most important feeding of the year (a “winterizer”) — builds roots for a stronger spring.
Crabgrass wakes up at 55°F — not in "early spring."
Crabgrass seeds germinate once soil temperature holds near 55°F. Pre-emergent has to be down beforethat — too early and it breaks down, too late and it's useless. The right week shifts by weeks depending on where you live and the weather that year. A calendar can't catch that. Soil temperature can.
Real data, real turf science — no sales pitch.
We're a small, independent project, not a chemical brand pushing bags of product. The timing comes from data and agronomy. All we want is your email, so we can tell you exactly when to act.
Research-grade soil data
We read modeled soil temperature for your exact location from Open-Meteo, built on national weather-service data and updated daily.
University turf-science timing
Every threshold — 55°F for crabgrass, 65°F before feeding warm-season grass — follows standard extension guidance, tailored to your grass type.
Your email, respected
We email only when it's time — a few times a year. Never sold, never spam, unsubscribe in one click. Our privacy promise.
Built by a fellow homeowner who got tired of guessing. Questions? hello@lawntide.com
The short version
Is it really free? +
Yes — every soil-temperature alert is free, all year. We may later add an optional premium tier (extra lawns, SMS), but the core alerts stay free.
How many emails will I get? +
Only a handful a year — one for each treatment window that applies to your lawn. We're not a newsletter; we email when it's time to act and otherwise leave you alone. You can fine-tune exactly which alerts you get anytime.
What if I just moved and don't know my lawn? +
Perfect — that's exactly who this is for. Drop your zip and we'll tell you what to do and when, in plain English. Tell us your grass type and we'll tailor it further.
How accurate is the timing? +
We use research-grade soil-temperature data for your location and build in a safety lead time so you can act before each window. It's guidance, not a guarantee — always follow the product label.
Timing questions, answered with data.
Deep dives into the soil-temperature triggers behind every lawn task — no calendar guesswork.
Can You Overseed After Applying Pre-Emergent? The 8–16 Week Rule
How long to wait to overseed after pre-emergent by active ingredient. Prodiamine needs 16 weeks, dithiopyr 12, and mesotrione lets you seed same day.
Dethatch, Aerate, Overseed, Pre-Emergent: The Right Order (and Soil Temps for Each)
The correct order is dethatch, aerate, then overseed - and pre-emergent comes last, or not at all if you seeded. Here are the soil temps for each.
Crabgrass Germination Temperature: The 55°F Rule Explained
Crabgrass germinates when soil hits 55°F at 2 inches for 3–5 days. Learn the exact threshold, GDD timing, and when to apply pre-emergent.