Soilclock

Maryland 58°F soil temperature

Updated Nov 4, 2026, 7:41 AM EST

The middle reading of 2 Maryland cities, 2 inches down, on Nov 3. Pick a city for its forecast and lawn calendar.

Maryland cities today

Estimated daily average soil temperature at 2 inches, the difference from normal for the date, and the change over the last week. Maryland spans the transition zone, where both cool- and warm-season lawns grow and cool-season grass country.

City2 in4 invs normal7 daysCrabgrass windowFall seeding ends
Baltimore 58°60° +1°−1° Mar 13 – Apr 9 Nov 8
Frederick 54°55° +3°+1° Mar 22 – Apr 15 Oct 30

When to apply pre-emergent in Maryland

Crabgrass pre-emergent goes down when 2-inch soil holds about 50°F. Across Maryland that has typically happened first in Baltimore, around Mar 13, and last in Frederick, around Mar 22. The window closes when soil holds 55°F and crabgrass starts sprouting.

Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.

Last good week to seed in Maryland

Tall fescue and bluegrass seed sprouts best while 4-inch soil is between 55 and 70°F. The typical last day above 55°F:

What grows in Maryland lawns

Crabgrass is the weed spring pre-emergents are timed for. Lawns here are mostly cool-season grasses such as bluegrass and fescue.

Large crabgrass with its spreading finger-like seed heads
Large crabgrass in seed. Each plant can drop thousands of seeds that wait for warm spring soil.
Close view of a Kentucky bluegrass lawn
Kentucky bluegrass, the most common cool-season lawn grass in the northern US.
A low mat of bermudagrass with fine blades and seed heads
Bermudagrass, the warm-season grass behind most lawns from the Carolinas to Texas.

Other states