Target Pests / Scope
Crabgrass, goosegrass, foxtail, annual bluegrass, barnyardgrass, spurge, chickweed, henbit, purslane, and many other annual grasses and broadleaf weeds. Also widely used as an agricultural pre-emergent in corn, soybeans, cotton, and other crops.
Products and Recommendations
Pendulum 3.3 EC (BASF - professional liquid), Pendulum AquaCap (microencapsulated - reduced staining), Prowl H2O (BASF - agricultural), Scotts Halts (older formulations), Lesco Pendimethalin, various generics. Most economical pre-emergent option for large areas.
Safety
Moderate toxicity - some formulations carry a Warning signal word (particularly EC formulations). Wear gloves and eye protection during mixing. Can stain skin, clothing, and surfaces orange/yellow (similar to prodiamine). The AquaCap formulation significantly reduces staining.
Detailed Guide
Cost advantage: Pendimethalin is significantly cheaper than prodiamine or dithiopyr per acre treated. For large properties (1+ acres), the cost savings are substantial. This is why agricultural operations and golf courses often prefer pendimethalin for broad-area pre-emergent applications.
Residual comparison: Pendimethalin provides approximately 3-4 months of control versus prodiamine at 5-6 months. In northern climates where the crabgrass window is shorter, pendimethalin provides adequate single-application protection. In southern climates, a split application or switch to prodiamine is advisable.
AquaCap vs EC: Traditional pendimethalin (EC formulations) uses organic solvents and stains heavily. Pendulum AquaCap encapsulates the active ingredient in water-based micro-capsules, reducing staining by 90%+ and improving worker safety. Always choose AquaCap formulations when available.
Agricultural workhorse: Pendimethalin is one of the top 5 most-used herbicides in US agriculture. Applied pre-plant or pre-emergence in corn, soybeans, cotton, peanuts, and dozens of other crops. Over 40 million pounds are applied annually in the US.