Dithiopyr

Dithiopyr is an active ingredient used in pre-emergent herbicides that kill a variety of broadleaf weeds and grassy weeds. One of the common uses of Dithiopyr is to prevent crabgrass from emerging on lawns in the springtime.

Solutions Pest & Lawn has a number of products in our herbicide inventory which contain Dithiopyr and we highly recommend this product to our customers who are dealing with recurring weeds every growing season. On this page, you can learn some historic facts about Dithiopyr, how it works and its benefits. You can also access this page to shop our entire line of products which contain Dithiopyr.

What is Dithiopyr?

Dithiopyr (Chemical name: Dimethyl 2-(difluoromethyl)-4-(2-methylpropyl)-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyridine-3,5-dicarbothioate) is an active ingredient found in a number of pre-emergent herbicide products.

Dithiopyr itself is a tan solid color with a sulfur-like odor that is formulated into liquid, powder, and granular herbicide formulations.

Dithiopyr is used for pre-emergent control of summer annual grasses in turf, including bentgrass, landscape beds, container and field nurseries. Post-emergent control of crabgrass is possible when applied before crabgrass has tillered.

How Does Dithiopyr Work?

Mode of Action

Dithiopyr’s mode of action is that it acts as a root growth inhibitor, causing roots to stop growing and halting of mitotic cell division. It interferes with the formation of microtubules and spindle organizing centers. In other words, Dithiopyr controls weeds by disrupting microtubules which are necessary for plant growth, which renders the target weeds to be unable to grow. 

Benefits of Dithiopyr

When applied at prime times before weeds typically grow, Dithiopyr has proven to effectively prevent the growth of control of crabgrass, goosegrass, chickweed, spurge and Poa annua. Dithiopyr is commonly used for both residential and commercial lawns.

Dithiopyr-based products have also been proven effective for use on golf courses, sports turf, landscape ornamentals, container- and field-grown nursery ornamentals, commercial sod farms, and non-crop areas including roadsides.

Drawbacks of Dithiopyr

It is important to make the distinction that pre-emergent herbicides do not destroy weeds entirely but rather prevents growth, a sort of birth control if you will.  That is why they must be applied annually to retain the desired effects. If a weed you are targeting has already risen up from the soil, using a Dithiopyr-based product will not be effective in eliminating the plant.

Is Dithiopyr Safe?

Dithiopyr is safe to use when applied according to label directions. Always read the product label for safety instructions in handling Dithiopyr.

We recommend the use of safety equipment such as gloves, protective goggles, a breathing mask and long-sleeve clothing when handling Dithiopyr product or any chemical herbicide active ingredient.

What To Expect

Dithiopyr depends on timing applications properly, such as in the early spring and fall seasons. This is because the pre-emergent active ingredient only works on weeds that have not yet sprouted. Dithiopyr applied at the right time can control weeds for up to 16 weeks. 

Read the label carefully for application instructions and the correct application rate for your problem weed. 

Featured Products

Dithiopyr 2L Herbicide - Dithiopyr 2L Herbicide (generic Dimension EW herbicide) from Quali-Pro is a pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicide for control of both grassy and broadleaf weeds in established turf and ornamentals. Its low mix rate and non-staining formulation make it a great alternative to prodiamine.

Dithiopyr 40 WSB Pre Emergent Herbicide - Dithiopyr 40 WSB (Dimension herbicide) from Quali-Pro is a non-staining pre-emergent herbicide for the control of grassy weeds in established turfgrasses. The product comes in easy to use measured pouches and works well in commercial applications.