Questions to Ask a Lawn Care Specialist About Weed Killer in Columbia and Spring Hill, TN
Very likely, you would love to have a beautiful lawn that is free of weeds at your home in the Columbia or Spring Hill, TN, area, but you may understandably have some questions about the hows, whens, and whats when it comes to weed killer. Here are some helpful questions that you may want to ask a lawn care specialist prior to having your lawn treated for weeds.
How often does my lawn need to be treated?
When you are dealing with weeds such as broadleaf weeds, chickweed, dandelions, ragweed, clover, hawkweed, oxalis, or wild violets, your lawn care specialists will likely recommend scheduling treatments every 2-3 weeks for 1-3 months. This frequency helps eliminate unwanted weed growth from occurring.
Do you apply both pre-emergent and post-emergent weed killers?
First, it’s important to know the difference between pre-emergent and post-emergent weed killers. A basic explanation is that pre-emergent weed killers are used to prevent weeds from growing in the first place, while post-emergent weed killers are used to kill weeds that have already begun to grow. Many lawn care companies apply both types of weed killers.
Pre-emergent weed killers are applied prior to weeds sprouting, and while they don’t prevent germination, they do stunt the formation of new roots and effectively stop growth. Pre-emergent weed killer is generally applied in the early spring to prevent the growth of summer weeds like crabgrass. It is often recommended to apply a pre-emergent weed killer before the soil temperature reaches 50 or 55 degrees for five days or more.
Post-emergent weed killers are used on weeds that have already begun to grow. Post-emergent weed killers are generally applied in early to late spring when the weeds are small. A common view of the best time to apply a post-emergent weed killer is when the daytime temperature is below 85 degrees but still above 55 degrees.
What weed killers do you use?
While the specific chemicals used to kill weeds may depend on the type of weeds being killed and your lawn care company’s preferences, there are some common chemicals that are often used. For pre-emergent weed killers, lawn care specialists may recommend using trifluralin, bensulide, DCPA, dichlobenil, oryzalin, or simazine, for example. These pre-emergents are known to kill broadleaf weeds.
For post-emergent weed killers, the treatments tend to be more species-specific. Some of the common post-emergents are glyphosate, 24-D, dicamba, MCPP, fluazifopbutyl, and sethoxydim. Glyphosate tends to be used more frequently because it is a general-purpose weed killer that is available in many forms.
Which weeds will be killed?
A lawn care specialist should be able to take a look at what weeds are growing on your lawn and select the appropriate chemical to kill these weeds. However, it’s a good idea to find out if the lawn care company will be killing all of the weeds or if they only focus on certain ones.
Do my family members and pets need to stay off of the lawn after treatment?
Many lawn care companies recommend that both people and pets should stay off of a lawn that has been treated with weed killer for several hours. The exact amount will depend on the specific treatments used.
Related: Can Fertilization Help Improve Lawn Health This Spring in Brentwood and Franklin, TN?
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For over 30 years, our locally operated business has provided comprehensive premium care to lawns in the greater Nashville area. Utilizing high-quality turf, top-of-the-line application equipment, and golf course–grade materials, our technicians bring playing and gathering spaces back to life.
