Do you use a professional for the weeds on your yard? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

sfloriII · #1 10-02-2009, 05:11 PM

Hi Guys and Gals!
Thanks for the info on backing up computer files. Very interesting stuff.
Here's another question: do you use a professional service for the weeds in your yard? My wife an I have been fighting a battle with the weeds in our yard for two years now and are getting nowhere. I did try a spray earlier this year that killed one kind of weed, only to have the clover weeds fill I the gaps. They're really out of control to the point that I'm now thinking of hiring a professional to get the grass on order for a couple years after which I can hopefully maintaine it myself.
I've heard both good and bad stories about national companies and wondered what some of your experiences are with different companies. Any companies that you'd hope never to talk to again or who did a great job at a reasonble price?

Thanks!!

pawoSD · #2 10-02-2009, 05:14 PM

No way, I don't pay anyone to do ANYthing for me.

I try to handle most everything myself....

Mistress · #3 10-02-2009, 05:20 PM

Powerpig uses his dogs...

aklim · #4 10-02-2009, 05:39 PM

I had to use a lawn care service because I am allergic to some of the stuff. It took me a few years to realize and make the connection that everytime I dump stuff, I will itch like hell. Used them for 4 or 5 years but dumped them. On paper, they were cheaper. In reality, they weren't. They use stuff at a minimum level. It took me 8 bags to do the lawn and it is lush. They would use about 1 bag.

thorsen · #5 10-02-2009, 05:51 PM

Lawn care is a commitment. You can't just spray the weeds and hope they don't come back - you have to maintain your lawn. Apply weed and feed at the prescribed intervals, cut your grass often enough that you don't have to cut off more than 1/2 at a time, and rake/dethatch/aerate at least every few years.

kknudson · #6 10-02-2009, 06:04 PM

There are good and bad services. The big issue is they apply per schedule, which may not match the weather conditions. If you go with one, get one that uses dry, not spray on, the spray ons will provide a quick boost but it doesn't last as well. The dry feeds are more slow acting.

I have probably the best lawn in the area, ask my neighbors.

I apply Turf Builder, as with wax choose a brand you like and follow the directions. Now adays I really only do 2 or 3 applications a year, at first you may need the 4 they recommend.

Spring and early summer weed and feed, late fall (now ish) a winterizer.
The weed n feed needs to be applied to a wet lawn, with no rain for a couple of days and no hot days (85+). This is where I see the services applying in the rain ??

The best thing to combat weeds is a strong lawn, don't expect results overnight. It will take several years before you notice the BIG improvement, you should see some towards the end of year one.

My brother uses their natural stuff, better for the environmoent, but on my acre+ way too expensive.

Oh, but you will hate yourself, if the spring is wet, I'm mowing twice a week just to keep up.

Note too though I do a number of other things to help the lawn, thatch although I don't pick up, just mow over it. Aerate I have a plugger and an aerator that I tow regularly.

Speaking of clippings, NEVER bag, if it's too thick or you get behind mow it, let it be for a day to dry and MOW again.
I only use the sweeper for maybe the spring cleanup, and the fall. Even those I usually try to just mow several times.
Leaves are not a problem on the lawn, mulched up, except Oak the tanins are not good for the soils.

FYI TMI (too much Information!!!!)

aklim · #7 10-02-2009, 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kknudson

Speaking of clippings, NEVER bag, if it's too thick or you get behind mow it, let it be for a day to dry and MOW again.
I only use the sweeper for maybe the spring cleanup, and the fall. Even those I usually try to just mow several times.
Leaves are not a problem on the lawn, mulched up, except Oak the tanins are not good for the soils.

FYI TMI (too much Information!!!!)

I bag every time only because it has become so thick that it killed a clutch when my grass was very thick. It felt like a carpet and was great but the cuttings were done twice to 3 times a week.

Chas H · #8 10-02-2009, 06:33 PM

Weed and feeds are a waste of money. The herbicide affects all the lawn, including the grass so a huge dose of nitrogen is neccessary to offset it. It's much better to spot treat weeds. Mix in a tablespoon per gallon of cheap dish washing soap to make the herbicide even more effective.
Sometimes it's more effective to kill the entire lawn and start over because some weeds and weedy grasses are are difficult to kill with selective herbicides.
The best way to keep weeds at bay is to mow, fertilize and water properly.
I use a bagger for the lawn because it picks up weed seeds and fungus infected grass. This year was very wet so much of the lawn suffered from rust. Spreading the clippings is not a good idea.

sfloriII · #9 10-02-2009, 07:27 PM

Funny, I pretty much expected a wide range of opinions abou lawn care. I do keep pretty well on top of our grass with the mowing and all but I guess we're also dealing with the lack of care the previous owners gave it. Good to know that the dry treatments are a lot better than the wet ones. I'm sure it comes down to both cost ad ease of application as to why most companies probably use wet. I didn't expect the lawn to look great on one year, but it sure would have been nice to see some improvement by now. Well jus keep working on it and be patient! We plan to stay for many years.

SwampYankee · #10 10-02-2009, 08:32 PM

While we sell primarily to the golf, sports turf and pro lawn care guys we do have some real gung-ho homeowners and a large amount of them are converts from the big national lawn care companies that come in to repair damage done or take care of what the companies were supposed to take care of.

As a general rule, liquid spot-sprays are always going to be more effective than a straight granular herbicide or a weed and feed product. Not only that but you're only applying the herbicide where it's needed rather than a broadcast application over everything whether it's needed or not.

Things like ground ivy, wild violets, spurge and clover are among the hardest to control. Obviously professionals have access to much more effective products than most homeowners. But a product I can highly recommend for the tough to control weeds is Monterey Lawn and Garden's Spurge Power. It's a different technology than most of your Weed-Be-Gone, Three-Way type products. They're out of California and will sell direct if there's no distributor near you. They specialize in taking pro-type products and packaging them and getting them labelled for use by homeowners and smaller lawn care operations.

Regardless of what you use, fall is the best time of year to get rid of hard-to-control perennial weeds because they are taking the chemicals in and translocating them to the roots this time of year rather than pumping them out towards the leaves first like in the spring. The same holds true for annual weeds but that doesn't mean new annuals won't be back next year.

Like Chas said, adding non-ionic surfactant or even a few drops of liquid dish soap will increase the herbicide's effectiveness and be sure to only apply when no rain is forecast for at least 24 hours. In the case of a granular or weed and feed, apply when the grass is wet but there will be no rain for at least 24 hrs.

Keep in mind that the thicker and healthier the turf, the less of an issue weeds and crabgrass will be since they are very opportunistic. Fall is the best time for overseeding so consider aerating and overseeding. Any herbicide application will prevent you from seeding for 4-6 weeks depending on the chemical.

If your lawn is less than 50% weeds it's salvageable, if it's over that consider a complete renovation.

tankdriver · #11 10-02-2009, 08:52 PM

good stuff. I need to resurrect my lawn too.

MS Fowler · #12 10-02-2009, 09:17 PM

I used Chem Lawn which has changed its name to Tru Green. My problem is that they did not look for weeds; they applied whatever stuff they were there to apply, but I had to call for weed treatment. They were quick to find things that were "extras" but the same people looking for those "extras" would not see, and treat the specific weeds on their own.

tankdriver · #13 10-02-2009, 11:09 PM

I tried Tru Green. Not a bit of difference other than lightness of wallet.

G-Benz · #14 10-03-2009, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tankdriver

I tried Tru Green. Not a bit of difference other than lightness of wallet.

Gone through several pros (incl Tru-Green/Chemlawn), and they all boast doing better that the other guy. While they do a fair job of controlling weeds, their applications aren't customized for your lawn. So you get the same treatment as the guy next door, even if your lawn is starving for iron or the soil ph is unbalanced.

On the plus side, their application schedules are generally on track, so the best thing to do is to save money and apply the stuff yourself on the days that you see the truck making its rounds in your neighborhood.

Pete Geither · #15 10-03-2009, 06:43 AM

If it weren't for the weeds, I wouldn't have a lawn.