Weed Control: Program VS. One time Application

Proper care produces a beautiful lawn

Spring is here and with warm season weather comes warm season weeds. If you are looking to keep weeds out of your lawn, professional weed control services are the way to go. You might be wondering if you can get a one time application made to kill the weeds and then be good for the rest of the season. After all, once the weeds are all dead, they can't produce more, right? It's actually a bit more complex than that. There is a reason why turf management and weed control is a science with entire labs and research teams dedicated specifically to studying it. In this post we are going to explore why one-time treatments may not be the best option to choose if you want the best results for your lawn.

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When a company recommends an ongoing weed control program over a one-time application, you may assume that it is simply because they want to make more money. This isn't the case though, there is real need for ongoing treatment in order to produce results. A one-time treatment will likely just be a waste of money and you won't see much improvement from it. In the video below, our weed control expert, Bryce Kirkpatrick, explains the need for ongoing treatment in order to produce results.

Not an Instant Kill

Weeds are abundant for a reason- they are very resilient and hardy. Some weeds are only weakened by the first application of a herbicide, even if it's specifically engineered to treat that specific weed. A follow-up treatment is required to finish them off completely. If seeds are already in the ground about to germinate, the weeds will be back, since they are unaffected by post-emergent herbicide. This brings us to the next point.

There isn't an All-in-One Treatment

There are usually more than one kind of weed in the yard, and this often means more than one kind of treatment is required. Certain treatments can't be mixed together. Spray trucks only have a limited number of mix tanks as well. More than one visit is then required in order to apply all the necessary treatments.

The Weed Control Process

The results of regular professional treatments

Professional weed control programs are an ongoing process of treatments and follow-up treatments. On the first visit, the technician will apply a treatment for the main weeds present in the lawn and spot-treat some others if possible. They will note other issues present which need to be addressed on the follow-up visit. When returning for that follow-up, they will have additional products to treat other weeds noted in the lawn, as well as any treatment needed to follow-up the first application.

​This cycle continues throughout the year, gradually beating back the weeds while boosting turf growth. Eventually, the weed population becomes almost non-existent, and the turf becomes thick enough to inhibit the growth of new weeds. Once your yard reaches this point, it is then maintained with pre-emergent applications and policing any weeds that do pop up with post-emergent spot-treatments. Annual fertilization and aeration services are also included with many programs. These, along with proper irrigation schedules, help build up your turf's strength and establish a strong root system.

The amount of time and effort required to reach this point depends on your yard's condition when starting with a weed control program. It isn't an overnight change though, and certainly not achievable with a single application. Getting that beautiful, lush, green carpet lawn you dream of having requires work, careful planning, and time. You have to be prepared to stick with the program, especially if your starting out with a lawn that has never had any type of weed control before. It won't be an instant fix, but with time, you will get the lawn you want!

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the Road to a Better Lawn Starts Here

If you are interested in a weed control program for your lawn, we can get you a free estimate on what it would cost! Just request a free estimate today!