What do lawn services use to spray?

[2CRUZ]

Hey Fellas I'm trying to figure out what professional lawn care services mix up to spray on lawns. My neighbors pay these guys a ton of money to do it but i want to do it my self. It's not that I can't afford to do it I just like to take pride in doing things myself. I have my own 25gal lawn sprayer on my 4 wheeler. I spray a pre emergent in the spring and a weed killer to kill the broadleaf weeds and my lawn looks good but the pro lawn care guys are still kickin my ***. I want that perfect lawn that will dominate my neighbors. I know they spray a combination of herbicide and fertilizer but I can't figure out what it is they mix. Any ex lawn care guys willing to share their secrets.
Thanks Guys

 

[WhiffySpark]

You can't do it cheaper than what they charge. You'll have to find someone in your area specifically to find out. We have fescue here

What are you spraying now?

 

[2CRUZ]

That what I have is fescue. The pro's won't tell what is in their mix. I can understand that they are trying to make a living. I know I can't do it cheaper. I want to do it myself.

 

[ratdoggy]

You can't do it cheaper than what they charge. You'll have to find someone in your area specifically to find out. We have fescue here

What are you spraying now?

I don't do mine either even if it cost me $20 over the chemicals..
I have an acre
I think it's worth it. As I have a life outside of my lawn
Your time has a cost value also

 

[Kaizen]

for fertilizer use granules. also check the ph of your lawn you might need to lime. I only use liquid for weed killer. when was the last time you overseeded? do you mow it tall?

 

[Leaflessshadetree]

Have a soil test done to find out what you need (maybe several tests). If there are particular weeds that you want to get rid of take them to a real fertilizer/chemical dealer.

 

[WhiffySpark]

Go visit a site one store in your area or similar store. Idk if they sell to general public though

Mixes are closely guarded secrets. I just finished classes for horticulture and took test. You got to remember when you're using chemicals it can be very dangerous

 

[LB-1911]

That what I have is fescue. The pro's won't tell what is in their mix. I can understand that they are trying to make a living. I know I can't do it cheaper. I want to do it myself.

You also will not be able to legally acquire the restricted use pesticides employed by licensed lawn care services.

 

[theoldwizard1]

Trimec is a very popular broad leaf weed killer used by a lot of commercial sprayers (actually contains 3 different weed killers: 2, 4 D - 25.93%, Propionic Acid - 6.93% Dicamba - 2.76%). Amazon sells it so I don't think there are any restrictions (except possibly local restrictions) for purchase and use.

Nutsedge and actively growing crab grass require "special" chemicals.

For fertilizer, buy the cheapest "store brand" (Walmart, Kmart, etc) without weed killer or if you like to spray, generic Miracle Grow granular and a hose end sprayer.

 

[2CRUZ]

Wizdard1 I use Trimec as a broad leaf weed killer and I use a pre emergent in the spring. Professional lawn guys use a mixture of both pre emergent and a liquid fertilizer. I live in a rural area and I can get any chemical I want. I just want to know what they use.

 

[zoomzoomjeff]

You can't do it cheaper than what they charge. You'll have to find someone in your area specifically to find out. We have fescue here

What are you spraying now?

I don't know about that. My father in law spends a small fortune each year from TruGreen. Like about $1600 IIRC. I can buy an assload of chemicals, even at retail prices, for $1600. Not to mention I can buy from a local co-op here or more conveniently from my dad who's an ag chemical dealer.

IMO, people like TruGreen/ChemLawn apply WAYYY too much fertilizer and way too much herbicide. It is complete overkill. Not to mention any runoff goes directly into storm sewers, then immediately to local watersheds.

 

[kwschumm]

TruGreen seems to use a lot of nitrogen (with some other stuff), which keeps moss down and the lawn very green. It is lush and green but it grows so fast you end up mowing every third day.

 

[NJ Marty]

I don't know about that. My father in law spends a small fortune each year from TruGreen. Like about $1600 IIRC. I can buy an assload of chemicals, even at retail prices, for $1600. Not to mention I can buy from a local co-op here or more conveniently from my dad who's an ag chemical dealer.

IMO, people like TruGreen/ChemLawn apply WAYYY too much fertilizer and way too much herbicide. It is complete overkill. Not to mention any runoff goes directly into storm sewers, then immediately to local watersheds.

I think its the other way around. The homeowner reads the label and puts down twice as much because they think more is better. And they can fertilize as much as they want. The pros are regulated and the mixture and rate they apply it is exact. Here in NJ we can only put down 1lb of nitogen on customers lawn per year.

 

[MarkG]

I've been walking my entire yard daily, hand-digging each dandelion. My yard is clean, green, and (mostly) weed- and chemical-free! I am surrounded by neighbors (except for a couple) who apparently think dandelions are 'pretty'----there is more yellow than green in their yards, so I realize I will need to do this every day this growing season to keep it that way, but it is satisfying to physically get them out by the roots----no waiting for chemicals to 'work'. We did spread a 'weed-n-feed' mix of some sort from Scotts.

 

[LB-1911]

I live in a rural area and I can get any chemical I want. I just want to know what they use.

You may want to go that location in your rural area where you can buy any chemical you want and ask them.

Fertilome Weed Free Zone works in cooler weather and is a General Use.


You can buy any General Use chemical you want, there are Restricted Use chemicals that require a license and a few of the chemicals used by lawn services are Restricted Use.

 

[WhiffySpark]

I don't know about that. My father in law spends a small fortune each year from TruGreen. Like about $1600 IIRC. I can buy an assload of chemicals, even at retail prices, for $1600. Not to mention I can buy from a local co-op here or more conveniently from my dad who's an ag chemical dealer.

IMO, people like TruGreen/ChemLawn apply WAYYY too much fertilizer and way too much herbicide. It is complete overkill. Not to mention any runoff goes directly into storm sewers, then immediately to local watersheds.

How many sq feet is the yard? Like someone else said your time isn't free either. Pros are very regulated on how much chemical they put down. Trugreen is known cut everything with extra water.

$1600 sounds awful high. An acre is around $60. $360 for the year

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You can't do it cheaper than what they charge. You'll have to find someone in your area specifically to find out. We have fescue here

X2. I do everything myself EXCEPT treatments. I can't buy the materials for less, let alone the same, as what my service charges to provide and apply them.

Tommy

 

[bry@n]

same here. I pay for a service; cheaper in the end.

 

[Hilltopmasonry]

I don't do mine either even if it cost me $20 over the chemicals..
I have an acre
I think it's worth it. As I have a life outside of my lawn
Your time has a cost value also

I agree

I don't know about that. My father in law spends a small fortune each year from TruGreen. Like about $1600 IIRC. I can buy an assload of chemicals, even at retail prices, for $1600. Not to mention I can buy from a local co-op here or more conveniently from my dad who's an ag chemical dealer.

IMO, people like TruGreen/ChemLawn apply WAYYY too much fertilizer and way too much herbicide. It is complete overkill. Not to mention any runoff goes directly into storm sewers, then immediately to local watersheds.

That seems high? Do they also airate and overseed as well because that's expensive i have 1/2 acre and it is under $600/yr for the basic service. They do up sell everything in the world like tree service, bushes service, rock salt delivery for melting ice ..etc

TruGreen seems to use a lot of nitrogen (with some other stuff), which keeps moss down and the lawn very green. It is lush and green but it grows so fast you end up mowing every third day.

I bought my house 3 years ago and the grass was ALL weeds! 3 years later and it looks great because of trugreen, fortunately i have a lawnservice that mows because it grows crazy fast

same here. I pay for a service; cheaper in the end.

Its nice to not worry about it plus i dont want a spreadder in my garage with bags of chemicals

 

[zendriver]

If one goes to Walmart for fertilizer and weed killer, they are wasting time and money.

Visit a farms store and get a cheap brand of concentrated 2-4-d. You'll get 400 gallons, for the same price as 4.

Granulated fertilizer, suitable for turf grass is also much less costly. Some states do not allow purchasing, farm chemicals in bulk without a license.

I had a friend that worked for Tru-green decades ago. Heavy mix of liquid high nitrogen fertilizer and heavy mix liquid 2-4-d

Don't ever bother spreading granular Weed-and-feed, on dry grass. It must stick to the weed leaves to work, at all. I see lots of plush lawns, that are DIY.

 

[EricP]

You should be able to have a better lawn than your neighbors that use a paid service. They only come once a month or every other. You can hit it weekly if needed and with your spray rig can concentrate on the trouble areas.

Your county extension agent can help you come up with a herbicide mix and application schedule for your lawn. They will know the weeds/conditions common in your area. One thing I learned that made a HUGE difference to my mixes was to add ammonium sulfate (not nitrate), 3-5 pounds per 50 gallons of water. If you have hard water the calcium breaks the herbicide salts down in the tank. Ammonium sulfate stops the reaction and the herbicide will be full strength when it hits the vegetation. Night and day results for me.

 

[ishiboo]

What is your problem? How are they kicking your ***? Are there weeds you are not getting? Is your lawn not green/lush/thick enough?

 

[188slo50]

TruGreen seems to use a lot of nitrogen (with some other stuff), which keeps moss down and the lawn very green. It is lush and green but it grows so fast you end up mowing every third day.

They also use a **** load of ironite.


Most big company's techs won't tell you what the use cause they don't know. When I worked for Trugreen all liquids were put in your truck from a 5000gallon tank, depended on the tech to whether you got a good mix or not.

 

[AV8OR]

As a general rule weeds hate to be mowed.

There is a lot more to kill them but a start would be to keep the grass cut on a regular basis.

The other is to cater to your grass that you want growing in your yard and figure out what it needs to be healthy and vibrant.

As they say, "One man's grass is another man's weed."

It might take three or four seasons to see results but you do have to stay on top of it or throw in the towel and call in the pros.

Another thought is to call in the pros and once they get your yard where you want it then you might be able to keep it looking good on your own.

Here is the soil testing lab I use:

http://texasplantandsoillab.com

 

[ZRX61]

I am surrounded by neighbors (except for a couple) who apparently think dandelions are 'pretty'----there is more yellow than green in their yards.

Dandelions are one of the first flowers that bee's feed on early in the year before everything else starts flowering. If it were up to me, I'd leave them.

 

[ishiboo]

For a nice green fool-proof lawn, try some Milorganite!

 

[AMCguy]

I've been in the lawn maintenance business since 1986. My customers lawns are always the best in their neighbourhood and I don't have to spray anything.

I'm not one of those Monsanto hating, granola eating, tree huggers, but it bothers me a great deal, to see someone spray their entire lawn each and every time they think they might have seen a dandelion. Or use Weed & Feed constantly because they think it's better than just plain fertilizer.

You probably won't believe me, but here is a little known truth. It's well known by professional turf managers. Weeds CAN NOT compete with healthy turf. If you have more than an occasional weed, there is something that you are doing (or aren't doing) that is giving weeds an advantage over the grass.

Remember most lawn weeds are annuals. The weeds you are dealing with now, are the offspring of last years plant. The way they have proliferated, was through a lawn that was either under populated, under fertilized, mowed incorrectly or watered incorrectly.

 

[chops101]

QUOTE=AMCguy;5693126]
You probably won't believe me, but here is a little known truth. It's well known by professional turf managers. Weeds CAN NOT compete with healthy turf. If you have more than an occasional weed, there is something that you are doing (or aren't doing) that is giving weeds an advantage over the grass.
[/QUOTE]


^^^ This.
A healthy lawn will not allow most weeds to flourish.
Also cutting grass too close, because everybody else is doing it, is another great way to stress your grass.
Water management is another part of the puzzle. Certain weeds will take over if you over-water.

It was already mentioned, go find a Site One dealer (formerly John D Landscapes) they will have the proper blends for your area and tell you anything you want to know. They sell to the public and from my experiences they like seeing John Doe Homeowners instead of the usual pro landscapers.

 

[Farmall450]

Trimec is a very popular broad leaf weed killer used by a lot of commercial sprayers (actually contains 3 different weed killers: 2, 4 D - 25.93%, Propionic Acid - 6.93% Dicamba - 2.76%). Amazon sells it so I don't think there are any restrictions (except possibly local restrictions) for purchase and use.

Nutsedge and actively growing crab grass require "special" chemicals.

For fertilizer, buy the cheapest "store brand" (Walmart, Kmart, etc) without weed killer or if you like to spray, generic Miracle Grow granular and a hose end sprayer.

Something is up with the "Trimec" you posted: it's missing Mecoprop, it's namesake!

Here's the real Trimec:
http://pbigordon.com/pdfs/TrimecLawnWeedKiller-SL.pdf

I'd use PBI Gordon's Trimec or speedzone. Alternately you could use their 15-0-0 weed n feed liquid. Get some nitrogen on at the same time.

 

[Farmall450]

For a nice green fool-proof lawn, try some Milorganite!

You better have patience and a lot of room for those 2500 sqft 40# bags.