The 5-day workweek has given way to the 4-day workweek in some circles.  That’s all fine, as long as one can get their work done in four 10-hour days I suppose.  However in the lawncare business lately, we’ve had to resort to the 1-day workweek, due to the cold, snowy, rainy, and just downright nasty weather we’ve experienced in the Tulsa area so far this season.  It’s really tough to get our customers serviced, when we have maybe one day a week that’s suitable for spraying.  We’ll make it somehow though, meeting the deadline of applying the spring pre-emergent down before the end of March.  We’re just in for some long days when the sun does come back.

As a business owner, it’s tough enough to deal with the challenges of the economy, business regulations, and other issues.  Now, at LawnAmerica, every day our staff gets paid to stuff envelopes or clean the warehouse even more, we lose about $15,000 with no income generated.  It’s been a long time since we’ve experienced a tough winter in Oklahoma, but as I constantly tell my staff, “It will always work out in the wash.”   I just look forward to the sun coming out, and seeing our guys leave the shop in the LawnAmerica trucks with their tanks full of pre-emergent.

That’s the main thing that lawns need now—a pre-emergent herbicide to prevent crabgrass and other weeds from germinating.  Typically, crabgrass germinates when the 4” soil temperature reaches about 55 degrees for several days, which usually is very late March to early April here in Oklahoma.  We’re along way from that now—with all the cold temperatures.  But warm March weather can increase those soil temperatures quickly, so we’ll be busting our tails to get our pre-emergents down before then.  As long as a quality pre-emergent (we use Barricade) is applied at the correct rate (we use a solid rate) before the end of March, crabgrass will be prevented from germinating.  That’s why they call it a pre-emergent!  

We also incorporate two other herbicides with both pre and post-emergent properties into our early spring mix.  These help knock out spring weeds that may be present, such as dandelions, chickweed, annual bluegrass, and henbit.  This is probably the most important treatment of the season for successful weed-control in Tulsa lawns.  And LawnAmerica does it better, safer, and more responsibly than anyone else in town.  

One of my large competitors, Trugreen, called our home a few days ago soliciting our business.  So I thought, what the heck, I’ll  just let them apply our step 1 and see what’s it’s really like to be their customer (I pretty much know already).  Their “lawncare expert” informed me that it was just fine to have our two dogs out on the lawn, because their products “were harmless” to pets.  OK.  Water is harmless, but the labels on my products state that children and pets must stay off until dry.  They’ve not been out yet to spray, but it sounds like they’ll do a blanket treatment with our dogs at their heels.  If so, they are in violation of label instructions, and in violation of the law.  I hope they get bitten! 

Before we can produce this, we just need some nicer weather now!

We will be done with our existing customers by the end of March, even if we have to work with little miners lamps on our heads applying at night.  I just say this to see how soon it takes for my employees to be knocking at my door questioning my latest innovation.    We actually won’t be doing that (I think), and we won’t be spraying your entire backyard with your dog or kids running around!

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 10th, 2010 at 3:27 pm and is filed under Environmental, Ice & Snow Control, Lawncare, Weed Control. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.