In my last post, I visited about weed-control, specifically using Barricade pre-emergent to stop crabgrass and other weeds from germinating. While this is not an endorsement of the product Barricade, we have used it for about 5 years now with good results. Research also shows that it stands up to rainy conditions and lasts longer in the soil compared to other available products.
At LawnAmerica, we apply the Barricade at a 28oz/acre rate, which as you can see, is at the top end of the spectrum. That should provide about 7 months of control with ONE treatment. As discussed last week, a treatment is not a treatment when comparing lawncare services. Some will give a homewoner maybe 16 oz, and then come back in 4-5 weeks for the other half, and bill them again. While the customer may think they are getting a better deal, they are not, as we’ve done in ONE treatment what the other company took two treatments to provide.
This chart shows how long Barricade pre-emergent will last in the soil (under ideal conditions).
Excess rainfall and irrigation do cause any pre-emergent to break down sooner in the soil. Nobody can control the rainfall, and we’ve had two years of excessive rain during spring and summer. Homewoners can control their irrigation though, so that’s a topic for late this summer.
Since a pre-emergent forms a barrier in the soil which kills weeds as they germinate, any time the soil is disrupted, the barrier can break and lead to weeds during the season. So, I would not advise walking across your lawn in golf spikes all the time, and if the kids and dogs are doing their thing in the lawn, don’t expect great crabgrass control. That’s OK though—kids and most dogs are more important than having a little more crabgrass in the lawn. Moles and gophers can wreck havoc on a lawn, while breaking down the pre-emergent barrier also every time they dig.
Many homeowners are under the impression that by applying a pre-emergent herbicide, they won’t have any weeds come up. Not true–sorry. Most do very little for broadleaf weeds and sedges, so they need to be sprayed after they come up. There are a few specialty products out there that will prevent many broadleaf weeds such as dandelions from germinating, the the cost of the products is way out of the range that most homeowners will pay. Weeds will need to be spot-treated every six weeks or so. That’s one reason why consistent treatments and care are necessary for best results.
Cultural practices such as mowing and fertilization play a huge part in good crabgrass control also. For more information on how to get the most out of weed-control from LawnAmerica or doing your own lawncare go to http://www.lawnamerica.com/tulsa-weed-control.html. There you will see that while very important, there is a lot more to having a crabgrass-free lawn than applying pre-emergent.
