Spring is coming, and with it comes early mornings and late nights for us here at Blue & White Landscapes. We are very excited about the new growing season and are ready to assist you with the performance of your landscape. Several important processes need to be performed to ensure a great start for your landscape this season, and one of the most important is the application of pre-emergent weed control.

Pre-emergent herbicides form the foundation of any early-season weed control program. They work by creating a chemical barrier between the thatch layer and the topsoil. Once weed roots grow enough to come in contact with this barrier, they absorb the herbicide, which slows growth and eventually kills the weeds. However, anything that disrupts this barrier or disturbs the soil will affect its performance, leading to weak breakthrough.

Ideally, pre-emergent herbicides should be applied just before weeds begin to germinate. Crabgrass and other grassy weeds typically start to germinate when soil temperatures stabilize above 55 degrees, usually around mid-March. Most pre-emergent herbicides last for about 120 days, though the best control typically lasts around 90 days. The effectiveness of the control diminishes as the product breaks down due to exposure to heat, sunlight, and microbial activity.

The frustrating reality with pre-emergent products is that they are never perfect. Studies show that any product delivering 80% control or better is performing very well, and 100% control is unlikely. It’s also important to note that not all weeds that invade turf grass can be controlled by pre-emergent. One notable example is Fireweed. Fireweed and other noxious broadleaf weeds typically sprout in late May and can wreak havoc on your lawn’s appearance. These weeds, like Fireweed, are not controlled by pre-emergent products because they form roots in the thatch layer of the lawn, never coming in contact with the chemical barrier. This results in an unsightly population of broadleaf weeds.

At this point, you may be thinking that your lawn care service provider is not performing the services they promised. However, this may not be the case! Fortunately, Fireweed and other weeds that grow in the thatch layer can be controlled by post-emergent products after they have sprouted. This process may require several applications to completely eradicate them from your lawn.

All of this technical information is important to you, the homeowner, because we only have a small window of opportunity to achieve the desired results. If we apply the product too early, we won’t have enough control throughout the germination period. If we apply it too late, well, you know the rest!

To learn more about our services and how we can improve the performance of your landscape, please feel free to contact us.