What You Need to Know!
Weeds are an unwelcome sight in almost any scenario. Looking out at your lawn and seeing sharp, hideous, and nightmarishly misshapen weeds standing tall and choking the life out of the plants you purposely planted is a sight no one wants to behold. But what can be done and how can this seemingly never-ending issue be combated? Well, when it comes to weeds there are only two solutions, you can either use pre-emergent or post-emergent methods. Most people when thinking of dealing with weeds often picture the post-emergent methods. Maybe this is you or someone else on their hands and knees pulling crabgrass and other weeds out by the roots or someone with a backpack sprayer coming in and using some type of weed control solution. However, what if I told you there was a way to deal with weeds before they even started to grow with a pre-emergent solution.
What is Pre-Emergent and Why is it Important?
Pre-emergent, to put it simply, is a type of herbicide that works to prevent weed seeds from germinating. As the pre in pre-emergent states this product is to be applied before weeds have started to germinate. Post-emergent on the other hand, are processes used once the weeds have sprouted through the ground. So why is applying pre-emergent so important? Well, as World War I Navy Admiral William F Halsey once stated, "all problems become smaller when you confront them instead of dodging them." When you confront weeds with a pre-emergent your weed issue becomes smaller throughout the season. If you were to skip the pre-emergent, dodging the weed issue in a sense, and wait until the weeds have sprouted then you will be dealing with a much larger issue later on in the season.
Does Pre-Emergent Treat Weeds Once They Have Germinated?
Unfortunately, pre-emergent does not work on weeds that have already germinated.
The timing for putting down a pre-emergent is very important. Here in the Treasure Valley area, for the most effective pre-emergent application the product is typically applied in the month of March for the spring application and September/October for the fall application. If you are a new client and sign up after March, we may put down pre-emergent as it is still effective just not as effective because by now weeds will have started to germinate. The fall pre-emergent treatment is needed as many weeds spread their seeds during late summer and early autumn months and can germinate in the fall lying dormant in the winter.
Does Pre-Emergent Remove the Need of Post-Emergent Applications?
You would think if a pre-emergent was placed down correctly that you would not have to deal with any weeds throughout the season. Alas, this is not the case. What is commonly not realized is that weeds are spread by all sorts of different methods. The pre-emergent will get rid of the weed seeds that are currently in your lawn but has no effect on weeds that may be spread later in the season. Seeds are spread by a variety of methods including but not limited to animal droppings, irrigation, wind, and just coming over from your neighbor’s yard. You will see more weeds throughout the year if you are on irrigation water as opposed to city water because often times weed seeds are spread through the irrigation canals, down your sprinkler pipes, and right out of your sprinkler heads! Since weeds can still be spread throughout the year, it is important to have an ongoing post-emergent plan.
How Do You Get a Pre-Emergent Application?
Easy, sign up for one of our lawn care programs. Spring pre-emergent is offered in all of our lawn care programs along with fertilizer and weed control applications to keep the weeds out and the lawn healthy. Our Gold package which also happens to be our most common package also includes a Fall pre-emergent, but you can add a Fall pre-emergent to any of our packages. We no longer offer just a pre-emergent application because as mentioned before this is not a one-time application that cures all. You will still need continuous lawn care and weed control treatments to keep your lawn looking healthy, green, and beautiful. Give us a call to see what our lawncare prices look like and always feel free to contact us with any questions you may have.
