How would you answer this?

[GreenerSideLC]

I recently got my certification to apply pesticides in CT. Im talking to a customer who wants me to apply next year. they asked me:

"We currently use "Natural Lawn of America" and are under the impression that our 2-yr-old is "safe" when he plays on the lawn. What do you recommend concerning keeping the youngster off the lawn after you have applied your treatments? (Is your stuff dangerous, do we keep him off the grass for one day, two days, etc...). Thanks."

Im sure I ll be using similar chemicals but from what I remember its 48hr waiting period after most applications for kids and pets. Am I right or does it vary from application to application? how would you answer this customer?

[SodKing]

Depends on what the re-entry interval on the label says. Most products I use say after the product has deied or the dust has settled.

[teeca]

i would use the 'safe' as little as possible. most lables do allow re-entrry after the product has dried, however i always like to give a 48hr window (except for the dog doing his business), by this time the lawn has soaked it all up and the strong smell has gone. regardless of the lable ask yourself this: would you let your kids roll around in your lawn 2hr after a blanket treatment of weed control even though it's dry? not me!

[NattyLawn]

I did sales for NLA for a brief period (issue was commission and mileage). The pre-emergent and spot weed spray are really the only chemicals they used at the branch I worked for. Also, about 20% of customers received the 7-0-2 (corn gluten, organic pre-emergent), so I would be careful. Are you using organic ferts? Besides the pre-em, NLA ferts are organic.
Do you want to go by label recs. or be safe? I would rec 24-48 hours for pre-emergent and weed control, especially when the customer shows strong concern when it comes to pets and young kids....

[josh mcguire]

I may be wrong but wasn't Natural Lawn thrown out of the PLACCA because they were not using natural and organic ferts and since when is Pre M a natural weed control?

[NattyLawn]

I may be wrong but wasn't Natural Lawn thrown out of the PLACCA because they were not using natural and organic ferts and since when is Pre M a natural weed control?

You've never heard of corn gluten? Do a search...

I'm not here to defend NLA. I was trying to give some insight on their apps to GreenerSide.

[josh mcguire]

I did not say corn gluten I said pre-m but thanks for the lesson on natural and organic turf care

[NattyLawn]

Corn gluten is organic pre-em in case you didn't know or I'm missing something from your post...I don't even think you know what you meant. Thanks for the attitude though!

[nocutting]

I recently got my certification to apply pesticides in CT. Im talking to a customer who wants me to apply next year. they asked me:

"We currently use "Natural Lawn of America" and are under the impression that our 2-yr-old is "safe" when he plays on the lawn. What do you recommend concerning keeping the youngster off the lawn after you have applied your treatments? (Is your stuff dangerous, do we keep him off the grass for one day, two days, etc...). Thanks."

Im sure I ll be using similar chemicals but from what I remember its 48hr waiting period after most applications for kids and pets. Am I right or does it vary from application to application? how would you answer this customer?
I'd listen to Natty on this one, he knows his stuff.........and the client didnt beat around about their concerns:alien: :waving:

[ant]

good post,keep it going

[somo1]

Whatever you use read your labels! I tell customers that once it is watered (pre-m) or dry it is OK. The biggest concern I have since I use all granular fert. is the tracking of pre-m dust through the house (kids, pets). As for herbicide after it dries it is OK. Since it is mostly water. This is what I tell the customer about herbicides since it smells the worst thats what most of them are concerned about. " I usually don't tell customers this but our herbicide is 99% water so after it dries it won't hurt your kids or pets. We use a concentrate of a contact herbicide, once it touches the weed and dries it starts doing its job. " I haven't had any complaints from people about it being dangerous.

[NattyLawn]

Whatever you use read your labels! I tell customers that once it is watered (pre-m) or dry it is OK. The biggest concern I have since I use all granular fert. is the tracking of pre-m dust through the house (kids, pets). As for herbicide after it dries it is OK. Since it is mostly water. This is what I tell the customer about herbicides since it smells the worst thats what most of them are concerned about. " I usually don't tell customers this but our herbicide is 99% water so after it dries it won't hurt your kids or pets. We use a concentrate of a contact herbicide, once it touches the weed and dries it starts doing its job. " I haven't had any complaints from people about it being dangerous.

So you think that weed control after it dries, it's ok for kids and pets to play on? I know that's what the label says, but common sense says that's not the case. Weed control is mostly water, and 2-4-d. If it's so safe, I want to see you roll around on the turf immediately after it dries. Send Pics!

[GreenerSideLC]

Thanks for the replies. I plan on using granular til I can afford a sprayer. So would you say its "safer" after its been watered in. How bout granular Merit? Is there anything I should be concerd about with it? Like I said in my initial post Im new to this and still have a lot to learn.

[teeca]

granular is a different story. it is heavy enough that it will fall to the soil shortly after application (really during the appl).

[TurfProSTL]

So you think that weed control after it dries, it's ok for kids and pets to play on? I know that's what the label says, but common sense says that's not the case. Weed control is mostly water, and 2-4-d. If it's so safe, I want to see you roll around on the turf immediately after it dries. Send Pics!If you check the label of a common broadleaf control (like Trimec), you see half of the product is inert ingredients. At a rate of 1.5 ounces per 1,000 sf, you are applying about 3/4 ounce of active ingredient.....

I WOULD roll around on this 3/4 ounce of chemical spread over 1,000 square feet (once the solution has dried). The dog and the kids could join me.