Granular pre-emergent and crabgrass mix?

[TreffertLawnWrx]

Ive been reading alot about the liquid applications but does anyone make a granular pre-em broadleaf and crabgrass control product? If not, can i apply them at the same time as my spring fertilizer app? I plan on an early spring pre-em with crabgrass, and a fert like a 18-0-8? Then a late spring app, as well as a summer and a winterizer but still have no idea what product and selection of ?-?-? to use. All Im looking to do is keep things weed free and green as these are all commercial properites. If i do need to do a liquid app is it for the broadleaf or crabgrass? Do both have to be done with a liquid? I plan on using all granular for my fertilizer. The products will be applied with a PG spreader, but I need to know if I have to get a liquid set-up as well. These are all 10+ acre properites. Thanks......again! This is for mainly KBG in Minnesota.

[Shades of Green LService]

If your using a PG to apply. put down a fert/pre- emergent combo and spot spray the broad leafs w/ the PG. The NPK ratio depends on your area and what your lawns need. there are many different ratios to meet for your specific needs.

[RigglePLC]

In Minnesota, may I suggest an early granular fertilizer with pre-emergent crabgrass control. Granular weed control is not very effective compared to liquid. Weed control has to wait until warm enough. Dandelions will bloom about the time of first mowing--about 3rd week of April. Second application could be with liquid broadleaf weed control. You could do crabgrass, fertilizer and weed control all the same day, if your schedule permits. But it is better to do weed control later when warm enough for clover, oxalis and ground ivy.

Treat weeds again in fall to reduce next spring's weeds.

[Runner]

No one with a PG would be asking such questions. Sorry,...but it is the truth.

[The Rookie]

what does pg stand for. I have no clue.

[Shades of Green LService]

Perma Green- ride on spreader/sprayer

[philk17088]

I feel sorry for those customers

[Shades of Green LService]

Well, at least the guy is asking questions and trying to learn. Lets give him credit for that at least. However, i do question whether he does in fact have a PG.

[philk17088]

Learn first and then go do it.
this is no occupation to wing it as you go.
Too many of us are facing stricter regulations and limits on what we can use in our livelyhoods. I don't need some one who doesn't even know what a combo product is making it worse.

[Runner]

Yeah...And like I say,.. I mean no offense by it, or anything like that. It is just sort of scary when some of these these guys are wanting or are going out attempting this type of stuff, and not know even the tip of the iceberg. Things like form or formulations, let alone what ai's should be used for what conditions or circumstances. I'm sorry, but this is NOTHING to mess around with. Just because it is related to the green industry, does not mean that it is even remotely close to the simplicity of mowing and other maintenance procedures and operations. It is becoming alarming at the questions and the amount of people on here that are desiring to get into this aspect of the business. You have to understand that when us applicators are trained and licensed, we are taught about total safety and concern of environment, including such things as proper identification of the pest, lifecycles to know the most adequate treatment with least amount of harm or disruption of the environment, knowledge of conditions that surround the pests and/or conditions so effective curative measures can be performed, and FULL knowledge of what curatives are usable and safe, and most of all most effective with least disruption to the environment. Much knowledge on IPM practices is learned and taken into consideration when performing these services, as well.

[MStine315]

As the pricing of ride-on equipment comes down, the frequency of these questions seems to go up. Hmmm....

[Runner]

Yeah, it's makin' it look pretty easy, isn't it?:headphones:

[turfsolutions]

Everyone was a rookie once. The purpose of this forum is to gain knowledge and share the knowledge that has been learned. I am not saying I am for those unliscensed guys who are going out and doing their thing. If you are a beginner who is interested in starting up a fert and squirt biz, then by all means ask any question you want, within reason, and you will get a lot of good advice on this forum. For those who are to "whatever" to share their expert knowledge, then don't reply, but don't make a guy feel bad for asking.

To answer your question: I would use a granular fert with dimension (pre emergant). For those lawns that need a jump start get a mix with around 19% Nitrogen. For those lawns that don't need a jump, go with around 12% Nitrogen. I won't dive to much further into the pre emergant subject because I don't know your region that well. You may need to do a split application on lawns with crabgrass issues.

As far as spraying broadleaf weeds and crabgrass you can go a couple of routes. You can spray a 3 way broadleaf weed control product like Super Trimec or Speed Zone that will control most broadleaf weeds. If you have crabgrass breakthroughs you can spray those with a new product called Q4 which is a 4 way weed control product. It will control broadleaf weeds, but also will kill crabgrass, although with crabgrass you may need to hit it twice. Q4 is a bit more expensive so you want to use it more sparingly.

With bad nutsedge issues use Manage.

Hope this helps.

[turfsolutions]

Sorry,one more thing I just noticed.

If they are all 10 + acre properties, consider switching to a z spray.

[Frank Fescue]

I gota kind of go w/ Runner on this, learn before you get out there not as you go. I hate to say it but I started out with a small company, learned a LOT, got bought out by a bigger company where I probably digressed if anything.. but took time to learn on my own. Im by no means a master, but 99/100 I'll be able to diagnose a problem and solve it. Props for trying to learn but I'd suggest putting in some real serious study times, good going Treffert you seem serious about doing a good job but dont skimp or do things the easy way somehow it'll come back and bite you on the butt.

[turfsolutions]

I agree that you need to put the time into studying / research before you jump in, but their needs to be a balance because their is a first time for everything. When you are doing something for the first time, you are learning as you go.

Some liscenced guys are in a situation where they don't have the time or the money to wait, they need to jump in and start earning some money. They may not have someone to phyically show them how to treat a property. No one showed me how to use a z spray. I bought it and learned on the fly.

Heck I remember the first lawn I treated with one. The owners manual said to turn the spreader to a speed of 45 and set the opening to 5.75. That would be great if I was doing a large field but when I opened up that spreader that fertilizer was shooting out about 30 feet in each direction. Point being, even though I put a lot of time into research, more so than many, I still needed to learn many things on the fly.

[Frank Fescue]

and learning things by trial and error is a great way to become and expert. My first year in I striped a fair share of large fields... oh well! But arming yourself with as much information as humanly possible cuts down on mistakes and makes your job that much easier. Sounds like he was going to go on the road and start doing business reguardless of how much info he had.

[TreffertLawnWrx]

Thank you Frank F and Turf solutions for your positive reponses! Its exactly the type of answers I was shooting for.

For everyone else please refer to the following post for the pretense of this question.

Thanks, Scott

http://www.lawnsite.com/showthread.php?t=176144

[Chaltu237]

Scott,
I personally feel that the combination fert/dimmension is the way to go followed by a broadcast (liquid) of Trimec (just my preference there)... I also have been using LI700 (a penetrating agent) with some of my liquid apps for even greater effect but it is generally not needed in the spring... Also I have seen greater crabgrass breakthrough due to excessive spring rains eventually wearing away the dimmension barrier so I am considering using the split application rates and I usually spot treat (post-emergent) with either Drive or Acclaim... Good luck!!