flower bed maintenance programs

[Lance L]

ok, so some of my customers beds are begining to suffer from weeds, i would like to set up some programs to prevent this and was wanting to find out what works for you and if you have made any formulas work to determine pricing.

we have people that are fine with round up and some that want only hand pulling. and also when weeds are growing in dense ferns and ground cover. something would be done each visit unless they didnt need anything. would like help from chemicals but not sure what to use, if it would hurt shrubs or seasonal color, for a post and pre emergent.

so does anyone have different things they do for flower bed maintenance, that works well?

thanks!!

[Az Gardener]

Beds that are well prepared are easy to keep free of weeds. Turn the soil 6"-8" add lots of compost and the flowers will grow big quickly and any weeds will be very easy to pull. Also if the flowers are fertilized and planted at reasonable distances apart within 4-6 weeks you should not be able to see the ground anyway.

[Lance L]

anyone else?

[jaybird24]

Almost all of ours get snapshot pre emergent in the spring, it works real well to keep weeds to a minimum, then roundup once a month. Our weeding time went down 90% and roundup is very minimal. Any time we do a mulch install they get snapshot to get things off to a good start. I would like to not use chemicals much, but it's just not practical for the amount we do. Just make sure any new plantings are watered in first.

[lawnprosteveo]

Jaybird...Where can you get snapshot? I take it that its safe to get it on existing plants?

[Lance L]

jay how about with seasonal color? is it safe does it slow down the growth if you put it down before planting?

[columbiaplower]

get snapshot at lesco or where ever you get chemicals. As far a color goes we change them out so often we never put pre emergent around them. simply plant and mulch in with pine fines and call it good

[jaybird24]

Like Columbia stated most seasonal beds get worked often enough that they really don't have many weeds and the soil is loose enough to just pull them. Snapshot works by creating a barrier at the soil surface so working it up often would negate its effectiveness. As far as existing plantings it is fine. I've never found one that has been adversely affected.

[Lance L]

well we havent had any problems in color before, but 1 in particular, 80 flats and i guess we turned up some seeds or i dont know but about a million little friggin weeds popped up everywhere... 2 guys spent 4 hours pulling them and they were back in a week or 2....