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Customer Complaining About Weeds

10K views 39 replies 17 participants last post by  kirk1701 
#1 ·
Well I did mulch for a customer last week. The beds were prepared first, with weeding and weed killer. Today the customer complains that there are small weeds coming through the mulch. Well I said I did my best that I could. And the rest is nature. I never said that I could back everything I do to prevent
weeds 100%. The customer says how dare you blame nature. She says that I need to weed again. I said that you refused to put down the paper, which actually I had seen results with in other jobs.

What do you guys do in this sitution.?
 
#2 ·
I would apologize and do it correctly... paper under mulch is just wrong and having weeds appear w/in a week is just negligence... good luck... :)
 
#6 ·
Yes how long did you wait after you weeded before you put the mulch down to make sure the weeds gone?

And where did you get that mulch from?

The town I live in and the next town over have a yard waste recycling program. Give out free mulch and compost. I have only gone to my towns WR center for a small amount. Word is that the town/workers/or both shortcut their process and you tend to get weeds.
 
#8 ·
Apparently you guys have never run into marestail? Canadian thistle?

Spraying and letting it sit for a week will do nothing. Pre-emergent will not do anything.

What is this paper you speak of? Weed barrier?
 
#9 ·
Apparently you guys have never run into marestail? Canadian thistle?

Spraying and letting it sit for a week will do nothing. Pre-emergent will not do anything.

What is this paper you speak of? Weed barrier?
I did not know that the weeds coming up thru the mulch were Marestail? or Canadian thistle?. I believe the paper was referring to weed barrier material.
easy-lift guy
 
#10 ·
I did not know that the weeds coming up thru the mulch were Marestail? or Canadian thistle?. I believe the paper was referring to weed barrier material.
easy-lift guy
I don't know if they were. I was using 2 examples of weeds that can be sprayed, allowed to die, mulched and will come back.

In addition, an application of Snapshot or Preen will not come close to preventing their return.
 
#12 ·
The idea of anything coming back in a week means that there were too many shortcuts involved...

another example is quackgrass... if that stuff isn't killed off completely, down to the last rhizome... it is networked throughout all the fresh mulch before you can say, "Business Killer"...
 
#13 ·
Mark, Other than digging out by shovel, what means of control is there for this type of material?
easy-lift guy
Let me clarify, the marestail or horsetail I am referring to is equisetum arvense for which there is little to no real control except multiple applications of herbicides. Casoron\Dyclomec\Barrier will work if applied heavily, but if there are non-woody plants present, this pre-m is out the window.

Glyphosate with 2,4D?
 
#14 ·
Not to change the subject guys but its along the same topic here.

I put the landscaping paper down under my mulchbed I did a couple years back, against some of you guys advice then not to.

It's worked out pretty well but never did understand why not?
 
#15 ·
Not to change the subject guys but its along the same topic here.

I put the landscaping paper down under my mulchbed I did a couple years back, against some of you guys advice then not to.

It's worked out pretty well but never did understand why not?
Paper or fabric does nothing for the seeds that naturally blow in and land on the mulch. Post when it goes down and a pre on the mulch. Same idea for rocks.
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#21 ·
Pro's with a license use Snapshot or other pro label product. Preen is homeowner pre~em and does nothing for a weed that has already germinated.
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I used Preem in the garden and very pleased

That is pleased with part and unsatisfied in another part because it washed under the beans before they were up and rotted the seed :laugh:

Next year I'll plant the beans two weeks ahead of the tomato's :drinkup:
 
#22 ·
Not to change the subject guys but its along the same topic here.

I put the landscaping paper down under my mulchbed I did a couple years back, against some of you guys advice then not to.

It's worked out pretty well but never did understand why not?
Usually the fabric silts up and holds water like plastic sheets under the mulch and keeps the water out of the soil... when there is any kind of slope the mulch slides down the slippery fabric slope and becomes exposed... spraying is not always the simplest thing in the world once the beds start growing like crazy, so when weeds appear they should just be pulled, however when they root through the fabric they do not pull...

Wood mulch rotting into the surface of the soil, creating its own hydrophobic barrier that pushes water to the plants around it works just fine w/out the hassle... freshen up the look each Spring with some new stuff and you're good to go...

None of these issues have affected you at all???
 
#23 ·
having weeds appear w/in a week is just negligence... good luck... :)
let everything die before you pull it
pre-emergent; no *****ing about weeds for 4-6 months. Go spot spray her weeds.
Yes how long did you wait after you weeded before you put the mulch down to make sure the weeds gone?
The idea of anything coming back in a week means that there were too many shortcuts involved...

another example is quackgrass... if that stuff isn't killed off completely, down to the last rhizome... it is networked throughout all the fresh mulch before you can say, "Business Killer"...
Maybe I missed something. Where did the OP state he had Horseazz anything growing?
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Dunno... Oomke brought it up.
Nobody said there was. Just several generalizations that if the OP had done his job properly (which I have no idea if he did or didn't) that he should NEVER see a weed as well as applying a pre-m would completely eliminate weeds for 4-6 months.

I too that generalization and pointed out 2 types of weeds that would make this generalization false and wrong. If the OP is dealing with these types of weeds, it is highly likely that they returned in a week. For that matter, Roundup\glyphosate won't even hardly brown horsetail in a week's time.
 
#25 ·
Usually the fabric silts up and holds water like plastic sheets under the mulch and keeps the water out of the soil... when there is any kind of slope the mulch slides down the slippery fabric slope and becomes exposed... spraying is not always the simplest thing in the world once the beds start growing like crazy, so when weeds appear they should just be pulled, however when they root through the fabric they do not pull...

Wood mulch rotting into the surface of the soil, creating its own hydrophobic barrier that pushes water to the plants around it works just fine w/out the hassle... freshen up the look each Spring with some new stuff and you're good to go...

None of these issues have affected you at all???
Yu know Smallaxe I'm starting to notice that, my Oak tree's for the last two years in front have started looking like the leaves are drying up mid summer?

Early this spring I pulled back a lot of the landscaping paper from around the tree's but I don't think it was enough. I'm still seeing one tree that looks like the leaves are curling up so I left the hose on around the bottom last night for about 4 hours.

Should I pull it all up? I defiantly don't want to loose these tree's hell I had enough problems with tree's :laugh:

Also, it's not mulch, it's pine bark and I freshened up this spring and last spring also, didn't take any out. Could I have that stuff around the bottom to thick smothering the roots?
 
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