[OKIEMIKE]

I am trying to figure out if my numbers are right.

I am preparing for spraying a 1 acre lot.

I am using surflan preemergent, roundup, surfking, and the blue additive.

I have calculated that it will cost me $42.50 in chemicals to spray this, is this about right?

i am paying

27.95 a quart for surflan (generic)
was told to mix 1 qt per acre

40.25 a 2.5 gallon of roundup (generic)
was told to mix 2qt per acre

26.00 a 1 gallon of surfking
was told to mix 16oz per acre

49.00 a 1 gallon of blue.
14oz per 50 gallons

can somebody check what i was told for mixing instructions and also if my figures seem about right for this size lot?

Also what do you guys normally charge for this size? was thinking of my figures are about right $120-130??

any and all help is appreciated.

 

[Runner]

Don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds greatly like you are wanting to tackle something that you are unprepared, uneducated in, and CERTAINLY unlicensed in. The best advice that could be given to you, would be to find a licensed company to handle this for you, and make a few bucks on the side. It will come out the same, money wise, and the benefit will be that the job will be done properly, done efficiently, done SAFELY, and done legally. A company that is licensed has not only the knowledge to apply the proper product to handle whatever you have out there, but the knowledge to apply the proper amounts in the proper manner. There is a reason why states have licensing standards - which include the knowledge and demonstration of that knowledge in order to become certified and licensed. If you contact a licensed company, you can actually come out ahead if all is done right.

 

[OKIEMIKE]

Don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds greatly like you are wanting to tackle something that you are unprepared, uneducated in, and CERTAINLY unlicensed in. The best advice that could be given to you, would be to find a licensed company to handle this for you, and make a few bucks on the side. It will come out the same, money wise, and the benefit will be that the job will be done properly, done efficiently, done SAFELY, and done legally. A company that is licensed has not only the knowledge to apply the proper product to handle whatever you have out there, but the knowledge to apply the proper amounts in the proper manner. There is a reason why states have licensing standards - which include the knowledge and demonstration of that knowledge in order to become certified and licensed. If you contact a licensed company, you can actually come out ahead if all is done right.

i am not licenced, i am not doing this professionally yet. I am just trying to get all the info i can. i would like to get into spraying. I have been running a lawn cutting buisness for a couple of years and would like to ease my way into spraying. I just got the paperwork from the oklahoma agriculture to get licenced, but this will not happen until after mowing season is done this year.
This lawn i am asking about is my own... i want to spray it and learn the time it takes and the cost it takes to spray this size lawn.. I am just asking a simple question...if you were to spray a lawn this size with ther above chemicals am i off on my figures?

So you are right i am under educated, but hey...we all have to start somewhere.

Since you obviously have the answers, can you give me any ideas of where i am so off? i have done some reasearch on the chemicals i have listed, but wondering if i am off?

 

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

I hope you start a prosperous business in ferts when the time is right....

That said, I think you are putting the horse in front of the cart. If any of the chems you mentioned are RUP's, then you won't be able to buy them without a license anyway.

Best of luck.

 

[OKIEMIKE]

i have the feeling nobody has anything helpful to say....

i appreciate the help.

 

[thempikes]

This is one of my pet peeves: unlicensed and uninsured guy thinks he can cut a fat hog and the treatment guys are gettin rich.

Cost of materials ain't the only cost of doing business.

After the test is taken an passed there is a matter of insurance. A $2000 first year insurance premium generally stops the HONEST guys in their tracks.

My firm has been treating lawns in the Tulsa area since 1974 and we have seen a lot of people come and go.

 

[Runner]

And then the second response is that it is always MY lawn that I want to spray. What is it you are trying to achieve? Let me get this straight....you are wanting to sterilize your entire 1 acre lawn and not have anything grow on it. Am I correct?
I CAN tell you ONE thing for sure...Who ever the "was told to" person that is giving you advice WAY off base.

 

[OKIEMIKE]

This is one of my pet peeves: unlicensed and uninsured guy thinks he can cut a fat hog and the treatment guys are gettin rich.

Cost of materials ain't the only cost of doing business.

After the test is taken an passed there is a matter of insurance. A $2000 first year insurance premium generally stops the HONEST guys in their tracks.

My firm has been treating lawns in the Tulsa area since 1974 and we have seen a lot of people come and go.

Guys, i realize the cost of doing buisness.. I have been cutting grass for several years. i am running a insured LLC buisness..
I have libality insurance currently and it is no where near 2k btw... it runs about half of that.

I did not post this to be told how to run a buisness... i guess there are a lot of azz holes out there that do not want any mroe competion than there already is.. i get that.

And then the second response is that it is always MY lawn that I want to spray. What is it you are trying to achieve? Let me get this straight....you are wanting to sterilize your entire 1 acre lawn and not have anything grow on it. Am I correct?
I CAN tell you ONE thing for sure...Who ever the "was told to" person that is giving you advice WAY off base.

The person who told me was estes chemical.. What do you suggest?
The guys at estes seem willing to help, unlike the responces you guys are giving me.

Guys this is bermuda grass, still dormant currently...

 

[olcllc]

Sent you a PM. Give me a call.

 

[Runner]

The reason I asked thiswas I am wondering what it is you're trying to accomplish for your lawn. You are wanting bare dirt for the season? Because that is what you are going to end up with - with this recipe. One thing you have to understand, is many of these guys selling these chemicals have NO idea what they are talking about, or what they are doing. They are just salesmen - that are no different than the kid in aisle 7 at home depot, or a guy working at the Gap...As a matter of fact, they shouldn't even be SELLING chemicals. Here is another thing....The "blue" stuff he's trying to sell you? It is a marking dye. Great concept, but you know what happens when you mix it with Oryzalin? (which is basically like orange paint) It turns green, so you can't really hardly see it at all, anyway. Like I say,...before you go destroy your lawn (or someone elses), you are better off to get a licensed company to do it. I swear to God to you,...you will come out further ahead...And no, it's not a matter of "competition",...it is a matter of doing what is environmentally sound - and saving or industry as a whole because of it. BeLIEVE me,...it would be MUCH easier for me to just say "Hey, GO for it!" But when you're looking at a dirt yard all year because everything you sprayed is dead, and you can't get anything to grow on it all season (which is exactly what would happen with this), you would be wondering. "Why did these guys on LS tell me it was ok to DO this? They must not know what thy are talking about."

 

[DA Quality Lawn & YS]

OKIE - sorry that I came off as I did, I shouldn't have posted anything....
Best of luck with your venture

 

[jimshack]

if you spray 2 qts or round up per acre you will kill the bermuda. good luck

 

[VARMIT COMMISSION]

OKIEMIKE,

The first thing is to get licensed. The ODAFF has rewrote the core and category tests this year. Believe me it is no walk in the park. Take the test first, then if you pass great I will help you out. I don't think anyone around here uses surflan. That was the salesman trying to make a sale. There is better pre's and the cost per acre is way too high. The price of the round up is almost double what you would pay for a generic. And 2 qts/acre is going to get you into trouble because the Bermuda isn't all dormant in Oklahoma. Go look at the grass 24 inches form your stem wall on your house on the east side and tell me its dormant. The surfking is way too much, I pay half that price for a generic surf. And you have no broadleaf weed control in the mix.
And lastly your price is cut throat.

 

[OKIEMIKE]

The reason I asked thiswas I am wondering what it is you're trying to accomplish for your lawn. You are wanting bare dirt for the season? Because that is what you are going to end up with - with this recipe. One thing you have to understand, is many of these guys selling these chemicals have NO idea what they are talking about, or what they are doing. They are just salesmen - that are no different than the kid in aisle 7 at home depot, or a guy working at the Gap...As a matter of fact, they shouldn't even be SELLING chemicals. Here is another thing....The "blue" stuff he's trying to sell you? It is a marking dye. Great concept, but you know what happens when you mix it with Oryzalin? (which is basically like orange paint) It turns green, so you can't really hardly see it at all, anyway. Like I say,...before you go destroy your lawn (or someone elses), you are better off to get a licensed company to do it. I swear to God to you,...you will come out further ahead...And no, it's not a matter of "competition",...it is a matter of doing what is environmentally sound - and saving or industry as a whole because of it. BeLIEVE me,...it would be MUCH easier for me to just say "Hey, GO for it!" But when you're looking at a dirt yard all year because everything you sprayed is dead, and you can't get anything to grow on it all season (which is exactly what would happen with this), you would be wondering. "Why did these guys on LS tell me it was ok to DO this? They must not know what thy are talking about."

i have used these chemicals before but never used this sprayer. i have never used orzalin however, i have used pendelum in the past. It has been several years though.. like i said this is my yard i am spraying and the bermuda is 99% dormat. the only green in the yard is the few weeds. The "blue" actually makes a nice green color mixed with the yellow of the pre-emerge. I was off on the roundup amout i put. I was told 1 quart per acre and 2 quarts per acre on the surflan. i had them mixed up on the original post. Sorry for the confusion.

Sent you a PM. Give me a call.

will do thanks!

OKIE - sorry that I came off as I did, I shouldn't have posted anything....
Best of luck with your venture

if you spray 2 qts or round up per acre you will kill the bermuda. good luck

i had the pre-emerge and the round up mixed up in the original post, 1 qt round up and 2 quarts surflan

OKIEMIKE,

The first thing is to get licensed. The ODAFF has rewrote the core and category tests this year. Believe me it is no walk in the park. Take the test first, then if you pass great I will help you out. I don't think anyone around here uses surflan. That was the salesman trying to make a sale. There is better pre's and the cost per acre is way too high. The price of the round up is almost double what you would pay for a generic. And 2 qts/acre is going to get you into trouble because the Bermuda isn't all dormant in Oklahoma. Go look at the grass 24 inches form your stem wall on your house on the east side and tell me its dormant. The surfking is way too much, I pay half that price for a generic surf. And you have no broadleaf weed control in the mix.
And lastly your price is cut throat.

the cost i figured per acre is too high? i did buy the generic round up, and got the buisness price? I nned to check into the surfking generic as i thought that was high.

 

[Young Bros]

Why would you srpay round up on your lawn???
:hammerhead:

Your insurance only covers mowing, not spraying.

 

[VARMIT COMMISSION]

Why would you srpay round up on your lawn???
:hammerhead:

Your insurance only covers mowing, not spraying.

Most Oklahoma LCO's use round-up spring and fall. Two quarts will not kill your bermuda, its wont even hurt it, IF you spray it at the right time. I have sprayed 2 quarts/acre for years, this is standard practice on Oklahoma bermuda. BUT the right timing is the key.

OKIEMIKE,
Round-up generic is running under $10.00 a gallon so your still paying too much. You were told right on 2 qts/acre just be carefull, as it warms up and more bermuda greens up you have to continually back off your rate. But--that comes with experience. Remember Gly wasn't made to kill everything. And you can spray it in the middle of July when it's hot and bermuda is fully greened up with round up and it wont kill it AT THE CORRECT RATE! Some guys use it to control sandburs in the summer with no ill effect to bermuda.
On the cut throat pricing, your way way way too low. You would be considered a LOW BALLER and hurt the LCO's that have kept the price up toward $230.00 an acre an application in this area. Before you price it so low, go out in the middle of July when its 105 degrees and try to push an acre with a puch spreader, then go back again and walk it out with a heavy backpack sprayer, and spray every little piece of crabgrass that has broke through the pre. You will more than likely say this is for the birds and that $120.00 an acre you priced it at will make you want to walk away from it. And it will be the last acre lot you price so low. In the amount of time it will take you to do an acre (walking) you can do easily 20 small residential lawns side by side at $50.00 a lawn and gross $1000.00 compared to making what, maybe $65.00-$75.00 on that LOW BALLED acre price! You have to keep your prices up, or you will have a future customer base (once licenced) that are all to low and you will never get your prices where they should be. This is how guys come and go so often.

 

[jimshack]

wow, this "oklahoma bermuda" must be some magical stuff, because I've seen very low rates kill Tifway 419 during green up. not that it won't recover from spot spraying, it'll take a couple months to fill in the dead spots. No way I'd chance broadcasting at this time.

 

[fireman1173005]

OkieMike,

Not sure what Runner is talking about, apparently he does not know! I used to use surflan and I think your numbers are right on it. Your roundup numbers look good too. If you purchase a good generic roundup it may have surfactant in it which can save you money. If not follow the directions on the surfactant and dye as they vary from brand to brand. I would also recommend using a 2-4 D product, I use Lesco's 3 way. You will find a few weeds in Oklahoma a little difficult to kill with just Roundup such as Red Stem Fillaree. Your cost look ok but you can get better deals once you are licensed and spending several thousand a year on chemicals. Don't forget to figure in fuel, wear and tear on equipment, cost of equipment, license cost, insurance cost, etc. These cost can really add up! I get between $200-$250 an acre depending on the job. I would contact Brock at John Deere Landscapes (Lesco) in Norman once you get licensed. That is where I buy all my Chemicals, both employees used to spray and know way more than me. Tell him Brian Lewis sent you.

 

[thempikes]

Don't know why any of us want to help this guy after calling some of us names but here goes:

1. Suggest a business plan starting with license and insurance that covers you for transporting and applying pesticides.
2. Cost of spray equipment, spreader, back packs, truck with decals.
3. Cost of computer and software (Real Green and Quick Books.)

Search LAWNSITE.COM. Some where I read recently a thread in this forum on how to go broke written by moderator Sean Adams. Find it and read it.

I won't tell you what it cost me to spray a 1 acre lot. We all have different cost and the materials are a small part of the picture. VARMIT COMMISSION is right on.

And lastly – you need a lesson in manners – it will make your business life much more rewarding.

 

[fireman1173005]

wow, this "oklahoma bermuda" must be some magical stuff, because I've seen very low rates kill Tifway 419 during green up. not that it won't recover from spot spraying, it'll take a couple months to fill in the dead spots. No way I'd chance broadcasting at this time.

About the only thing that will really kill out Oklahoma bermuda is Diesel!