This is an opportunity to add an extra cost application of a pre-emergent like Gallery--about when temperatures first hit 85.
An alternative is to just apply your regular crabgrass control--like prodiamine. Maybe do the ap twice--or just once double over--at the maximum allowed rate.
Remind the customer that only you (no other company) have data on soil temps, and which areas of the lawn are infested--so you can treat the exact infested areas next year.
Also, spurge is easy to kill when it is young and immature. Watch for it very carefully and try to spray a heavy duty broadleaf control (like Speedzone), about the week when spurge first appears. Maybe about the Fourth of July. When temps first hit 90.
Remind Ms customer that thin grass, dry grass and short cut grass is most likely to be invaded by spurge. Irrigate to keep the grass thick and tall. Next year's spurge is from seeds deposited in the soil in previous years.
Tall thick grass is less likely to have problems. Spurge seldom survives in shade.
Spurge can be hand pulled--like at our local botanic garden. There is usually one big tap root right in the center. Gather up the clump and yank it out. No worry if the root breaks off--spurge is an annual. Spurge does not survive the first frost. Roots cannot come back.
Sigh. I hate spurge.
Me too.....I hate spurge that is.
I have a zoysia lawn that I started from plugs and that can sometimes be a problem because there are bare spots all over until it sets roots and starts to spread. These bear spots are an invitation to the weed world and they are more than happy to take advantage of it. This gives weeds just about a whole season to do their thing. Once they seed out just one time you have a 3 or 4 year problem even if you kill them off the next year.
I try to keep my lawn at 3 1/2" but I really can't irrigate because I'm on a shallow well and it has to make it with what mother nature provides. Even when the grass it thick and doing well I see spurge, lespedeza as well as black medic try to take over. I just started a pre-emergent program this season and I hope that will help to finally get it under control.
The problem with these summer weeds is they really get going when it gets really hot and by then it's not a good idea for most post-emergent products once it gets 90+ degrees. At that point, if you have the time hand pulling can be your best bet if you can get them before they seed out. Then if you follow up in the spring with a good pre plan hopefully you can get it under control after a couple years.
Even with cutting my grass to 3 1/2' all three of these weeds will pop out and get on top of my Zoysia and if I let them they will take completely over especially that dang spruge. That stuff once it makes it to the top of the grass will spread out in a circle 2' around in just a few days. Once it gets that big it has already set seeds. I try to pull it before it gets that far gone but it is a never ending battle because when you are pulling weed over here they are popping up over there.
I know for the professional it would be hard to put a man at any one job just to pull weeds so they mostly have to depend on some other kind of action. And what will work in one part of the country may not work in others. Sadly I never had the time or the money to get on any kind of program to keep these weeds at bay. Now that I am old and retired I have the time but still lack the $$ so I'll crawl around on my hands and knees for hours at a time pulling and burning weeds most of the time 7 days a week. My wife thinks I'm crazy and says I should find something to keep me busy.
It has become my mission in life. Sometimes I go out the back door and head down to my shop just 200' from the house and I'll look down and spot some weed and before I know it two hours have gone by. She will pop out on the deck and yell, Hey you! I thought you were going to the shop to get a screwdriver and hammer to hand those pictures for me. At that point all I can say is yes sweety I'll be right there. I have to work very hard not to look down on the way back up.
