weed control help

I have a lawn that is about one half acre. the last few years I had one of the neightbors that would spray my yard with a pull behind sprayer and it was great about 50 dollars twice a year. he is getting old and decided not to do it anymore. I price some lawn green and true green and they were crazy with the price. before the older neighbor I tried weed and feed, hose end sprayers but didn't have much luck as the dry always seemed to have certain weather conditins that didn[t seem to work for me and the hose end sprayers either I used them wrong or they were ineffective. mostly dandelions, creeping charlie and some various thistles. my question is in general what is the best, most cost effective way and chemical or product to use. I could buy a pull behind sprayer or spreader if I need to. I can do the work and can buy the equipment I just don't want to spend the time and money and end up with what I have now.

 

What product can depend on what's available where you live. Dry chemicals (pellets or granules) are usually cheaper and easier to apply but there are a few chemicals only available in liquid form but sprayers tend to be more trouble and are more expensive.

Brand name weed & feeds are a good option for small lots like yours. Depending on your location it may be too late for some treatments but the package label will tell. I often use separates (fertilizer and herbicide are packaged on their own individually) which allow more flexibility though can be more work to make two applications.

If the weeds in your lawn aren't too bad a pump sprayer and some 2,4-D might be an option. 2,4-D is cheap and kills most broadleaf plants. With the sprayer you can walk your lawn and only hit the weeds and the over spray won't hurt most grass types (but check to make sure it won't hurt your grass species).

 

I treat an acre, a "good" broadcast spreader is best, not the cheap spreaders form big box stores.

I have a local grain elevator and can get 50# bags of weed and feed for about $25, I use 5 bags!

I had a price from true green, it was about $200 per application so I'm saving $75 per application, 2-3 per year!

I also do spot spraying after every mowing for 10 min with just a big hand spray bottle, after a few applications it's all under control!

 

I fertilize dry with a spreader mounted on my ATV (an old Cushman) and carry 3, 2gallon spot pump sprayers, one has WEED B GONE concentrate mixed per the label instructions, (this is labeled for Crabgrass too) for general lawn weeds that pop up all the time, as I am surrounded with rental properties that have weeds for lawns. Another has Roundup mixed for drives and walks . and Another is mixed with water and Outdoor cleaner, which takes out moss. I am not using that on the lawn yet, just in beds. Works for me. I don't think I spend a hundred bucks a year on materials but I admit that it is not a large lawn. I just don't like to walk.

 

What product was your neighbor using?

 

I asked my neighbor a couple of times and he said it was the kind of sprayer he was using plus the chemicals. he worked for a farm service store, and I know some of what he was using wasn't available to the general public..


WML when you say you fertilize with a spreader did you mean weed and feed?

 

I do not use weed and feed in the spreader. Just something like Scotts
turf builder with no other additives. I take of the weeds using spray as I mentioned. Since I am retired and can keep after it. I really have very few weeds and when one pops up it becomes history in very short order. If you buy straight fertilizer right, it is really inexpensive. If you have a lawn that is mostly weeds, and you dont have a tank spayer with a small boom, the weed and feed might be best. I had 2 plus acres of turf on a hobby farm I sold last year, so I have all the equipment from there here in town on about 11000 square feet of lawn. When I mow the lawn with a 60" mower, it just takes minutes. I love it!