Just making future plans for right in here.
But that's not what I want to discuss for today.
Today I want to discuss the back yard!
Weather is still acting pretty crazy.
We're official in Spring here in Georgia but you can't really tell because we've got freezing
temperatures over night, waking up to frost in the mornings, and the highs are getting
to the mid 70's.
So, yeah, it's been pretty crazy.
I wish mother nature would get the memo, knock that crap off and let Spring roll in!
So while I'm waiting on weather to get where it needs to be to roll out my lawn game for
the front, I'm going to shift my attention to here in the back to really get this cool
season grass looking immaculate!
In the last video, I recognized how many weeds I've got going on back and it's been like
that for awhile.
I just really haven't tackled it and put a whole of love back here.
So it's time.
It's time to really jump on getting the weeds out of here, so that we can get that turf
type tall fescue really growing in and just really make this back yard pop!
Now if you'll remember, I put down a ha;f app of pre and post emergents over the entire
lawn at the beginning of February.
And just seeing how I just really want to kick the crap out of the weeds, get it out
of my back yard, I reached out to our customer service and asked them if it was ok to apply
a second application of post emergents here in the back.
And so that leads us to today's topic, the title of this video, herbicide usage rates.
How much can you use?
How often?
Intervals.
All that good stuff, let's dive into that conversation.
So before we bust out our sprayer to really punch these weeds in the gut, let's chat.
So let's kick this conversation off by addressing one of the questions that our customer service
team gets a lot.
People call us up all the time, asking if they can double the rate of the herbicide
that they're using.
For example, let's take the post emergent herbicide I'm going to use in the back yard
here.
On the label it states that I use one ounce per gallon per 1,000 square feet.
Some people have the mentality, well if it's an ounce per gallon per 1,000, if I do two
ounces per gallon per 1,000, it will be more potent, it will be a lot stronger, it will
really kick the crap out of the weeds.
Don't think like that!
I don't want you to think that doubling the rate is going to be effective.
It most likely is not, and here's why.
First of all, what you have to understand is these product labels have been thoroughly
reviewed and approved by the EPA, therefore giving the legally allowed uses of the product.
And this is why we preach, and you've heard me say it in a lot of these lawn videos that
the label is law.
It lt's literally that.
It is the law!
Second, a lot of time, money, research and testing goes into these products.
So what that means is these label rates have been proven scientifically to be effective
for treating the weeds that are listed on the label.
So the thought of using more is not necessarily better.
You need enough to be effective but if you use too much the issue is you will damage
the desirable plants if you're using a selective herbicide.
Doubling up the rate or using too much herbicide could also build up a tolerance within the
weeds that you're trying to get rid of.
Not to mention the unnecessary risk towards people and pets, and simply just wasting your
time and money.
A lot of these herbicides will be effective and you'll see results if you use the recommended
rate on the label.
And if you're just having a hard time understanding all of that, I get it!
It's confusing!
It kind of seems like a foreign language to you.
Seriously, reach out to the customer service staff, they are amazing at helping you understand
this.
They can break down the math for you.
They're seriously amazing.
Can't brag about them enough.
High five to them!
So for my post emergent herbicide that I just mixed up in my back pack sprayer here, for
cool season turf, on the label it states that I can do broadcast spray applications or follow
up applications at two to six week intervals for mature weeds.
It even says for cool season turf that I can go all the way up to 1.4 fluid ounces per
gallon per 1,000 square feet.
But I'm going to stick to my ounce per gallon per 1,000 square feet, just to keep the math
simple and to get a good application on my back yard.
So, let's spray!
Soooo, there we go!
That should put a significant dent into the weeds in the back yard.
Like I said at the start of this video, the herbicide that I just put down, per the label
it says I have to wait two to six weeks in between my applications.
If you'll remember, once again, I put that half application down at the beginning of
February.
I'm well past that.
We're almost into April, so by the time I go to aerate, and put down the last app of
my pre and post emergents, it will be about six weeks out from the time I put this down.
And again, let me reiterate this, the label is law!
Read it!
Know it!
Understand it!
We can help you out with that if you're having trouble.
Some of these herbicides only let you put down "x" amount per year, or "x" amount per
quarter, there's just certain amounts that you're allowed to put down.
Read the label, understand what it's trying to tell you and know how much that you can
put down in your turf.
If you want to know more about the post emergent herbicide that I used today, I'll leave the
link in the description box below so you can click over to the website and read more about
it, or you can click that "i" icon at the top of the screen.
Soooo, that's going to do it for this video.
Like I always say, if you have any questions or comments please feel free to leave those
in the comments section below, we'll do our best to answer them.
You can always email those over to our customer service staff, or pick up the phone, give
them a call.
They're awesome!
They've helped me out so much to get my lawn where it is today!
And if you're not already, subscribe to the channel by clicking this button right here,
you can click this playlist to see all the videos in the Do My Own Lawn Care series and
click this playlist to see all the videos in the Do My Own Gardening series!
And as always, thanks for watching!