Weed control basics for your yard

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These are some basic tips to help you be more productive when getting weeds out of your yard.

1. Identify the weed

One of the biggest mistakes people make is guessing what kind of weed they are trying to get rid of. This can be a big waste of money due to ineffective treatment and damage caused to plants you want to keep.

You can identify the weed in a couple of ways.

Get “Weeds of southern turf grasses” from the Alabama cooperative extension office for $14.00 or you can take your weed down to the Muscogee County Extension Office.

Either way… IDENTIFY THE WEED. Once you know what you have, you can buy the right chemical to treat it.

2. Read the labeling

I know this sounds simple, but most people don’t read the labeling. Labeling may not be what you think. The label is affixed to the container. The LABELING is all of the paperwork that comes with the product.

The labeling lists all plants that the chemical will harm and which ones it is safe for. It also tells you what safety precautions to take when using it.

3. Only use recommended amounts

One main reason good chemicals are taken off of the market is misuse over long periods of time. The chemical gets into the environment in un-acceptable amounts and the knee jerk reaction by the govt. is to pull it. If they don’t take it off of the market, they at least make it a restricted use chemical and only available to commercial applicators like us.

Besides the possibility of losing access to a good chemical, you are also wasting your money. Dead is Dead and if you apply the chemical in the correct amounts, it will work just fine.Don’t fall for the ol’ “If 1 ounce is good, 2 ounces is better.” IT’S NOT! The proper rates can be found in the labeling.

4. Watch your temperatures

Yes, that’s right. When you spray or spread, the temperature matters. It matters a great deal in some instances. Some chemicals will kill everything they touch when it’s too hot during application. That would be very bad to burn your lawn up because it was 10 degrees too hot the day you sprayed. The proper application temperatures can be found in the labeling.

5. Wear the recommended PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

Most over the counter lawn chemicals are very safe for the general public, but you should always follow the labeling’s instructions. You most likely won’t suffer serious injury, but you could end up with chemical burns or a bad rash. I am only referring to incidental exposure during mixing and application. If ingested any chemical can be deadly! All of this information can be found in the labeling. (Notice a pattern here)

If you follow these basic tips you will achieve great results for all of your efforts. Remember the points above, use common sense and be safe.

 

 

And remember………….. READ THE LABELING

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