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Possible Reasons For Still Having Weeds

Here are some reasons why a client might still have trouble with weeds despite receiving our fertilizer & weed control applications.

Firstly, let it be said that this isn’t normally an issue as our Fertilizer & Weed Control spray applications usually do exactly what they are created to do. It’s very rare that this happens. 

Given that our spray is a combination of liquid fertilizer and liquid broadleaf weed herbicide, there are some factors that may possibly impact the overall effectiveness of the herbicide component of our spray. It’s important that all clients are aware of this.

The good news is, it need not take much to remediate these problems and ensure that your lawn is free from weeds. By considering the following possible reasons, you and we can determine what may have contributed to “still having weeds”. The solution is simply a matter of addressing what’s indicated, and going forward, your weeds need not be occurring any longer.

1. Your Weeds Are Not Broadleaf Weeds
  • Most people’s weed issues on their lawns are dandelions, which are broadleaf weeds, which our spray will get rid of.
  • If unsure what type of weeds they are, send us some pictures of them and we’ll let you know.
  • Please note that some broadleaf weeds are harder to control and may require further applications. One or two applications are not normally enough for some hardy or more mature weeds. 
2. Improper Watering
  • You may have watered too soon and washed off the herbicide (likewise for a sudden surprise downpour of rain which is something even the weatherman can’t control). 
  • Or you may have not watered at all as watering actually helps the weeds “be active”, and actively growing weeds are more likely to die off when the herbicide component of the product is moved throughout the plant’s system.
3. It Takes Time
  • Sometimes time needs to lapse before we can see results.
  • You should notice some browning of leaves on weeds within 2 to 3 days, and then you should see the weed progressively wilting and drying up in subsequent days.
  • If a weed is not actively growing, all you might see is a simple scorching of the leaves, in which case, further applications may be required to totally kill it.
4. Improper Mowing
  • If you are mulching your grass clippings and are not bagging them, you may have weeds within them which “may” take up new residence and start growing again... especially if they are in the “going to seed” stage. You don’t want to be spreading the weeds to other parts of your lawn.
  • If you’re not maintaining your turf properly or regularly, weeds could take over if left unmowed.
  • Dull mower blades can also damage turf and make the lawn more susceptible to weeds.
  • If you’re mowing your lawn too low in dry conditions, it’s more susceptible to weeds, whereas a healthy lawn may present too much healthy competition to weeds... A good thick turf will choke out weeds.
  • If we’ve just sprayed your lawn, and you were planning to mow it, hold off for a day or two to ensure that the herbicide had been able to make good contact with any weeds. If you mow it too soon, you’ll be negating the benefits of the herbicide, as it may not have had enough chance to get past the leaves and into and throughout the plant’s system.
5. Weeds Could Come Up After The Fact
  • Remember that our herbicide must come in contact with the broadleaf weeds to be effective.
  • Unfortunately, weeds (even the same type), don’t all necessarily arise at the same time nor grow at the same rate... This is normal.
  • Our spray applications may start killing the ones they made contact with that were already actively growing the day we sprayed, but any subsequent new weeds arising in the 4 to 6 weeks between our treatments may not be affected till the next application.
6. Poor Turf Management
  • We’ve touched on some poor lawn management issues already such as improper or inadequate watering. However, one cannot expect miracles if the grass is thin or struggling due to other problems and there is not enough healthy turf to help choke weeds out.
  • It might seem like an odd comparison, but just like our own bodies, grass that is strong and healthy is much better enabled to ward off any new diseases or consequent problems or attacks. It’s less susceptible... It can take more and handle any bad times better. It can typically heal faster, recover faster, you might say. In this regard, healthy grass has some of the same advantages a healthy body does.
7. Poor Timing of Application
  • We always do our best to plan accordingly with the variable and sometimes rather unpredictable weather we have in our region, but surprises can happen that are beyond our control or the weather man’s.
  • As previously mentioned, it could have suddenly rained too soon after the application and washed off the herbicide.
  • We may have sprayed when your weeds were mature and not actively growing in which case it may just take a few more applications.
8. Poor Spraying or Not Enough Coverage on Edges
  • Weeds could be completely missed or weeds along edges may not get as good of a spray as those in the middle of the lawn... That being said, this is highly unlikely as we specially train our people as to how to get uniform coverage... not too much and not too little, but just the right amount to completely and evenly cover your entire lawn.
  • We train our crews to be  extra mindful of the lawn edges, especially those against a driveway, sidewalks, a building, a fence, or outer edge of a rock garden, etc. However, it is possible that a lawn edge may not receive as good a coverage as the middle of the lawn as we attempt, for example, to not inadvertently spray into an adjacent rock garden that may have plants or flowers within it, too.
  • We also don’t like to wet too much pavement or driveway either with our spray, but it is important to get the edges as best as we can, thus making these areas a little more challenging to spray.
  • If you ever encounter a weed problem along any lawn edge, let us know asap and we’ll be sure to be extra vigilant the next time we spray, however please realize that edges will always have more weed pressure and can be a continuous battle.
  • That being said, do remember, too, that new weeds can arise in the interim between our spray applications, so don’t mistake that newly arising weed on your lawn edge to be one that was always there or that our crew had missed spraying. Regardless, we can surely catch it on the next spray application.

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