Weeds are small, but they have the power of super villains.
One crabgrass plant produces as many as 150,000 seeds. For real. And those seeds can hang around, stealthily, for years, just waiting for the perfect time to sprout like crazy. Like when the building owner decides to visit.
There’s no one product, one method, or one time of year to get rid of them.
It’s like tackling one of those 5,000-word puzzles, and the picture is a wheat field.
How to get rid of weeds on your commercial property?
It’s part art, part science, and involves a few key pieces.
Kelly Ogden, general manager of commercial sales and maintenance operations at Hatcher & Associates, walks us through weed control on commercial properties.
1. Commercial Property Weed Control: Timing
Weed control in Memphis used to be a nine-month battle, but now it’s a year-round effort, Ogden says.
“The weather has changed over the last 10 years,” he says. “Our winters aren’t as long. It’s rainier.”
Weeds love that.
Applying weed killer isn’t a one-time thing. It needs to happen multiple times a year. Different weeds grow at different times throughout the seasons.
That’s why our commercial weed control treatments are spread out every six to eight weeks, to target weeds on commercial properties throughout the year.
2. Pre-emergent for Commercial Turf
Pre-emergent weed control is all about prevention, designed to target the weed seeds before they sprout.
Our commercial turf technicians in Memphis, TN and Northern Mississippi head out in January and February when grass is still dormant to deliver the first round of important pre-emergent weed control.
Then, in March and April, they deliver a second round.
While this one-two punch of pre-emergent prevents a whole host of pesky weeds, it’s especially crucial to prevent crabgrass.
Timing is everything with crabgrass.
You have to kill crabgrass seeds (150,000 of them, remember?) as they germinate and take root in the soil so they don’t become more seed-producing plants.
It’s so important, we deliver it twice, to prevent the weed everybody really hates.
Pre-emergent comes into play again in the fall, with another one-two punch of two applications.
This time it’s targeting poa annua, also called annual bluegrass. One of the most common grassy lawn weeds, it grows throughout the fall, then flowers the following spring.
But weeds are stubborn and can sneak through even if you applied pre-emergent, especially in areas where your grass is thin.
That brings us to...
3. Post-emergent Weed Killer
Post-emergent products kill weeds once they already exist.
Our commercial turf technicians head out in May, June, and July to hit any weeds that show up on your commercial property.
4. High-Quality Products for Commercial Weed Control
All weed killer isn’t the same. There are different levels of effectiveness.
“Other lawn care companies may use a B-grade weed killer,” Ogden says, “but we use A-grade — golf course grade chemicals.
“We want your lawn to look as good as a golf course,” he says. “It should stand out.”
One thing to note: the crabgrass killer you buy at the store is a pre-diluted mix, ready to apply.
We mix our own, so we know exactly what the concentration is, and exactly how much to apply. And the same technician mixes it all, so there’s consistency from truck to truck.
5. Skilled Commercial Turf Technicians
Anybody can get a job spraying for weeds, and training varies widely from company to company.
Ogden expects a lot from the lawn care technicians, and the company equips them with thorough, frequent training in commercial property weed control.
Technicians get a full day of training at least once every quarter.
“We invest in our employees‘ knowledge,” Ogden says. “Knowledge is key. Chemicals change every few years. Weeds get resistant so we have to rotate what we use. Techs have to stay on top of all that.”
Beyond that, they’re keeping an eye on your property, looking for more than just weeds.
“They’re not just there to spray your lawn,” Ogden says. “They’re looking for insect issues on shrubs. They might notice broken gutters, or find a hole in the path that could cause someone to fall and hit you with a lawsuit.”
Sure, they’ll kill your weeds. But they’ve also got your back.
6. Weed Wizardry for Your Commercial Turf
Watch any war movie and you’ll probably hear somebody talk about “knowing your enemy.”
Same thing with the war on weeds.
Knowledgeable lawn pros know exactly what weeds they’re dealing with and how to prevent them, or how to zap them if they sneak through.
Who are the enemies in commercial weed control?
Crabgrass. Poa annua. Nutgrass. Virginia buttonweed. Dallisgrass. Goosegrass.
Different lawn weeds are active at different times of year. Many of the peskiest spring weeds actually germinate in the fall.
That’s why you need a complete, proactive commercial lawn care program that includes both weed preventative and curative treatments year-round.
7. Come on Strong at the Beginning
“When we take on a new customer, the grass is often full of weeds,” Ogden says. “We have to burn them down.” He’s not talking about actual fire here, but a heavy-duty application to take out the weeds.
“I tell customers it’ll look worse before it looks better.”
8. Commercial Lawn Care for a Healthy Lawn
Weeds hate a healthy lawn. That’s why you need not just weed control treatments, but a comprehensive commercial lawn care program designed to nourish your lawn year-round so its roots are healthy and its blades are thick. That way, weeds will find it tough to sneak in.
Need Commercial Property Weed Control? Trust Hatcher
Weeds are greedy invaders that compete with your lawn for water, sunlight, and important nutrients.
Not only that, they look terrible, making your commercial property seem neglected and untidy.
Put pros on the job to deliver comprehensive commercial property weed control with targeted tactics, high-quality products, and skilled commercial lawn care pros who know exactly how to give weeds the boot.
How do you get rid of weeds on your commercial property in Memphis, TN or Northern Mississippi?
Leave it to us.
Are you ready to boost the appeal of your commercial property with high-priority commercial landscape services that will make your property shine? Talk to one of our commercial landscaping experts today! We’ll meet at your property, create a custom plan, and get you on your way to enjoying a beautiful, worry-free property.
Image Source: Poa Annua
