I have an annual fertilizer and weed control program with a local guy here in Michigan for the last 3 years.

Have been very happy with the results, and though his communication has deteriorated since signup the goods have always been applied, and the lawn looks great.

Fast forward to this year, I renewed as usual, but it's now almost June and I have not received my spring fertilizer + pre-emergent application.

We have had a cold wet spring, but not much different than last spring except that it went from cold to damn hot last year. Whereas this year its just progressing more normally, although wetter. I have already had to cut about 3x.

So my question is, is it too late now? If he came out today even and applied it, is it just a waste of my money?

If so I plan to ask for a refund of the amount for this application, and/or just cancel the whole thing and go with someone else. I almost went with another local guy that sent me a flyer as he was about $30 cheaper for the package, but figured if it ain't broke don't fix it. Well it might be broke now.

It's late, but not toooo late.
In general, bigger weeds are harder to kill & hotter temps make herbicide harder on the grass, which allows the next round of weeds time to catch up before the grass gets going again.
I'm near the south end of IN & it's been in the mid-80s here the last 1.5-2 weeks. I sprayed broadleaf & crabgrass dope on Sunday, but I wanted to do it the week before (rain & work killed that).
I fertilized in March & put pre-emergent down then. If there's a cool + dry streak in the next week or so, I might put another round of fertilizer down, but it will be light. I don't have irrigation, so I have to plan ahead - to much N in hot/dry weather hurts more than it helps.

I think it's too late for spring pre-emergent by far.

We've used professional lawn care twice. The results were not exceptional, either time--except for the fact one of 'em killed one tree and another tree never fully recovered from the other one's application of weed control.

I started doing my own lawn maintenance last year--including targeted weed treatment. Lawn has never looked so good.

Oh, and the Creeping Charlie the professionals could not eradicate? Gone.

Right now I'm just waiting for a reasonable break in the rain to put down grub control. Then it's back to the weed control. Being in a semi-rural area, with neighbours on both sides that do nothing for weed control: It's a constant battle.

I did not do pre-emergent this year, because I did seeding late last summer/early fall and this spring to thicken the turf up and fill in some bare patches.

quote:

Originally posted by snidera:
It's late, but not toooo late.
In general, bigger weeds are harder to kill & hotter temps make herbicide harder on the grass,...

He's talking about pre-emergent weed control. That has to get into the ground before the weed seeds begin to germinate. By the time you see weeds it's too late. Far too late.

We've been seeing weeds in the turf here in S.E. Michigan for about 2-3 weeks.

Is it possible he did the application, but hasn't billed you yet? I'd give the guy a call and see what the situation is before speculating.

It's too late.

I use Lawn Doctor and they did mine in mid-April

They are coming this week for the late Spring service now.

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
Is it possible he did the application, but hasn't billed you yet? I'd give the guy a call and see what the situation is before speculating.

Not likely as they leave a bag with paperwork on the door, and also it shows in my online account. Neither happened. We also have cameras that would have triggered on motion of someone at the door or in the backyard, and neither has shown anyone coming around.

It's all about the growing degree days. It's kinda, mostly, sort of, surely late but some pre-emergents have post-emergent properties. Dithiopyr is what I use. I usually apply around the second week in May. Before that is too early (in the PA area) and is for the convenience of the company and not for proper timing.

It's been a weird year so far but the lack of communication is unacceptable. If you're going to keep the guy ask him to guarantee the application so that when you get crabgrass he'll have to spray it on his dime.

I see this happen around here a lot. A guy breaks out on his own, gets too many customers and flakes on everyone's services. May be time to just jump ship.

quote:

Oh, and the Creeping Charlie the professionals could not eradicate? Gone.

Ensigmatic, how did you manage that? I have a horrible infestation of that crap.

Yup, like everyone else has said, it's too late for a pre-emergent. I lay mine out in late March, maybe early April. Whenever I see the dogwoods bloom, down she goes.

I used to pay for lawn maintenance but after a year or two of watching them, I do it all myself now. Sooo much cheaper and my lawn looks great every year. Plus, crap like this never happens. Well, unless you forget to do it yourself.

quote:

Originally posted by PHPaul:

quote:

Oh, and the Creeping Charlie the professionals could not eradicate? Gone.

Ensigmatic, how did you manage that? I have a horrible infestation of that crap.

PBI/Gordon SpeedZone Red whacked it.

I ended-up using three herbicides to knock out everything last year: Weed B Gon mostly just got the broadleaf stuff. SpeedZone nailed the Creeping Charlie, spurge, and the over-abundance of clover. (I left the very back of the yard untreated for clover for the honeybees. Carefully spot-treated the other weeds.) Tenacity nailed the wild violets and a couple others neither the Weed B Gon or SpeedZone got.

Takes a while to get it all. You have to wait two of more weeks between applications of different herbicides to: 1. Check for effectiveness and 2. Prevent killing the turf.

Also: Never, ever spray any of these on overly-warm or even the least bit windy days if you have flower gardens. Fine mist can drift a long ways and even the vaporized product can damage flowers.

@ensigmatic: Noted, and thanks.

 
In the AZ desert, we apply pre-emergent in February and August.

Just to update, in case you were still following along

Finally spoke to the owner, and I received a "well we must have done it, we already did that area" He then looked at our account and said "well, guess we missed you". When I questioned if it would still do any good he responded truthfully that it wouldn't, but said they'd come do it right away??

I pointed out that he just told me it wouldn't do any good, and I asked for a refund for that treatment and for a fertilizer treatment ASAP. He agreed. Well a week and a half later with no fertilizer, and no refund I called yesterday and asked for a full refund. Still waiting on it...

Hired another local company that was $30 cheaper.

Crab grass pre emergent needs to go on when soil temp hits 55f. Your 24 hour average in Ypsilanti is 67f, those seeds have already germinated.