Lawn Care Tips (1 Viewer)

[Fat Nick]

I wonder how the torch would do with more substantial stuff like established privets, vines and crap that keep coming back?

I think it basically kills whatever is there at the point of incineration...Existing plant, seeds, roots (depending on how long you hold it there...). The issue is that most things that "keep coming back" come back via plants coming from another location, either via new seeds that blow in or via runners from other areas that maybe you didn't burn.

Basically, if you have dirt with no grass, you will have some weeds. I've found no way around this personally. Landscape fabric/newspaper helps, but seeds will get on top of it eventually. Even the little area around my A/C condensers, which is 100% gravel has some weeds. I'm about to re-do my fire pit area, laying down 2 layers of 6 Mil black plastic and covering it with 4" of river gravel. I'm sure after a few years of leaves and such falling on the gravel, there'll be enough substrate for weeds to grow there too.

Gotcha. For something that was established and keeps sending up new shoots, I probably need to hold it there for 5 minutes just to burn one out. I'll probably rent a tiller.

Yeah. Basically, if time-savings is your concern, you're probably better off manually digging stuff up. I think even for something like a dandelion, I can dig up the taproot faster than I can burn it to the point it won't come back. It's nowhere near as fun as the scorched earth method though.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

 

[glock]

My wife and I bought our first house last month. The yard is beautiful but we have some issues with weeds and large bare spots. I would say that 75% of the yard although green is weeds rather than grass. I want to eliminate the weeds but have no idea where to start and don't want to hire a company. This is our first experience with a yard we own so I would like a permanent solution even if it takes time. Also we have a dog so I don't want to go nuclear on it.

Not to discount what anybody here says as they're all good tips, but if you have a small yard, and have grass, but a lot of weeds, consider calling a lawn-care professional to see how much their fertilization/weed control plans will cost you. They DO work. Re-sodding will help with the weeds you have now, but you'll inevitably get more if your lawn isn't healthy, and you'll be watering that sod for a while.

My wife and I moved into our house going on 4 summers ago. The previous owners mowed their grass WAY too short. The short grass let weeds thrive. Carpet grass, dandelion, crab grass, plantain, you name it, I had it. Our property is 2.4 acres. ALL yard, no woods, so factor in the house and driveway, and we had a solid 2 acres to care for. First year, I sprayed by hand and hardly made a dent. Second year, I started buying bagged Scotts and applying myself. After some cost-benefit analysis, I realized that I could basically have it done by Scott's for the same cost. So, last year, I had 5 treatments done by Scott's. The grass thrived. The weeds died out. Almost all of them. It was amazing. 10x better results than my DIY stuff, and roughly the same cost. My 2.4 acres now looks like a giant carpet. The only "negative" I can see is that my grass is SO thick and grows SO fast that I have to cut it 2x/week this time of year. For a small yard, it shouldn't be too expensive. I pay over $1500 a season on mine, but I'm gradually cutting back on the number of treatments trying to find the magic "maintain" number. I cut, edge, and trim my yard myself, so I save on that. Everybody's lawn care budget is different I guess.

My general lawn tips:

-Cut it LONG. I cut 4" in early spring, and go up to about 4.75-5" by this time of year. The length chokes out weeds and makes the grass MUCH more drought resistant. It also actually will start to produce seed if you let it get a little longer, which I'll do every now and then to help it thicken up. A lot cheaper than buying grass seed. It doesn't look bad when it is still cut, but cut long.

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

-If you're going to do one fertilization, do it in the FALL. It lets the grass get an early start in the spring, and beat the weeds in.

I have to get back to this. New sod last spring and I was guilty of mowing it too short. Mowing 2X/week when it's a trim is no sweat, either...

 

[McGarnicle]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

Other than the bolt holes lining up, you have to make sure the mower can handle the weight of the blades. If it's a budget mower it may not. I believe the deck itself needs to be designed for mulching also, so that the clippings circulate to get shredded completely. Again, a little crappy mower with a short deck probably will get choked with grass clippings. And if there is a chute, you need to make sure it's closed. Not sure if non-mulching mowers have that ability.

Probably after a couple of passes you will know if it will work. Hopefully you don't get impaled with a blade flying off in the meantime.

 

[shuke]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

 

[shuke]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

 

[NutterButter]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

It is true that you can't get access to the same stuff they can.

 

[The Commish]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

 

[Fat Nick]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

No. It was something I read on several lawn forums and confirmed HERE for NJ. Their sales pitch is to call me constantly and try and sell me other services that I decline. ($700 to aerate?!?!?! I can bought one for $200 and just tow and do it when I mow every now and then) They can get more concentrated stuff than the average consumer, and some stuff you can't get in the stores, at least not legally. They put on your report what chemicals they use each time, and I've tried to see if I can get the stuff...If I can, it's really low concentrations, and crazy expensive.

I know most of these places are franchises, so YMMV. Also, as noted, I have a 2+ acre yard. Applying it myself and doing as good of a job as a ride-on spreader with liquid spray capability just isn't feasible. Liquid herbicide works A LOT better than granules. It would take me ~6 - 40 lb. bags of the granualized fertilizer, which costs over $300. I'm getting professional application and products for ~$350/app. For a smaller yard, it might be more feasible because you probably only need 1 bag, can spread it more accurately, and can use a hand-sprayer for liquid herbicide application. I'd need to buy a tank sprayer to apply, even if I could get the same concentrations...I've looked into it. It's just not worth it.

As I said, YMMV, but in my case, I swear by my pro. My yard looks better than it ever has. I tried for 2 years to make my yard look good, and spent a lot of money and a lot of time trying to DIY. The difference from this time last year till now is flat out amazing for me, but to each his own.

 

[Fat Nick]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

If it doesn't have a discharge cover built-in, some mowers have kits that come with the mulching blades and the cover as part of a kit. I think that's how my mower works (Deere Z710A). My deck is side-discharge, but they sell a mulch conversion kit.

 

[Black Box]

So I just came across the notion of a weed torch. Anyone ever use one of these? They look... awesome.

Doesn't seem very controlled.

I was going to buy a weed torch. Then I was concerned about the greenhouse effect and putting more carbon into the air. So I hit the lawn with Scotts Weed # feed instead.

I got one of these at Harbor Freight. Not very efficient for larger areas, but man...fun to use. It takes longer than a few seconds to incinerate a green weed. I use mine on occasion to clean out between my edging. The edging at my house is just random boulders arranged in a border. Looks nice, but the irregular lines make it a pain to mow and trim around. Weeds grow up between the rocks. This thing will take them out and keep them out for a few weeks.

I like to use it to light up my fire pit. Sure beats newspaper.

From my research on the subject, you actually don't need to burn the weed, just use the heat from the flame to kill it. It should still be green after you've toasted it, but it should die the next day. Apparently it can take some practice.

Is that accurate?

 

[The Commish]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

It is true that you can't get access to the same stuff they can.

The "stuff" is fractions of a percentage point "stronger" than what they sell in the stores. Same active ingredients in most cases.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

 

[Fat Nick]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

It is true that you can't get access to the same stuff they can.

The "stuff" is fractions of a percentage point "stronger" than what they sell in the stores. Same active ingredients in most cases.

When the concentration is 1-2%, "a percentage point" is a big deal as that's almost double the amount. Yes...it's the same active ingredient in many cases, but there are certain chemicals that you can't get from the big blue/orange box stores. Not to mention, the in-fertilizer products have one herbicide only. Scotts Halts (preemergent) is Pendimethaline 1.7%. The Broad-leaf is 2,4-D at 1.2%. This is what you get from the stores most of the time. The pro's have access to a lot more that work better on certain types of weeds. Quinclorac, for example, works very well on crab grass, but it's not available IN a fertilizer, only in a spray. I would have to buy a ton of the weed-b-gone from Ortho to do my whole lawn. The pro's will just spray concentrate + water as part of my fertilizer application if I have heavy crab grass.

Like I said, to each their own. I don't really care if you use Pros or not for this. I'm just passing on my experience. I do almost everything lawn related myself because I'm anal about it and I feel I'll spend more time and get better results. Fertilization/Weed control is the one thing I've outsourced because I can't do it as well as they can.

 

[The Commish]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

 

[McGarnicle]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

If you let it grow too long you will still get clumps. But yes, I love my mulching mower. Definitely better than bagging or shooting clumps all over the place. The smaller clippings breakdown quicker also, and add nitrogen to the soil.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

If you let it grow too long you will still get clumps. But yes, I love my mulching mower. Definitely better than bagging or shooting clumps all over the place. The smaller clippings breakdown quicker also, and add nitrogen to the soil.

That's cool. Are there any downsides to converting it?

 

[McGarnicle]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

If you let it grow too long you will still get clumps. But yes, I love my mulching mower. Definitely better than bagging or shooting clumps all over the place. The smaller clippings breakdown quicker also, and add nitrogen to the soil.

That's cool. Are there any downsides to converting it?

You might start to feel like you're better than other people.

 

[TheIronSheik]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

If you let it grow too long you will still get clumps. But yes, I love my mulching mower. Definitely better than bagging or shooting clumps all over the place. The smaller clippings breakdown quicker also, and add nitrogen to the soil.

That's cool. Are there any downsides to converting it?

You might start to feel like you're better than other people.

More than usual?

 

[The Commish]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

As long as you don't let the grass get too long.

 

[shuke]

No downsides to mulching whatsoever. You'll still get some clumps if you don't mow often enough, but I just walk around with a blower to disperse them.

Get a Gator blade or a knockoff. Sears actually sells a version. It is red.

 

[McGarnicle]

If you smoke weed before you mow the lawn and then you run over a fire ant hill, you can hear the ants screaming.

 

[Fat Nick]

No downsides to mulching whatsoever. You'll still get some clumps if you don't mow often enough, but I just walk around with a blower to disperse them.

Get a Gator blade or a knockoff. Sears actually sells a version. It is red.

Do these Gator blades work well? I've read you can use them as a normal high-lift side-discharge blade. I've considered trying them, but just haven't pulled the trigger. I already have 2 sets of blades so I can have a sharp one handy. Need to justify a 3rd set to the wife somehow...

 

[TheIronSheik]

No downsides to mulching whatsoever. You'll still get some clumps if you don't mow often enough, but I just walk around with a blower to disperse them.

Get a Gator blade or a knockoff. Sears actually sells a version. It is red.

Do these Gator blades work well? I've read you can use them as a normal high-lift side-discharge blade. I've considered trying them, but just haven't pulled the trigger. I already have 2 sets of blades so I can have a sharp one handy. Need to justify a 3rd set to the wife somehow...

Aren't the like $20? Seems like an easy sell.

 

[NutterButter]

No downsides to mulching whatsoever. You'll still get some clumps if you don't mow often enough, but I just walk around with a blower to disperse them.

Get a Gator blade or a knockoff. Sears actually sells a version. It is red.

Do these Gator blades work well? I've read you can use them as a normal high-lift side-discharge blade. I've considered trying them, but just haven't pulled the trigger. I already have 2 sets of blades so I can have a sharp one handy. Need to justify a 3rd set to the wife somehow...

I got them and I'm not sure what to make of them. Its really hard to tell if they make that much of a difference.

 

[NutterButter]

-Professional services for fertilization and weed control work. They have access to stuff that you legally can't get. It works.

With all due respect, was this part of their sales pitch?

I tried a service once, and it was horrible. You can do everything you said on your own, it just takes work.

No. It was something I read on several lawn forums and confirmed HERE for NJ. Their sales pitch is to call me constantly and try and sell me other services that I decline. ($700 to aerate?!?!?! I can bought one for $200 and just tow and do it when I mow every now and then) They can get more concentrated stuff than the average consumer, and some stuff you can't get in the stores, at least not legally. They put on your report what chemicals they use each time, and I've tried to see if I can get the stuff...If I can, it's really low concentrations, and crazy expensive.

I know most of these places are franchises, so YMMV. Also, as noted, I have a 2+ acre yard. Applying it myself and doing as good of a job as a ride-on spreader with liquid spray capability just isn't feasible. Liquid herbicide works A LOT better than granules. It would take me ~6 - 40 lb. bags of the granualized fertilizer, which costs over $300. I'm getting professional application and products for ~$350/app. For a smaller yard, it might be more feasible because you probably only need 1 bag, can spread it more accurately, and can use a hand-sprayer for liquid herbicide application. I'd need to buy a tank sprayer to apply, even if I could get the same concentrations...I've looked into it. It's just not worth it.

As I said, YMMV, but in my case, I swear by my pro. My yard looks better than it ever has. I tried for 2 years to make my yard look good, and spent a lot of money and a lot of time trying to DIY. The difference from this time last year till now is flat out amazing for me, but to each his own.

I find that to be the case as well. I got a couple of bottles of concentrated stuff to kill some two very hard to kill weeds as well as post emergent crabgrass killer and the stuff works very well.

 

[NutterButter]

Can a mulching blade for a lawn mower go on any newer mower?

I don't think it can hurt. But the deck needs to be high enough to allow the clippings to stay suspended for real mulching.

This is what the guy at Lowe's said too, but when I asked him how you can tell if it's high enough he said, "Just look at it." I cut him some slack since he didn't know me and that I'm a moron.

What kind of mower do you have? Most equipped to mulch have a bag you can either put on or leave off. When off there's a heavy duty plastic "door" that fits the hole where the bag typically goes. If you have a mower that simply has side discharge, it's probably not equipped to mulch.

It's a Craftsman, but I'd have to check for anymore details. It's been since last year since I've used it, seeing as how my leg is broken.

I'm willing to bet if it's relatively new, then putting on a mulching blade is no big deal. Most Craftsman come with an option to mulch.

Cool. I just did a search and see that they sell a kit that fits all Craftsman mowers from 1989 to newer.

Currently, we just blow the clippings out the side. I hate that it leaves grass clumps all over. Will converting it get rid of these clumps? Is it worth is to convert it, I guess is what I'm asking.

As long as you don't let the grass get too long.

I find that to be the key this time of year. Grass grows crazy fast this time of year and anything more than 3 or 4 days per cut and you're going to get clumping.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I have a brick back patio. Nothing great, but it does the job. But the weeds can be brutal to keep up with. I feel like I spend half my weekend with Round Up spraying between the bricks.

There's got to be an easier way, right? I almost feeling like buying a crap load of Round up, putting it in a bucket and mopping it across the patio. The only thing stopping me is I'm not sure if that's very healthy or not.

Anyone know of a good way to kill weeds for long periods on bricks?

 

[avoiding injuries]

So... I do this lawn service and they burned two spots on my lawn. I took pics and contacted the company. The service manager came out to assess yesterday while I was at work and left a note saying it was the cause of gasoline spilling from my mower. Well, the burn marks are right where they started the treatment and their truck was parked, it's also the last place I cut, so any excess gas will have been long gone. Anyway, here is an email I just sent off. I'll update with any response.

"Hi xxxx,

Thank you for coming out yesterday. I received your note accessing the burnt grass in my yard. I'm curious how you determined it to be caused by gasoline from my mower and not due to the fertilized treatment put down? I suppose after 3 years of maintaining my lawn in the same routine it's possible that what you say could have happened, but the fact that it did happen for the first time right after my first application from Xxxxx, I'm sure you can imagine why I might be a little skeptical about your assessment.

I could go into details about where I gas up my tractor, where I start cutting my lawn and other factors that would make your conclusion very unlikely, but I don't want to get into a finger pointing contest. Diane informed me over the phone that I was in the "executive" program, and since I've already prepaid for 6 treatments, I will continue with the service for this year.

I did however copy two of my neighbors on this email who are also Xxxxxx customers who were pretty adamant about referring your service to me. I just want them to be aware of the customer service.

I don't mean to come across too brash, I'm just a little frustrated with the situation. Have a good Friday and enjoy the holiday weekend."

 

[The Commish]

I have a brick back patio. Nothing great, but it does the job. But the weeds can be brutal to keep up with. I feel like I spend half my weekend with Round Up spraying between the bricks.

There's got to be an easier way, right? I almost feeling like buying a crap load of Round up, putting it in a bucket and mopping it across the patio. The only thing stopping me is I'm not sure if that's very healthy or not.

Anyone know of a good way to kill weeds for long periods on bricks?

How big is the patio? Easy enough to pull up? Is there "sand" between the bricks or are they loosely put together? They have that palmour sand that you sweep into the joints and when you water it in, it forms a barrier to prevent what you're seeing. If it's easy enough to pull up, I'd pull it up, throw down some landscaping fabric, relay the brick and use some of that sand to lock everything in place.

 

[Fat Nick]

No downsides to mulching whatsoever. You'll still get some clumps if you don't mow often enough, but I just walk around with a blower to disperse them.

Get a Gator blade or a knockoff. Sears actually sells a version. It is red.

Do these Gator blades work well? I've read you can use them as a normal high-lift side-discharge blade. I've considered trying them, but just haven't pulled the trigger. I already have 2 sets of blades so I can have a sharp one handy. Need to justify a 3rd set to the wife somehow...

Aren't the like $20? Seems like an easy sell.

x 3 for my Deere 60" 7-Iron deck...If it was $20 total, I wouldn't think twice...Plus it's not a "hide it from the wife purchase as she already doesn't quite get why I have a 2nd set of blades laying in the garage.

 

[McGarnicle]

I have a brick back patio. Nothing great, but it does the job. But the weeds can be brutal to keep up with. I feel like I spend half my weekend with Round Up spraying between the bricks.

There's got to be an easier way, right? I almost feeling like buying a crap load of Round up, putting it in a bucket and mopping it across the patio. The only thing stopping me is I'm not sure if that's very healthy or not.

Anyone know of a good way to kill weeds for long periods on bricks?

How big is the patio? Easy enough to pull up? Is there "sand" between the bricks or are they loosely put together? They have that palmour sand that you sweep into the joints and when you water it in, it forms a barrier to prevent what you're seeing. If it's easy enough to pull up, I'd pull it up, throw down some landscaping fabric, relay the brick and use some of that sand to lock everything in place.

Was going to suggest the same. It's called polymeric sand. I used the stuff for a new patio install but I'm not sure how it would work for existing work. If it's not a big patio, I might devote a few hours to loosening up the sand with some kind of a metal tool, vacuum with a shop vac, then install the polymeric sand.

 

[Fat Nick]

I have a brick back patio. Nothing great, but it does the job. But the weeds can be brutal to keep up with. I feel like I spend half my weekend with Round Up spraying between the bricks.

There's got to be an easier way, right? I almost feeling like buying a crap load of Round up, putting it in a bucket and mopping it across the patio. The only thing stopping me is I'm not sure if that's very healthy or not.

Anyone know of a good way to kill weeds for long periods on bricks?

How big is the patio? Easy enough to pull up? Is there "sand" between the bricks or are they loosely put together? They have that palmour sand that you sweep into the joints and when you water it in, it forms a barrier to prevent what you're seeing. If it's easy enough to pull up, I'd pull it up, throw down some landscaping fabric, relay the brick and use some of that sand to lock everything in place.

Polymeric Sand. If you don't want to take up the existing pavers, get a shop vac and a pressure washer. Shop vac out ALL the old sand that you can, and then use a pressure washer to clear out whatever you can't vac. You basically want the cracks as clean as you can get it. Add the polymeric sand and compact/vibrate as you do all other sands until it's full. Brush the excess off the top of the pavers, and wet it according to the directions. It'll dry hard. You'll still get a few stubborn weeds, but maybe 5% of what you would normally get.

I did my front walk 2 years ago, and just did a touch-up this year because some cracks reappeared after the abnormally cold winter caused some contraction. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good. If you really wanted to work on the weeds, after you clean the cracks, sweep some Preen into them to kill out the seeds that might be under there waiting to grow up through your polymeric.

ETA - McGarnicle beat me to it. What he said, only as noted, it works fine with pre-existing sand/pavers. You just have to spend a good bit of time getting the cracks cleaned out. It's a PITA, but worth it IMO if you want to get rid of weeds.

 

[Fat Nick]

I know most of these places are franchises, so YMMV. Also, as noted, I have a 2+ acre yard. Applying it myself and doing as good of a job as a ride-on spreader with liquid spray capability just isn't feasible. Liquid herbicide works A LOT better than granules. It would take me ~6 - 40 lb. bags of the granualized fertilizer, which costs over $300. I'm getting professional application and products for ~$350/app. For a smaller yard, it might be more feasible because you probably only need 1 bag, can spread it more accurately, and can use a hand-sprayer for liquid herbicide application. I'd need to buy a tank sprayer to apply, even if I could get the same concentrations...I've looked into it. It's just not worth it.

As I said, YMMV, but in my case, I swear by my pro. My yard looks better than it ever has. I tried for 2 years to make my yard look good, and spent a lot of money and a lot of time trying to DIY. The difference from this time last year till now is flat out amazing for me, but to each his own.

I find that to be the case as well. I got a couple of bottles of concentrated stuff to kill some two very hard to kill weeds as well as post emergent crabgrass killer and the stuff works very well.

Yeah. The concentrate works well. If you blast a weed with that stuff as directed, it almost definitely will die. The thing with the granules are that they actually have to land on and STICK to the weeds to work. It's just not effective. Liquid stuff works very well, but the challenge is application if you have a large yard. I thought about buying a tow-behind 55 gallon tank sprayer at one point, but just decided it was easier to pay someone.

 

[McGarnicle]

I have a brick back patio. Nothing great, but it does the job. But the weeds can be brutal to keep up with. I feel like I spend half my weekend with Round Up spraying between the bricks.

There's got to be an easier way, right? I almost feeling like buying a crap load of Round up, putting it in a bucket and mopping it across the patio. The only thing stopping me is I'm not sure if that's very healthy or not.

Anyone know of a good way to kill weeds for long periods on bricks?

How big is the patio? Easy enough to pull up? Is there "sand" between the bricks or are they loosely put together? They have that palmour sand that you sweep into the joints and when you water it in, it forms a barrier to prevent what you're seeing. If it's easy enough to pull up, I'd pull it up, throw down some landscaping fabric, relay the brick and use some of that sand to lock everything in place.

Polymeric Sand. If you don't want to take up the existing pavers, get a shop vac and a pressure washer. Shop vac out ALL the old sand that you can, and then use a pressure washer to clear out whatever you can't vac. You basically want the cracks as clean as you can get it. Add the polymeric sand and compact/vibrate as you do all other sands until it's full. Brush the excess off the top of the pavers, and wet it according to the directions. It'll dry hard. You'll still get a few stubborn weeds, but maybe 5% of what you would normally get.

I did my front walk 2 years ago, and just did a touch-up this year because some cracks reappeared after the abnormally cold winter caused some contraction. It's not perfect, but it's pretty darn good. If you really wanted to work on the weeds, after you clean the cracks, sweep some Preen into them to kill out the seeds that might be under there waiting to grow up through your polymeric.

ETA - McGarnicle beat me to it. What he said, only as noted, it works fine with pre-existing sand/pavers. You just have to spend a good bit of time getting the cracks cleaned out. It's a PITA, but worth it IMO if you want to get rid of weeds.

Sounds like a pain but I would definitely put in the effort in that situation. Weeds coming up through any kind of hardscape are Satan.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

 

[Bogeys]

So everything I have read says that if you are going to aeriate (sp?) the lawn to do it in the late spring early summer where I live. I have not seen anything to actually do this with that isn't pulled behind a riding mower and my lawn isn't big enough to need one of those. The ground is really hard and I will be adding some top soil either in the fall or early spring but thought this might be a good option for this summer.

Any suggestions? Can you rent something to do this at a reasonable price?

 

[McGarnicle]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.

So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

 

[McGarnicle]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

Just get a huge blue tarp. Remove all that stuff, lay down the tarp and use bricks around the edges to hold it in place. Replace the furniture and WALLA you never have to use Roundup again.

 

[Fat Nick]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.

So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

I'm guessing you're using the bottles with the built-in sprayer...Buy the concentrate and a pressure sprayer. The spray swath is a lot wider, and your forearms won't burn when you're done. I used to do this to our walkway pre-polymeric. Didn't take too long...but then you just have dead weeds everywhere. I never minded the spraying, it was the picking up/pulling I hated.

 

[Fat Nick]

So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

Just get a huge blue tarp. Remove all that stuff, lay down the tarp and use bricks around the edges to hold it in place. Replace the furniture and WALLA you never have to use Roundup again.

I'm envisioning Sheik's patio now looking like Boise State's football field...

 

[McGarnicle]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

I'm guessing you're using the bottles with the built-in sprayer...Buy the concentrate and a pressure sprayer. The spray swath is a lot wider, and your forearms won't burn when you're done. I used to do this to our walkway pre-polymeric. Didn't take too long...but then you just have dead weeds everywhere. I never minded the spraying, it was the picking up/pulling I hated.

And spend extra on a professional grade sprayer. The ones at the big box stores are crap and do not last.

 

[Fat Nick]

So everything I have read says that if you are going to aeriate (sp?) the lawn to do it in the late spring early summer where I live. I have not seen anything to actually do this with that isn't pulled behind a riding mower and my lawn isn't big enough to need one of those. The ground is really hard and I will be adding some top soil either in the fall or early spring but thought this might be a good option for this summer.

Any suggestions? Can you rent something to do this at a reasonable price?

Core aeration via a pull-behind machine is usually the best home-solution, but if your yard is really small, you could consider THESE. And folks thought Crocs looked silly. They're spikes, so not going to work as well as a core aerator. I don't think you can do Core without a pull-behind simply due to needing more weight. I load my pull-behind down with 4 cinder blocks, and sometimes I still think it could use more weight. That's not something you'll want to push.

 

[TheIronSheik]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

I'm guessing you're using the bottles with the built-in sprayer...Buy the concentrate and a pressure sprayer. The spray swath is a lot wider, and your forearms won't burn when you're done. I used to do this to our walkway pre-polymeric. Didn't take too long...but then you just have dead weeds everywhere. I never minded the spraying, it was the picking up/pulling I hated.

And spend extra on a professional grade sprayer. The ones at the big box stores are crap and do not last.

What is a professional grade sprayer? I'm being serious, in case that sounds like sarcasm.

 

[The Commish]

So everything I have read says that if you are going to aeriate (sp?) the lawn to do it in the late spring early summer where I live. I have not seen anything to actually do this with that isn't pulled behind a riding mower and my lawn isn't big enough to need one of those. The ground is really hard and I will be adding some top soil either in the fall or early spring but thought this might be a good option for this summer.

Any suggestions? Can you rent something to do this at a reasonable price?

They have walk behind aerators. I have used one of those for years. Though now, my yard is large enough, I probably need a pull behind. The walk behinds are a workout. Make sure that when you decide to aerate, you water the lawn really well prior to aerating to help soften up the soil.

 

[The Commish]

I should have mentioned that we don't own the house. It's my GF's brother's old house. He got married and moved into a new home. When my GF got divorced, they sold her house for a loss and we're now waiting to buy our own house once we're back up on our feet. For the time being, we just rent his house at a discounted price.

We had thought about buying his house at one point, but have since decided to wait a year or two and get our own place. So I have no real desire to do major remodeling work on the house.

Other than tearing it up, is there a way to do it? Or am I stuck using the Round Up wand for a couple of hours each weekend?

Couple hours? Must be a huge patio. Use the Roundup extended control in the grey bottle. Supposedly keeps weeds from coming back for weeks. You'll probably still get some, but hopefully much fewer than before.

I exaggerate. It feels like an eternity. And since we have things like patio furniture, a fire pit, flower pots and a grill on the patio, it means that I'm usually lugging items back and forth in order to hit every area.So, yeah. Probably not hours. But if I could just mop the deck with Round Up, I'd imagine it would be much quicker and guarantee hitting every nook and cranny.

I'm guessing you're using the bottles with the built-in sprayer...Buy the concentrate and a pressure sprayer. The spray swath is a lot wider, and your forearms won't burn when you're done. I used to do this to our walkway pre-polymeric. Didn't take too long...but then you just have dead weeds everywhere. I never minded the spraying, it was the picking up/pulling I hated.

And spend extra on a professional grade sprayer. The ones at the big box stores are crap and do not last.

What is a professional grade sprayer? I'm being serious, in case that sounds like sarcasm.

Got one of these things for my yard, but we have almost an acre

 

[Bogeys]

So everything I have read says that if you are going to aeriate (sp?) the lawn to do it in the late spring early summer where I live. I have not seen anything to actually do this with that isn't pulled behind a riding mower and my lawn isn't big enough to need one of those. The ground is really hard and I will be adding some top soil either in the fall or early spring but thought this might be a good option for this summer.

Any suggestions? Can you rent something to do this at a reasonable price?

Core aeration via a pull-behind machine is usually the best home-solution, but if your yard is really small, you could consider THESE. And folks thought Crocs looked silly. They're spikes, so not going to work as well as a core aerator. I don't think you can do Core without a pull-behind simply due to needing more weight. I load my pull-behind down with 4 cinder blocks, and sometimes I still think it could use more weight. That's not something you'll want to push.

So everything I have read says that if you are going to aeriate (sp?) the lawn to do it in the late spring early summer where I live. I have not seen anything to actually do this with that isn't pulled behind a riding mower and my lawn isn't big enough to need one of those. The ground is really hard and I will be adding some top soil either in the fall or early spring but thought this might be a good option for this summer.

Any suggestions? Can you rent something to do this at a reasonable price?

They have walk behind aerators. I have used one of those for years. Though now, my yard is large enough, I probably need a pull behind. The walk behinds are a workout. Make sure that when you decide to aerate, you water the lawn really well prior to aerating to help soften up the soil.

Thanks for the advice. I hadn't heard of the ones that go on your shoes before and the reviews are pretty mixed. The walk behind ones that I have read about seemed to have the biggest complaint being they are made for short people. I don't mind a workout, but since I am 6'4" I don't know that I want to try that.

Might just pay to have it done although that always bothers me since I have to get the WD40 in order to get my wallet to open.