This time of year is dandelion season. They are finally finishing their flowering stage and will no longer be as much of an eye sore as they have been. If you have noticed the prevalence of the dandelions you may have asked "Can't they spray for that?" The answer is yes we can, but is it worth the cost at this point in time. When dandelions, or any perennial weed, is in the flowering stage, they put all of their energy and nutrients into making the flower in hopes of reproducing. When you spray a herbicide at this stage the active ingredient goes straight to the flower. The flower then withers and dies off. You may think you have success at this point only to find later that the root of the plant was unaffected and the plant regenerates. You then have to apply a herbicide again to kill the plant off. You just did twice the work and doubled your cost.
That is why if you can handle the look of a few yellow flowers, wait until they are done flowering before you apply the herbicide, it will be much more effective. The best time of year to apply a herbicide is in September/October on a sunny day. This is when the plant is gearing up for winter and storing all its food in its roots. Any herbicide applied at this time will do straight to the roots and kill the plant instead of just the flower.
Here at FCC, we will be spraying for weeds in May as needed, but most of our herbicide applications will be in the fall. Each spring the weeds will less and less prevalent.
