Lawn Care Applications

[local2rtp]

Originally Posted by gal83

Perhaps using liquid is better for lawn care companies as it equates to less effort / fast application. I just switched to a lawn care company and noticed that they are putting a combination of pre and post emergent with fertilizer in the Spring application. It is easier to mix everything in a tank and just spray the thing.

Easier to mix but transporting bulk solids is cheaper than transporting bulk liquids. I would think the lawn care companies are using liquid feeds as a differentiator when competing with DIY homeowners, not because there is demonstrated superiority over solid feed.

[luv4horses]

Let's face it, the liquids spread better. The pellets can fan out but then fall in little clusters because the grass blades are in the way.

Of course no one needs to use an application company. No one needs to go out for dinner either. It is just simpler to use the company, it does not cost much, it wastes less, and it gets the fertilizer applied at exactly the right time. When you work a 9 to 5 type job, getting that time to make an application on a perfect day is really tough. People are so suspicious that they are being cheated all the time, and that is simply not true.

[Sal_M]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

Did you bother to read the link I quoted ? It answers your questions re: dry vs liquid

Yes, I read your response, thank you. I am getting additional opinions/feedback

Thank you everyone for your answers.

[Starglow]

I'm getting ready to buy a tank sprayer with boom to pull behind my lawn tractor. Most liquid fertilizers are concentrated and then mixed with water, so that means you get a lot more coverage per gallon of concentrate than you would with solid pellet type fertilizers. I also agree you get better coverage with liquid than broadcast speading of solids.The cost of granular fertilizers keeps going up to the point that it's almost cheaper to just hire a company to do it if you have a big yard. We used a service many years ago and they did help with weed control, but otherwise I can't say the grass looked anywhere near pristine and if you wanted aeration and seeding done then that costs extra.

[Funky Chicken]

Regardless of the liquid/spreader debate-
I do everything to my lawn myself EXCEPT apply fertilizer and herbicides. iI have a co-worker who also graduated from the NCSU turfgrass program and he operates a small business on the side. I can't buy the products he uses for less than he charges to come out and put them down at just the right time. He knows what to use, how much to use, and when to apply it. My yard is weed free. The only other lawn in our neighborhood that looks as good as ours is the only other one that he treats.
My next door neighbor and I laid our sod at the same time across our property lines to save money. He spent over $10,000 on irrigation and has a service do 100% of the care. I don't have irrigation and I do my own mowing/edging/trimming. My lawn looks like a fairway at Augusta compared to his.

[knagy389us]

I used to do my own chemicals, but since they need to get applied at certain times, I sometimes missed that time for one reason or another so decided not to deal with that part anymore. And turns out the cost for my size yard is almost a wash and it's applied when it should be.

I figured I'd try a lawn service for a season or 2 and see how my lawn progresses. They aerated/overseeded in Nov, and the lawn has thickened up nicely. This company uses both granular and liquid on the same visit. Their reason is depending on the weed type, weather, and a few other factors, both are needed. I watched them put down the granular, then drag a hose to the back of my property and work to the front, hitting all the problem spots.

I do everything else associated with lawn care/cutting and so far really happy. And yes it takes a several seasons of what I did to get a lawn to a decent point where the grass gets strong and chokes out the weeds that will try and take over bare spots.

[Myghost]

Originally Posted by wheelsup

From a lawn mx marketing site:

Interesting, huh? Emphasis is mine.

My parents used sprayers when I was a kid in the 1970's. There are cheap applicators one can buy, I don't see that being a differentiator. As other posters said, I think there are pros and cons of both, and using both is advantageous, especially when you have the economy of scale that is enjoyed by someone "in the bidness".

(And fwiw, I make a mean-azz brick oven pizza at home. Better than most of the non-pizza we get down here...) <-- true story though.

[wheelsup]

Originally Posted by Myghost

My parents used sprayers when I was a kid in the 1970's. There are cheap applicators one can buy, I don't see that being a differentiator. As other posters said, I think there are pros and cons of both, and using both is advantageous, especially when you have the economy of scale that is enjoyed by someone "in the bidness".

(And fwiw, I make a mean-azz brick oven pizza at home. Better than most of the non-pizza we get down here...) <-- true story though.

They don't use "cheap sprayers", they utilize a fairly large mixing tank with a (most likely) 12v pump on it connected to a large house.

Think a big version of the miracle grow garden hose attachments.