Preparing for a professional lawn service visit can be stressful if you aren't sure how to handle your weekly chores.
In Idaho Falls, timing your mowing around your treatment schedule is the best way to ensure you get the full value of the products being applied.
For weed control and fertilization, longer grass is actually an advantage. More leaf surface area allows weeds to absorb more herbicide, while the grass blades can better take in nutrients before they reach the soil.
The real rule of thumb is what happens after the technician leaves. Mowing too soon can strip away the treatment before it has a chance to work its magic on your turf.
Are you wondering how long you should wait before starting your mower, or whether you need to turn off your sprinklers?
Keep reading to learn the best way to prepare for your next Idaho Falls lawn service visit.
Fertilizer: Should I Mow Before Lawn Treatment?
Nope.
Some of those fertilizer nutrients are absorbed through the plant tissue, so it’s best to have some surface area for the fertilizer to land on. That means longer grass is better.
What if you mess up, forget, and mow before the lawn techs come?
Don’t panic. It’s not a huge deal. The fertilizer will be absorbed by the roots along with water and will eventually be taken up by the grass.
Weed Killer: Should You Cut Grass Before Lawn Treatment?
Nope. You don’t want your lawn too short right before weed control is applied.
The more weed, the better. That means more weed killer will actually get on the weeds and get to work killing the scoundrels.
Then, avoid mowing for at least 24 hours — 48 hours is even better.
You want to leave plenty of time for the weeds to absorb that herbicide.
Insecticide: Should I Mow Before Lawn Treatment?
If you’re using a contact insecticide that kills bugs on contact, you want the lawn a bit shorter so the product can reach the bugs more easily. You don’t want a bunch of tall grass blades getting in the way.
If you’re getting a systemic insecticide that kills bugs when they eat the grass, it doesn’t matter as much if the grass is shorter.
That kind of insecticide is absorbed and moved throughout the grass. If you want to get all science-y for a minute, that process is called translocation. Pull that fact out at your next barbecue and impress the heck out of your friends.
How do you know which kind of insect control you need? It’s tricky.
Lawn care pros can help you figure out which bug or bugs are damaging your lawn and suggest an insecticide or other treatment to get rid of them.
Mow Before or After Lawn Treatment? Why After Matters
It’s actually more important to avoid mowing too soon after a lawn treatment, so you don’t mow off whatever good stuff is on your grass before it has a chance to work.
Speaking of Mowing…
When you do mow, do it right. Not too short, please.
Cutting your grass too short stresses the grass, and makes it more susceptible to damage from insects and disease. Never cut off more than a third of the grass blade at any one time.
That way, the grass will develop a deeper root system to support the longer blades and need less water. That leads to a fuller, greener lawn.
What Else Should You Do to Prepare for a Lawn Treatment?
- Turn off your irrigation system the night before a lawn treatment so your lawn isn’t wet when your lawn care company technicians arrive. If the grass blades are too wet, products won’t stick.
- If your lawn is too wet or if your irrigation system is running, they’ll have to skip your property and return later.
- Clear your lawn of any items, including toys and pet items.
- Make sure your pets’ food or water bowls are away from areas to be treated. If you forget, discard any food or water and clean out the bowls after the treatment.
Schedule Those Treatments with Lawn Buddies
If you’re asking questions like, "Should I mow before lawn treatment?" that’s a good sign.
It means you know the importance of giving your lawn the fertilizer, weed control and pest control it needs to thrive.
A comprehensive lawn care program targets weeds at just the right times and also includes products that improve soil and plant health, which will reduce weed populations.
High-quality fertilizer — not the cheapest stuff on sale — is key, too, to help your lawn grow thick and healthy.
Choose a professional lawn care service in Idaho Falls, ID that bundles your yard’s most-needed treatments into one convenient, no-fuss plan that tells you the cost up front.
When you choose Lawn Buddies, you get one premium, six-visit lawn care program that includes everything your lawn needs to grow healthy and green.
Fertilizer, weed treatments, and grub control, all wrapped up in six visits, each perfectly timed throughout the season, so your grass is green and strong and resists weeds.
Got a few minutes? That’s all you need to get started. Just fill out the form on this page, call us at (208) 656-9131 or read more about our services. Then you can kick back and relax in your healthy, thriving yard.
