Spraying your landscape gardens and lawn to control weeds and insects. Each year we wait for the beautiful seasons of spring and summer. The trees fill out with leaves, the flowers bloom and the grass begins to grow. There are also two uninvited guests that arrive at this time of year -

WEEDS and INSECTS!

Wouldn't it be wonderful if you didn't have to pull another weed out of any landscape garden or lawn? What about never having to worry about those pesky grubs that hang out in your lawn during the summer months? Unfortunately there is no secret remedy to eliminate weeds or insects, but knowing when to properly do this procedure will help control both of them.There are hundreds of different products out on the market today. Products come in spray form or a granular. Before you buy any product, carefully read all the directions and information the company provides you. Some forms of weed killer, aren't right for certain lawns. Weeds grow fast and if you have noticed, they can easily take over any landscape garden or lawn. You can buy a ready to spray product or you can purchase a concentrate. The concentrate is mixed with water. Here are a few tips on controlling for weeds. and insects.

• Begin your weed prevention program in the spring when your first weeds or insects began to appear.
• The best time of day is in the morning hours around nine o'clock. Never spray in windy conditions or right after rain. Always let the ground dry before attempting any type of spraying. Some materials available will allow to do this procedure after an hour of rain.
• Your goal with maintaining fewer weeds and controlling any bugs or insects, is finding the right product for your own home. Look for weed killers that will destroy the root. A lot of time can be spent on your hands and knees taking each weed out. The problem with this method is you always don't pull the entire root out. When spraying for insects, find a product that will kill above and below the ground surface. Read what ingredients are in the bottle and make sure all materials are safe and not harmful to any plants or lawns.
• Try and identify what insect problems you have. Are they aphids, ants, ticks, fleas, mole crickets etc... Do you mainly have a clover, chickweed, dandelion, or crab grass problem??? Do you have several different weeds growing? Today, most manufacturers have different chemicals per bottle that will take care of a variety of weeds and insects.
• Your concentrate products are good for a large area, while the ready to spray bottles are great for a small space. The smaller bottle is also good to use in and around tight rows of flowers, vegetables, shrubs or trees. The amount of chemicals you use per gallon will depend the the particular product. Each concentrate or ready to use bottle has a different ratio due to what chemicals are in each bottle.
• Use natural fertilizers on your lawn. The natural fertilizer helps to maintain a healthy root system and will defer weeds from taking over. Also besides spraying read sod or grass seed - tips to enhance your landscape will give you some information if you are at the point of deciding on installing sod, or planting grass seed. The two pages go hand in hand.
• The normal recommendation for time intervals to apply the chemicals vary from product to product. The average is between six and eight weeks. It is very important once you begin a weed and insect control program, you keep to a schedule throughout the entire growing season.
• Always make sure any product is not harmful to wildlife. Keep out of the reach of children and pets. I know, common knowledge but such an important reminder.

The cheapest product available is not always the best. Educate yourself on what weeds grow in your geographic climate, and what nasty insects lure out in your landscape gardens. These are simple suggestions to get you started on your weed and insect control program. Below are three basic types available.