Groundkprs/anyone i need help

[Seascape]

I got a call first thing this morning concerning a some turf that that big applicator company treated last year(we know who im referring to) anyhow this guy insists that they trashed his lawn. says it has bald spots and weeds now. He wants my recomendation on what to do. W/ out seeing it im wondering if it isnt chemically burnt. My question however is if it is How do i nueteralize his soil to again grow turf? Should i reccomend top dreesing? This is something ive always thought about but put it off and today i got the call. Any suggestions? Well i figured i would run in at lunch and post this up i go out saturday morning to look at it. Gotta run.
mike

[mariner]

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Without looking at it, it is hard to say what is wrong with it. If it is burned, chances are that the nitro has been leached away and should not be a problem anymore. Only a soil test will confirm this of course. If the soil is overloaded with nutrients, you can put down charcol at the reccomended rate to neutralize the elements. Any bare spots would have to be raked and seeded. As far as the weeds, a post emergent herbicide will take care of them. If the temps are cool, use an Ester formulation of herbicide otherwise you'll have to use an amine formulation.

[Seascape]

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Im not worried about weeds i just need correct methods to recover the soil if it is contaminated. I have a bare spot in my back yard where i spilled fert 2 years ago and weeds wont even grow in it.
mike

[lawrence stone]

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This is what happens after about 3 years (the average length the big green retains a customer) from the constant application of pre and post emergent herbicides with straight urea for fertilizer.

All you can do is maybe top-dress with compost aerate the heck out of it and maybe in a couple of years enough of the herbicide will degrade to the point of where plants can grow again.

Mariner just bought a 200 gal sprayer so he can follow in big greens footsteps.

Lay those chemicals down thick and often baby!!!

[GroundKprs]

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Customer overdramatization, most likely. If no irrigation system, very likely damage from last summer. Check bad areas for heavy thatch - you do look underground for that, don't you. (See my homepage for info on thatch and detection.) Soil test would be useful, for sure, but don't go in as the miracle worker. It doesn't matter who else treated it in the past, you're starting from scratch.

I always tell a new client in the springtime that I will need a full year to show improvement, because I am starting at the end of the grass life cycle. They are usually quite pleased when it starts to perk up right away.

Let us know what it really looks like.

[mariner]

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Stone,
You just wanna argue with the world don't ya? I bought a spray tank to be productive on the large properties that I service. What do you use, a backpack on all properties for weed control! Eat my dust!

[Seascape]

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Ya i usually avoid the miracle worker gig. I learned years ago how easy it is to make an ass out of yourself. i just really want to have some sort of prescription if i find chemical laying around from last year when i arrive. Ya i figure its not as bad as he speculates. I also have already had to dodge the bullet when he asked how much i know about that company. i just said i know they hold a large cutomer data base. i asked him to pull the invoices they left him last year w/ his account history in case it held any clues.Would the charcoal mariner mentioned be an option to soak up some of the nitrogen? What is he referring to? Does it have a brand name? I more than likely will find drought stress and write up a areate. I will really have to see it. Might just be a cease application program and baby it for this year who knows. Im just thinking if it is chemically burnt, what steps would i take to assist its recovery and soak up all the contamination? Thats really what im after just in case.
mike

[mariner]

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The lawn may have been diseased also. Could be doolar spot or some type of patch disease. I would have to see it to really know. If possible, post a pic. Find out the customers watering habits. They could have been a night time waterer wich would really indicate disease. Did they have an insect problem. No one will really be able to answer you for sure without seeing the property.

[Seascape]

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If its infected ill know, if its burnt ill know. Id like to hear more about this activated charcoal though. Im assuming it comes granular and liquid? Im also assuming it will stain the inside of my tank jet black and probally clog my screen? has anyone worked w/ it? tell me about it please.
mike

[mariner]

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I have never worked with it personally but a company I used to work for used it. It is spread via a broadcast spreader. Contact your supplier and they should have all of your answers.

P.S. Seascape, I didn't mean to undermine your knowledege. Sorry if it came across that way.

[Seascape]

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Its cool i didnt take it that way. I know however some of the people that post in this topic you really gotta wonder. ive pretty much figured who i can rely on here. I should know this anyhow. i looked into it cause i go at this kind of stuff w/ a vengance if i get hit w/ something i dont know. Ive found some stuff called "pick up" Havent located it in any fert shops but at least now i know what i may need to look for. I may not need this stuff at all. ill know tomorrow. But im curious now anyhow.
mike

[Seascape]

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Alright i visited this site yesterday and found a combination of problems. Im thinking 10% pet damage from his neighbors dog, 30% chemical damage, and 60% drought damage. His bigest problem is areas that are small and tight where the applicator failed to turn the spreader down and overdosed. Theres still chemical laying in these areas and they are cooked. This probally happened during the drought. I wrote up a areate x2, some dethatch woork to be done by hand in 2 areas that might total 500 sq ft. application of activated charcoal and an overseed. The 2 areas dethatched to be covered. This will take place in 2 visits to allow the carbon to work and total cost to him is 722.50. I ceased all chemical activity and suggested he talk w/ his neighbor concerning the dog. I was the second to visit the site. He showed me the literature another LCO left quoting a 5 app w/ grubb for 35.42 per app. Am i the only that waits until i see a possible grub problem before i start selling and throwing pesticide? anyhow he signed and approved it. I still wonder if i should have passed? I hope the areate has an effect on the areas that are stressed because the 2 areas to be rehabed account for only a small portion of the turf. 500 of about 2000 sq ft. Also turns out i was refered by a client that dropped me 2 years ago. I havent figured that out yet but ill call later this week to thank them and get some idea why they still refer me but dont use my service.
mike

[mariner]

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Sound like you got a good paying job there. As far as the chemical still laying on the groung, take a shop vac over there and suck it up. Have the customer water the hell out of the overdosed areas to wash away the nitro.
I sell a grub preventative (Merit) in my program. It is a systemic insecticide that offers season long protection. I guarantee it. If grubs eat the lawn after the app is put down I repair the damaged areas. I've never had to yet. It's a little expensive but people order it. A 3000 sq ft lawn would be charged about 45-50 an app.

[Seascape]

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I notice about everybody but me offers it in theyre program. I was brought up w/ a very old school applicator. he is very conservative and i still practice alot of the stuff he tought me. However another round in my program wouldnt hurt my bottom line so i think about it and i believe most lcos are throwing this along w/ theyre summer apps so its only 1 run. Its appealing. Also i called my referal and thanked them for thinking about me. i also informed her that it baffles me why they dont use me but refer me. She said if it was up to her she would still have me but that budget cuts forced them to go w/ another service. Guess he cuts $25 cheaper and his apps are 1/2 the cost of mine. She said she doesnt get near the quality or personal touch that i provided but that overall last year they spent over $4000 less.I asked her why she didnt talk w/ me about it versus letting me go she said my work is worth the cost usually and that she didnt want to make her problems my problems. I asked her if she would be interested in another bid w/ out all the frills she said she would at least like to have me back to cut. Her husband is in stocks so things are looking better i guess. They spent anywhere from 15-25000 a year w/ me depending on what kind of scape upgrades i installed. She said theyve cut all that out and theyre gation system hasnt worked since june of last year. Im going to try to recover these guys back. mike