Archive for the ‘Eco-Friendly’ Category

Why Switching to Propane Mowers with EFI Could Boost Your Bottom Line

Wednesday, June 8th, 2016
Exmark Lazer Z S-Series Propane

State-of-the-art Exmark EFI-propane mowers offer increased fuel economy and performance, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

If you’re looking for ways to increase profit margins for your lawn care business, one option might be to consider switching to propane mowers. On average, it is said that about 9% of production costs for landscape professionals goes toward fuel. Therefore, a move to propane mowers regulated with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI), could help cut your fuel costs and improve your bottom-line.

Increased efficiency — The propane engines on Exmark mowers can increase fuel efficiency by up to 40% for extended runtimes, compared to traditional gasoline-powered mowers. At the same time, historical prices for propane run about 30% less than gasoline. With gasoline prices still low, this may not seem crucial – but if there’s one rule of gasoline prices, it’s that eventually, they always go back up.

EFI with E-Gov technology plays a big part in the efficiency of propane mower engines. Electronic Fuel Injection and E-Gov keep fuel flowing to your engine at a steady rate, even when your mower revs. This prevents engine drop-off when you hit a rough patch or tackle a steep grade. Gasoline mowers with mechanical regulators can be slow to respond to increased demand on the engine. Just as when you drive, an engine that runs at steady rate performs better than one that continually revs up to work harder.

Cleaner and Greener — Propane is remarkably stable over time, and can be stored for long periods. It also burns cleaner than gasoline, reducing build-up and engine maintenance. This means less mower downtime to have your machine in the field longer, and more profit. Another added benefit is lower emissions, which has become more of a selling point with customers.

Quieter — Propane mower engines are quieter to operate than gasoline or diesel mowers, which could let you start earlier and work later than competitors, and reduce the potential for noise complaints from neighboring properties.

For more information on switching your fleet to propane, see Exmark’s whitepaper, or talk to an Exmark dealer near you.

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New Product Showcase: Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane

Wednesday, May 25th, 2016

Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane

New 60-inch Vantage S-Series is Exmark’s most productive propane-fueled stand-on riding mower

Exmark has expanded its industry-leading line of propane-fueled commercial mowers to include a 60-inch version of its Vantage S-Series Propane stand-on riding mower.

The machine’s innovative Kohler EFI propane powerplant delivers increased fuel economy and performance combined with reduced emissions, making it one of the most environmentally friendly commercial stand-on mowers available today.

Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters, said the 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane is a machine customers have frequently been requesting.

“The reception to the 52-inch model we launched in 2015 was overwhelmingly positive,” Walters said. “That said, one thing we consistently heard from customers is of a need for a model with a larger cutting deck.

“The 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane will give these customers added width of cut to maximize productivity, combined with the cost-saving advantage of our cutting-edge Kohler EFI propane powerplant. It’s a win-win situation. More productivity combined with lower cost equals greater profit. It’s as simple as that.”

Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane

The state-of-the-art Kohler EFI-propane engine is the industry’s first OEM-engineered propane powerplant for commercial mowers.

The Vantage S-Series Propane is powered by a state-of-the-art Kohler Command Pro PCV740 V-Twin EFI propane engine. The professional-grade design uses automotive-style closed-loop electronic fuel injection to eliminate carburetor-related issues and automatically adjust to load, weather and altitude for better performance every day. The EFI design also offers car-like ease of starting – just turn the key and go. No choke, no priming and no fuel pressure adjustments needed.

The 60-inch UltraCut Series 4 side-discharge cutting deck features Exmark’s patented flow-control baffles to deliver the company’s signature quality of cut. Heavy-duty welded construction and high-strength 7-gauge spindle reinforcements deliver superior strength with increased long-term durability.

Maintenance-reducing features include sealed, no-maintenance spindles and Exmark’s patented spherical bearing design idler arm pivots.

“When combined with the incredibly reliable Kohler powerplant, the maintenance-reducing features help keep the Vantage S-Series Propane out making money more of the time,” Walters added.

The new 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane mower joins Exmark’s existing EFI propane Lazer Z (zero-turn rider), Turf Tracer (walk-behind) and Vantage (stand-on) models.

Learn more at Exmark.com.

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The Value of Propane Mowers in Today’s Economy

Sunday, March 20th, 2016
Exmark Lazer Z Propane

The reduced greenhouse gasses propane mowers produce isn’t just good for the environment, it’s a great marketing advantage.

Each day, a growing number of landscape professionals open their eyes to the potential of modern propane-fueled commercial mowers. Even as gasoline prices have come down in recent months, propane is still extremely price competitive and the environmental benefits of propane mowers are in-line with what the majority of landscape maintenance customers say they’re looking for in a landscape contractor (see first bullet point below).

Exmark’s white paper, Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane, has a number of compelling reasons you should consider propane mowers for your business. Following is an excerpt from the Executive Summary.

  • 2013 market research conducted by Lawn & Landscape magazine revealed that 63 percent of homeowners responsible for decisions related to some or all landscape contract services are influenced by a sense of environmental responsibility.
  • Propane-fueled commercial mowers and equipment produce significantly fewer greenhouse gasses (GHG) than those fueled by gasoline.
  • PERC, Kohler and Exmark partnered on development of the industry’s first EFI-propane engine for commercial mower applications. The engine is the industry’s first OEM-level EFI-propane engine, offering full commercial warranty and support. The EFI design increases fuel efficiency by up to 25 percent, and coupled with the typically lower cost of propane, reduces overall fuel costs by up to 40 percent compared to carbureted gasoline engines. Uptime is also improved since the EFI engine solves startability and performance issues frequently encountered with engines using aftermarket conversions.
  • Exmark introduced a Kohler EFI-propane powered version of its Lazer Z S-Series zero-turn riding mower as well as two Turf Tracer wide area walk behind models in 2013. The EFI-propane Vantage S-Series stand-on riding mower followed in 2015.
  • Propane is widely available nationwide and is used in an estimated 12.6 million U.S. households for heating, cooking and recreation. It is a fossil fuel derived from the refining of oil and natural gas. It is a very safe fuel for commercial mowers, with an ignition temperature that’s nearly double that of gasoline (900 deg. F vs. 495 deg. F). In addition, robust, sealed containers virtually eliminate the opportunity for fuel spillage.
  • The selection of a retailer and the negotiation of a seasonal contract are two important aspects of a switch to propane for landscape maintenance professionals to consider.
  • Exmark propane mowers deliver industry-leading performance, productivity and durability.
  • Incentives from PERC, as well as a number of state marketing associations can mitigate some or all of the increased up-front cost of propane mowers. Combined with the EFI-related fuel savings and the lower cost of propane, Exmark mowers powered by Kohler propane-EFI engines can save up-to $2/hour, or more depending on duty cycle and other factors. This allows pay back of the added investment in one to two seasons.
Click the image to download the complete Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane white paper in Adobe PDF format.

Click to download the complete white paper.

Download the complete Transitioning Mower Fleets to Propane white paper in Adobe PDF format.

Learn more about Exmark’s complete line of EFI-propane commercial mowers at Exmark.com.

See the average fuel prices in your area:

 

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Spring Lawn Care Checklist

Sunday, March 13th, 2016

While the spring equinox is coming up March 20, many folks across the country have been experiencing spring-like weather for some time now. As your lawn wakes up from its winter slumber, there are things you can start doing almost immediately to clean it up and get a proactive start on maintenance.

A Note on Timing

Exmark lawn care

Paying attention to the needs of your lawn this spring will make it easier to maintain the beauty of your lawn throughout the season.

While it may seem beneficial to get out as soon as the weather begins to warm up, a little patience can go a long way to maximize the results of your work. Wait until your lawn has mostly greened up to begin mowing, aeration or other maintenance. Too much traffic on the lawn before it’s green increases the chances of killing off new shoots before they mature, or compacting the turf.

Turf Type Matters

Understanding whether you’ve got cool-season grasses (such as bluegrass, fescue and rye) or warm-season grasses (such as Bermuda, St. Augustine and Zoysia) is important to knowing which maintenance tasks you’ll need to perform, and when it’s best to perform them.

Cool-season grasses have two primary growth periods: one in the spring and another in the fall. They can struggle and go dormant in the heat of the summer, so spring maintenance should focus on strengthening the lawn to better deal with summer heat.

Warm-season turf grasses begin growing shortly after the final spring frost and hit their full growth stride as the midsummer heat cranks up.

Here are some maintenance items you can perform to help your lawn be more beautiful and weed-free this season, with notes on timing for warm- and cool-season grasses:

  1. Yard raking/clean-up — Most lawns can use some clean up first thing in the spring. Rake up all leaf and organic material to ensure your lawn is getting the sunlight it needs to green up quickly. As you rake up the leaves in your yard, make note of any areas of the lawn that may be compacted (and need to be aerated) or have excessive thatch (and need to be dethatched).
  2. Fertilization — You won’t necessarily need to fertilize your lawn in the spring, particularly if you applied fertilizer last fall. But depending on what type of fertilizer program you’re on, spring can be a good time to have your soil tested to check available nutrient levels. Cool-season grasses can benefit from a light fertilizer application in the spring, once they’re actively growing. For warm-season grasses, it’s best to fertilize in late spring — typically in April or May — as soon as the lawn greens up and is actively growing.
  3. Weed control — Regardless of whether you have warm- or cool-season grasses, a spring application of pre-emergence herbicide can be very beneficial for your lawn. For control of annual weeds such as crabgrass and foxtail, you want to apply the weed control as soon as the soil temperature consistently reaches 55 degrees. Often, your local extension office can help you understand the soil temperatures for your area. If you plan to perform any seeding to your lawn, you will want to choose your herbicide carefully, as most will prevent the germination of grass seed. According to the University of Nebraska Extension in Lancaster County, the only pre-emergence herbicide that can be used with new seeding is siduron, which is commonly sold as Tupersan.
  4. Seeding — Cool-season grasses can be planted as soon as soil temperatures are consistently in the 50s (and air temps are in the 60s). The goal is to plant as soon as conditions allow to give the grass as much time to establish before the stress of summer heat bears down on it. Fall is a better time to plant cool-season grasses, so your focus for spring planting should ideally be on filling in bare spots. Warm-season grasses should be planted when soil temperatures are consistently in the 60s and all threat of frost has passed.
  5. Mower maintenance — We covered spring mower maintenance comprehensively in this post from Feb. 17, 2016.

 

You may find that if your lawn went into the winter in a well-maintained condition, it may not need all of these steps to be ready for spring. Lawn maintenance you performed in the fall, such as aeration or dethatching, may or may not need an additional spring application. It all depends on the condition of your lawn coming out of winter. And if you maintained your mower in the fall, you won’t need to do another comprehensive service in the spring.

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New Product Showcase: 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane Stand-On Rider

Sunday, March 6th, 2016

New model is Exmark’s most productive propane-fueled stand-on riding mower

Exmark Vantage S-Series Propane

Equipped with a 60-inch UltraCut Series 4 cutting deck, the Vantage S-Series Propane delivers incredible productivity.

Exmark has expanded its industry-leading line of propane-fueled commercial mowers to include a 60-inch version of its Vantage S-Series Propane stand-on rider for 2016. The machine’s innovative Kohler EFI propane powerplant delivers increased fuel economy and performance combined with reduced emissions, making it one of the most environmentally friendly commercial stand-on mowers available today.

Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters, said the 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane is a machine customers have frequently been requesting.

“The reception to the 52-inch Vantage S-Series Propane we launched this past year has been overwhelmingly positive,” Walters said. “That said, one thing we’ve heard is of a need for a larger propane-fueled stand-on rider.

“The 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane will give these customers the cutting width they need to maximize productivity, combined with the cost-saving advantage of our cutting-edge Kohler EFI propane powerplant. It’s a win-win situation. More productivity combined with lower cost equals greater profit. It’s as simple as that.”

Kohler Command Pro EFI Propane engine

The state-of-the-art Kohler Command Pro EFI propane engine offers increased performance, responsiveness and fuel efficiency.

The Vantage S-Series Propane is powered by a state-of-the-art Kohler Command Pro PCV740 V-Twin EFI propane engine. The professional-grade design uses automotive-style closed-loop electronic fuel injection to eliminate carburetor-related issues and automatically adjust to load, weather and altitude for better performance every day. Plus, the EFI design offers car-like ease of starting – just turn the key and go. No choke, no priming and no fuel pressure adjustments needed.

The 60-inch UltraCut Series 4 side-discharge cutting deck features Exmark’s patented flow-control baffles to deliver the company’s signature quality of cut. Heavy-duty welded construction and high-strength 7-gauge spindle reinforcements deliver superior strength with increased long-term durability. Maintenance-reducing features include sealed, no-maintenance spindles and Exmark’s patented spherical bearing design idler arm pivots.

“When combined with the incredibly reliable Kohler EFI propane powerplant, the maintenance-reducing features help keep the Vantage S-Series Propane out making money more of the time,” Walters added.

The new 60-inch Vantage S-Series Propane mower joins Exmark’s existing EFI propane Lazer Z (zero-turn rider), Turf Tracer (walk-behind) and Vantage (stand-on) models.

Learn more at Exmark.com.

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New Product Showcase: Exmark Lazer Z X-Series with Rear-Discharge Cutting System

Sunday, February 28th, 2016

EX16_Rear_Discharge_webThe innovative UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting system is an option for the first time on the new Exmark Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn riding mower for 2016.

The UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting system offers a number of benefits including reduced noise, increased clipping control and the ability to trim on both sides of the deck. Patented flow-control baffles work in conjunction with a counter-rotating blade design to reduce clipping over-processing and horsepower requirements, while delivering even clipping dispersion and the company’s signature quality of cut.

Exmark Director of Marketing, Daryn Walters, said rear-discharge cutting decks make sense for a wide range of the company’s customers, from landscape professionals to acreage owners.

“The UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck solves many of the challenges our customers face every day. From the reduction in noise to the increase in clipping control and ease of trimming, rear-discharge is a great way to maximize productivity and versatility without sacrificing cut quality.”

Lazer Z X-Series

Exmark’s most powerful, productive mower, the Lazer Z X-Series, is now available with the awesome UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting deck.

The Lazer Z X-Series is the most powerful, productive mower Exmark builds. UltraCut Rear Discharge-equipped units feature powerful Kohler twin-cylinder powerplants with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). EFI helps the engine deliver more consistent performance and improved fuel economy in any cutting conditions.

The UltraCut Rear Discharge mowing system is designed for maximum productivity and cut quality. Available in 60- or 72-inch cutting widths, the 5.5-inch deep deck uses a welded and reinforced 7-gauge, high-strength alloy steel shell for superior strength and long-term durability. The no-maintenance spindles are sealed from the elements and designed to deliver a lifetime of reliable service without greasing. Exmark designed compression molded, ultra-high molecular weight side bumpers to protect both sides of the deck. The bumpers work in concert with durable through-axle anti-scalp rollers to precisely follow ground contour.

Pioneer S-Series zero-turn rider

The UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting system is also available on select Pioneer S-Series, Lazer Z E-Series and Lazer Z DS-Series models.

In addition to the new Exmark Lazer Z X-Series, the UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting system is available on the following models:

For highly manicured properties, Exmark offers a Finish Cut baffle kit for the UltraCut Rear Discharge cutting system. When installed, it significantly reduces visible clippings to deliver similar performance to a dedicated mulching mower deck, with the reduced sound output and power requirements of the rear-discharge design.

Learn more about Exmark Rear-Discharge zero-turn riding mowers at Exmark.com.

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Why EFI? A Look at the Benefits of Electronic Fuel Injection

Wednesday, February 3rd, 2016

In addition to traditional carbureted engines, most Exmark commercial zero-turn, stand-on and walk-behind mowers are also available with engines equipped with Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI). Today, we’ll discuss EFI’s benefits and why you might want to consider equipping your next mower with a fuel-injected engine.

Exmark EFI propane

Exmark offers state of the art EFI-propane engines on its commercial zero-turn, walk-behind and stand-on riding mowers.

What is EFI?

EFI replaces the carburetor as the mechanism responsible for mixing fuel and air, and delivering the mixture to the engine cylinders, so it can be burned, and power can be produced.

Unlike a carburetor, which relies on the vacuum created by the engine to work, a fuel-injected engine uses pressurized injectors to spray a precisely-metered amount of fuel into the air stream as it enters the engine. The system’s ability to adjust the fuel/air mixture based on altitude and environment is a major benefit for commercial mower users on a number of levels.

Exmark Navigator

Electronic Fuel Injection reduces fuel consumption, downtime and maintenance costs, while it increases power, performance and ease-of-starting.

EFI Benefits

  • Productivity — EFI optimizes the fuel/air mixture to deliver maximum power and responsiveness at any altitude, in any weather. You’ll get more work done thanks to the optimized performance.
  • Fuel economy — Save up to 25 percent or more on fuel costs compared to similarly equipped carbureted mowers. For a landscape professional, this can amount to hundreds of dollars of fuel savings per year for each machine.
  • Easy starting — With no choke, you’ll get quick starts every time, hot or cold.
  • Reduced service/downtime — With no carburetor, fuel injected engines have no carburetor-related maintenance costs or downtime.

Exmark EFI-Equipped Mowers

Exmark offers Electronically Fuel Injected engines across its line of commercial mowers, including Lazer Z (zero-turn rider), Navigator (dedicated bagging rider), Vantage (stand-on rider) and Turf Tracer (walk-behind) models.

Learn more about Exmark Electronic Fuel Injection mowers.

Additional Information

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Should You Aerate This Spring?

Monday, February 1st, 2016

Regardless of where you live and what type of turf grass you’re working with, aeration can help your lawn be healthier and more beautiful. The trick is knowing when it’s best to aerate, what equipment to use, and what else you can do to encourage the vigor of your grasses, while limiting weeds’ ability to gain a foothold in the lawn.

Exmark core aerator

Core aeration can be beneficial for most lawns if performed at the right time for the type of turf grass you’re working with.

According to Josh Friell, Ph. D, of The Toro Company’s Center for Advanced Turf Technology, aeration introduces temporary stress to the turf, and recovery time is closely linked to growing conditions and annual growth cycles. As a result, it’s important to keep those considerations in mind when determining an annual aerification plan.

When is the Best Time to Aerate?

Aeration is best performed just before or during periods of high growth, but not immediately preceding or during periods of stress to the lawn, whether from heat or drought. The type of grasses that make up your lawn will determine the best time of year to aerate.

If you’re working with cool season grasses, including bluegrass, creeping bent grass, fescue and ryegrass, it’s best to aerate during the growth periods in the spring and fall.

In the spring, wait until you’ve mowed the lawn a few times before aerating. This will ensure the lawn is growing fast enough to recover and take advantage of the increased pore space and air exchange at the root zone that aeration creates.

Exmark Spreader Sprayer

It’s a good idea to apply fertilizer and weed killer just after aeration to minimize the opportunity for weeds to take advantage of the short-term turf stress from aeration.

One caveat, says Friell, is that any disturbance of the root zone in the spring can increase weed competition by bringing buried seeds to the surface.

“You can reduce the potential for weed competition and increase the hardiness of the grasses by applying fertilizer and a pre-emergent weed killer following aeration. But don’t apply a weed killer if you plan to overseed following aeration, as it will prevent germination of the seed you put down.”

For warm season grasses such as Bermuda grass, buffalo grass, St. Augustine and zoysia grass, aeration can take place during warm times of the year between late-spring and early-autumn.

“Aeration should be performed early enough in the fall that the turf can recover before it needs to prepare for winter dormancy,” Friell said.

As for frequency, Friell said aeration should be performed at least once per year on most lawns, while twice annually is best for lawns with compacted soil, or soil with high clay content.

What To Do Before or After Aeration

Watering after aeration is always a good idea, as Friell said aeration should never be performed when turf is wet, or the dirt contains enough moisture to be muddy.

As mentioned earlier, the application of fertilizer and weed killer is beneficial shortly following aeration, but be sure to skip the weed killer if you’re going to overseed following aeration.

Friell said overseeding following aeration makes sense because seeds can take advantage of the disturbed surface to create better seed-to-soil contact.

“Better seed-to-soil contact means better conditions for successful germination.”

Learn More:

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Exploring Fuel Options for Exmark Mowers

Wednesday, January 27th, 2016

One of the most basic decisions you’ll make when purchasing a new mower is fuel type. Today, Exmark offers more fuel options than ever, including gasoline, diesel and propane. So while the decision of which fuel is best for you is one only you can make, Exmark offers industry-leading mowers designed to run on whichever fuel you choose.

Exmark Commercial 30

Gasoline engines are found throughout the Exmark line, on every type of mower we build.

Gasoline-Powered Exmark Mowers

The majority of the mowers Exmark builds are powered by gasoline engines, and they are found throughout the line. Because gasoline is readily available across the country, today it’s the most popular fuel type among homeowners and landscape professionals alike.

Electronic Fuel Injection − EFI

While carbureted engines are still the most popular choice among Exmark mower buyers, today an increasing number of Exmark models are equipped with EFI gasoline engines. EFI replaces the traditional carburetor with a smart fuel system that optimizes settings based on environmental conditions. Performance and productivity are increased, while fuel consumption is reduced by 25-percent or more.

EFI-equipped gasoline engines are available on Exmark walk-behind, stand-on and zero-turn mower models.

Learn more about Exmark EFI-equipped mowers

RED E-Gov governor droop

The increased responsiveness of the E-Gov allows RED-equipped engines to operate at a reduced RPM for increased fuel economy without compromise to performance.

RED Technology

By combining EFI with an electronic governor (E-Gov) and its patented RED Technology, Exmark has further raised the bar on the fuel efficiency, performance and durability of its zero-turn riding mowers. RED enables unprecedented communication among key mower system components, tracking critical engine metrics to prevent critical issues from perpetuating a catastrophic failure.

Exmark offers gasoline engines equipped with RED Technology on its top-of-the-line Lazer Z X-Series zero-turn riding mower.

Learn more about RED Technology-equipped Exmark mowers

Exmark Lazer Z S-Series Propane

State-of-the-art Exmark EFI-propane mowers offer increased fuel economy and performance, with reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

Propane-Powered Exmark Mowers

Today, an ever-increasing number of landscape professionals are turning to propane as their fuel of choice for their mowers and other equipment. The benefits are compelling: including reduced operating costs and an up to 25-percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions (compared to gasoline). Additionally, Exmark propane mowers are powered by state-of-the-art EFI engines, which raise the bar on propane mower performance and ease-of-starting, with dramatically reduced fuel consumption.

When it comes to an environmentally friendly fuel, today propane is the leading option. Exmark offers EFI-propane engine options on its commercial walk-behind, stand-on and zero-turn mowers, making it easy to outfit your trailer with a full suite of industry leading propane-powered mowers.

Learn more about Exmark EFI Propane mowers

Exmark Lazer Z DS-Series

With a torquey liquid-cooled Kubota diesel engine, the Lazer Z DS-Series is the perfect partner big, tough mowing jobs.

Diesel-Powered Exmark Mowers

Exmark diesel mowers are popular with landscape professionals, parks crews and others responsible for maintaining large areas of grass. Equipped with a liquid-cooled Kubota twin-cylinder engine with a reputation for extreme durability, the Lazer Z DS cuts big jobs down to size. Choose from Exmark UltraCut cutting decks in side-discharge or rear-discharge configurations, in 60- or 72-inch cutting widths.

Learn more about Exmark diesel-powered mowers

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Weed Control Tips and Resources

Sunday, December 27th, 2015

While it’s true that proper turf management is the best frontline defense against the encroachment of weeds, for many folks, getting weeds in the lawn under control can feel like an uphill battle. Thankfully, there are a number of things you can do to thwart even the toughest invasive weeds.

UNL Turfgrass Sciences example

An example of the free electronic (Adobe PDF) documents available from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Turfgrass Sciences program.

Weed Control Education & Resources

Education is the first step in getting new or established weeds under control. The ability to identify problem weeds and understand their life cycle is important to knowing the best approach to take to eliminate them. A couple of resources that can be helpful in identifying the prevalent weeds in your area are your local extension office, or nearest University. Local lawn and garden stores can also be a valuable local knowledge base.

Here in our home state, the statewide extension is run through the University of Nebraska, which also has a world-class turfgrass science program located at its Lincoln campus. The publications and calendars available on Nebraska Extension website can help a Nebraska home or acreage owner, or landscape professional understand not just what to do, but when to do it based on the plant(s) you’re trying to kill.

UNL IANR Buffalograss Calendar

This calendar for Buffalograss in Nebraska details the proper timing for fertilization, cultural practices (such as mowing) and pest control.

Weed Control Practices

Weed control practices are typically broken into physical or cultural practices, such as mowing, hoeing, mulching or overseeding, or using chemical herbicides, which kill the weeds on which they are applied.

Cultural practices are almost always a part of effective weed control.

According to Josh Friell, Ph. D, of The Toro Company’s Center for Advanced Turf Technology, there are a number of techniques that reduce weeds’ ability to gain a foothold on your lawn.

“Properly managing your turf will minimize any weed encroachment issues. The old saying goes, ‘weeds don’t cause poor turf, poor turf causes weeds’.

“You can maximize turf density with a sound fertilization program, and reduce weeds’ ability to germinate with simple things such as raising your mower cutting height. Your bagged clippings are also a great tool for crowding out weeds in flower beds.”

For lawn care professionals and homeowners alike, herbicides are often a part of the weed control equation. There are two reasons for this: speed and effectiveness at killing even established weeds.

For a number of common annual weeds including crabgrass and foxtail, spring is a good time to get the upper hand using a pre-emergent herbicide. Here in Nebraska, the window for pre-emergent application is typically late-April through early-May.

The timing of your application window will vary based on your location, as it’s determined by the soil temperature, which needs to be around 55 degrees for crabgrass germination. Other weeds germinate at slightly different temperatures, but the goal is the same: to kill weeds or inhibit germination right as they begin to germinate. Your local extension office can help you understand your window for pre-emergent application.

Fall is also an excellent time to focus on controlling problem weeds, as herbicides are very effective at getting at the roots of many problem weeds during this time. That said, not all weeds are appropriate to target in the fall.

“For example,” Friell says, “it can be quite quite wasteful to treat for annual weeds in the fall when they’ll be dead soon anyway.

“Remember, effective control is a matter of knowledge of the species. Use all of the resources at your disposal to understand the weeds life cycle and the best timing for achieving effective control.”

He says label guidance on the product being applied can be valuable for determining application rates and timing for specific weeds.

References and Information Sources:

 

 

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