What weed killer/inhibitor substances do the landscaping company use?

They use(d to) something called Mesotrione but it's now banned. It would target only weeds and your grass would be fine but it was being used in such large scales that the gov prohibited it in 2018.

It's available in the USA under the brand Tenacity but it's against the law to ship into Canada.

I'm sure some companies still use it but this post is for educational purposes only.

Yeah I could see the difference between the WeedBeGone US and Canada -we are the losers as usual
I still don't understand how they sell the weedbegone canadian version since the weeds don't seem to care about it

They're pretty limited. They typically use Fiesta in a lawn, which is chelated iron. Dicot species (aka non-grasses) absorb iron better through their leaves than monocots (grasses), so when sprayed on a lawn they overdose and burn the foliage. Issue is fiesta doesn't kill the roots, so unless it's a young weed with undeveloped roots it'll probably grow back unless treated repeatedly. For pre-emergent they use corn gluten, which doesn't work well, and for kill-everything they usually use fatty acids, which are rapid burndown herbicides that kill all top growth but again don't kill roots well. There is a new 2-4D alternative made from pea-derived hormone (Wilson's has a residential version), basically does the same thing as 2-4D by acting as an auxin and overdosing them. It can be a decent selective alternative.

Other things they may be doing that you aren't is fertilizing properly - thick grass looks better and chokes out weeds.

Or they're using illegal chemicals and rolling the dice on not being busted.

EDIT: for grubs they use Bt granules and nematodes. Neither work well compared to chemistry.

grumble wrote: ↑ They're pretty limited. They typically use Fiesta in a lawn, which is chelated iron. Dicot species (aka non-grasses) absorb iron better through their leaves than monocots (grasses), so when sprayed on a lawn they overdose and burn the foliage. Issue is fiesta doesn't kill the roots, so unless it's a young weed with undeveloped roots it'll probably grow back unless treated repeatedly. For pre-emergent they use corn gluten, which doesn't work well, and for kill-everything they usually use fatty acids, which are rapid burndown herbicides that kill all top growth but again don't kill roots well. There is a new 2-4D alternative made from pea-derived hormone (Wilson's has a residential version), basically does the same thing as 2-4D by acting as an auxin and overdosing them. It can be a decent selective alternative.

Other things they may be doing that you aren't is fertilizing properly - thick grass looks better and chokes out weeds.

Or they're using illegal chemicals and rolling the dice on not being busted.

EDIT: for grubs they use Bt granules and nematodes. Neither work well compared to chemistry.

this one ?
https://lawnproducts.ca/products/weedout-1l-concentrate

CuriousC wrote: ↑ this one ?
https://lawnproducts.ca/products/weedout-1l-concentrate

No, this one:

https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/wils ... 0411p.html

Active ingredient is this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/4-Chloroi ... cetic_acid

Not saying it's as good as 2-4D, but it's in the ballpark.

The "secret magic" that Landscaping companies use is they have a "Fertilizer/Herbicide" license where they can use products that the average guy in Ontario cannot legally use (unless the reg Joe or Jane) gets his/her license to use them.

I laughed at the comment where someone is supposing that a landscape company is using "environmentally conscious means" to kill weeds and such. Don't kid yourself, landscaping companies want results, not to appease the tree hugger crowd. You can use the junk that doesn't work from Home Depot/Lowe's by yourself if you want to have poor results.

Gibsons wrote: ↑ The "secret magic" that Landscaping companies use is they have a "Fertilizer/Herbicide" license where they can use products that the average guy in Ontario cannot legally use (unless the reg Joe or Jane) gets his/her license to use them.

I laughed at the comment where someone is supposing that a landscape company is using "environmentally conscious means" to kill weeds and such. Don't kid yourself, landscaping companies want results, not to appease the tree hugger crowd. You can use the junk that doesn't work from Home Depot/Lowe's by yourself if you want to have poor results.

It's illegal for residential use to use banned pesticides, regardless of whether you're a pro or not. If you're using them in farming or on a golf course different story, but residentially it's a huge fine if you're caught using them in your biz. There are 'commercial grade' formulations of the natural sprays (Fiesta is commercial-only), but it's the same basic stuff.

Depends on province of course. I'm speaking from Ontario. https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90p11

grumble wrote: ↑ It's illegal for residential use to use banned pesticides, regardless of whether you're a pro or not. If you're using them in farming or on a golf course different story, but residentially it's a huge fine if you're caught using them in your biz. There are 'commercial grade' formulations of the natural sprays (Fiesta is commercial-only), but it's the same basic stuff.

Depends on province of course. I'm speaking from Ontario.

Why do you think people hire Landscaping companies to spray their lawn? You thinking they are using environmentally friendly stuff is laughable. Ask any pro landscaper on here and they will laugh at you. Don't you see the little signs they have to put on their client's lawn stating they are using chemicals?

2-4-D baby.

I live in Ontario as well.

Gibsons wrote: ↑ The "secret magic" that Landscaping companies use is they have a "Fertilizer/Herbicide" license where they can use products that the average guy in Ontario cannot legally use (unless the reg Joe or Jane) gets his/her license to use them.

I laughed at the comment where someone is supposing that a landscape company is using "environmentally conscious means" to kill weeds and such. Don't kid yourself, landscaping companies want results, not to appease the tree hugger crowd. You can use the junk that doesn't work from Home Depot/Lowe's by yourself if you want to have poor results.

So they sell us shit at big box stores and nobody has a say in this ?
This looks like selling oil snake business.
Of course the other point here is that if you need to fart you need a license in Canada, the rest of the work can fart freely ...

Gibsons wrote: ↑ Why do you think people hire Landscaping companies to spray their lawn? You thinking they are using environmentally friendly stuff is laughable. Ask any pro landscaper on here and they will laugh at you. Don't you see the little signs they have to put on their client's lawn stating they are using chemicals?

2-4-D baby.

I live in Ontario as well.

I've seen the signs. They say fiesta not "2-4-D"

CuriousC wrote: ↑ So they sell us shit at big box stores and nobody has a say in this ?
This looks like selling oil snake business.
Of course the other point here is that if you need to fart you need a license in Canada, the rest of the work can fart freely ...

Where have you been, it's been like this for a decade or so.

I think in a few provinces you can get anything you want, still.

KevinM56081 wrote: ↑ I've seen the signs. They say fiesta not "2-4-D"

"Pepsi" vs "Coke".

If the OP wants a clean lawn, hire a landscaping company. Stuff available to the average homeowner in Ontario doesn't work well. This is nothing new.

Gibsons wrote: ↑
"Pepsi" vs "Coke".

2-4-D = C₈H₆Cl₂O₃

Fiesta = iron (present as FeHEDTA)

And I'll take my rye neat - no need for mix.

KevinM56081 wrote: ↑ 2-4-D = C₈H₆Cl₂O₃

Fiesta = iron (present as FeHEDTA)

And I'll take my rye neat - no need for mix.

You eating it with your rye??? So if that's all it is, why aren't people mixing it up at home? If you have the recipe, lay it out, I'll make it tomorrow and forget the large expense to hire a landscaping company!

Gibsons wrote: ↑
If the OP wants a clean lawn, hire a landscaping company. Stuff available to the average homeowner in Ontario doesn't work well. This is nothing new.

I can only say f...k that!
I will do that when the s..t heads that lead this province or country stop selling s..t in stores
In the mean time I will use US stuff :-))
Canada the land of monopoly -as said , here you need a license to fart properly

CuriousC wrote: ↑ I can only say f...k that!
I will do that when the s..t heads that lead this province or country stop selling s..t in stores
In the mean time I will use US stuff :-))
Canada the land of monopoly -as said , here you need a license to fart properly

That's what most people around here were doing before the border was closed, just buy it over in the states and use it. $15 for a season vs whatever a landscaping company charges to spray your lawn.

it's funny that in BC where it's the environment capital of Canada you can get 2-4d. so, if you know someone in BC ask them to mail it to you

CuriousC wrote: ↑ What is their secret magic sauce they apply to grass and that we can't buy from big box stores?
Where can we find these things ? I have a small stretch that separate my lot from the neighbor's lot at the front side of the property
They have a landscaping company that takes care of their grass and I can see the difference. Since they do not want my patch to contaminate their patch they apply their things to both and it looks good
Now -I do not want to pay for landscaping as this is becoming my hobby and keeps me away from the computer especially these days
So I would like to find out what they use so I can order it an apply it -to kill the weeds and to feed the grass.

I already have the Turf Builder Green Max from Costco -first time when I am buying this.
My focus has been the back yard where I successfully removed the sod and seeded. The results are showing up already. Still have some weeds, it was not a perfect job but hey the f...ing wild violets are completely eradicated

you think they're gone, but they are coming back stronger next year. these damn violets never die. i'm hoping to permanently to take care of them once and for all this year with a chemical solution

Nope they arw gone I am POSITIVE....I removed piles of them and I am barely seeing some that are young pkants maybe some resurected roots but that is all If there was more I should have seen small leafs alredy. They were so many that they sufocated the lawn ...I tried US weedbegone with them but it did not help so just removing everything solved the problem

CuriousC wrote: ↑ Nope they arw gone I am POSITIVE....I removed piles of them and I am barely seeing some that are young pkants maybe some resurected roots but that is all If there was more I should have seen small leafs alredy. They were so many that they sufocated the lawn ...I tried US weedbegone with them but it did not help so just removing everything solved the problem

For future reference, while this is illegal to use in most of Canada, triclopyr will kill them if they're double-tapped in spring or fall. Use responsibly if you go this route please, it's remarkably non-toxic to animals but will absorb through roots, stems and trunks so is hard on local vegetation.