Magic Pest Control Weed Control​

Understanding herbicides and how they work. Herbicides fall into a variety of categories, with PRE and POST being the most common. A pre-emergent herbicide eliminates weeds as they germinate from seeds. A pre-emergent forms a barrier against newly germinating seeds, typically by incorporating the product into the soil via water. Pre-emergent DOES NOT control existing weeds. A post-emergent herbicide will eliminate existing weeds but will NOT prevent new weeds from germinating. Herbicides can be “selective” or “non-selective.” A selective herbicide kills specific plants, but not others. For example, a broadleaf herbicide will kill the broadleaf weeds in a lawn but will not harm or kill the lawn. Non-selective herbicides harm and/or kill ALL plants and can be difficult to use when weeds and wanted plants grow side by side. Herbicides are also categorized as “contact” and “systemic.” A contact herbicide will kill only part of the plant on which they are sprayed, not impacting the root system and possibly allowing the plant to grow back. Systemic herbicides are absorbed by the plant and taken into the root system, killing the entire plant.

The general concept is that herbicides do not perform at their peak if the environment is not favorable for plant growth. Taking this into consideration, hot and dry conditions or temperatures below 55 degrees may not get you optimal weed control. For pre-emergent to work effectively, the product needs to be incorporated by rainfall or hand watering, allowing the seedlings that are emerging to absorb the material. Without rainfall or hand watering, the herbicides will remain on the surface, resulting in limited activity on emerging plants. Pre-emergent is also degraded by sunlight when left sitting on the surface too long, further highlighting the importance of watering in the material. Post herbicides are also impacted by weather conditions. Plants that are more drought tolerant will demonstrate a reduced response to post applications. Weeds growing in hot and dry conditions are more likely to be stressed, producing more wax in the plant cuticle, slowing down the rate of biosynthetic processes required for herbicide activity, resulting in a tougher elimination process. The weeds with an increased waxy cuticle absorb less of the applied herbicide.

Are the products safe for my pets and family? As with any pesticide or herbicide, we ask that people and pets keep off treated areas until dry, per the product labels. The label is the law.

What is our guarantee? We guarantee our weed applications up to 4 months. We recommend 3 applications a year and will customize a plan that best suits your needs.