All across North Texas, something is sweeping through the neighborhoods. Everywhere you look it seems, people’s grass has gone blue! That’s right. Front yard, back yard, side yard, it doesn’t matter. As Bob Dylan said, it’s tangled up in blue.

Bluegrass isn’t something you see very often. Heck, even Kentucky Bluegrass is green. So what’s going on? Did something get these lawns down? 

On the contrary, actually. There’s nothing wrong with these lawns, in fact, something is very, very right. For the second year in a row, College Fund Landscaping is adding blue dye to our pre-emergent treatment. Is this because we’re going punk rock? Nope, dying our pre-emergent treatment blue is the way we ensure your lawn gets 100%, every nook and cranny, every blade of grass coverage. 

And don’t worry, the change isn’t permanent. More on that later. But first, let’s talk about what pre-emergents are and why you need them. 

The Best Offense is a Good Defense

All herbicides can be classified by their Mode of Action. In other words, how herbicides attack weeds. Herbicides work by interrupting a biological process within the weed or injuring it in a way that stops it from growing. 

Pre-emergents are applied before a weed germinates or emerges from a seed. Many pre-emergents work at a cellular level, inhibiting cell division or disrupting cell membranes. Others target weeds before they break the surface, stopping the growth of shoots. Pre-emergents can also be a combination of different herbicides, with different Modes of Action. Using different combinations of pre-emergents, and at the correct time, can prevent a number of different weeds from germinating and growing. 

For example, in Rounds 1 and 2, we use Prodiamine, which works below the soil and inhibits root and shoot growth. In Round 7, we use Specticle Flow, a herbicide that reduces emerging seedlings by destroying the formation of plant cell walls as the seedlings emerge. 

There is quite a science to designing an effective treatment plan. This approach ensures that we target as many weeds as possible and, more importantly, it prevents weeds from becoming resistant to certain Modes of Action. Like the pesky annual flu virus and even COVID-19, weeds evolve and become resistant to pre-emergents over time. 

Once weeds germinate, that’s it, they’re there. Now, that’s not saying you can’t deal with them. Of course, you can still get down in the dirt and yank ‘em one by one, or hire a company like College Fund Landscaping to get it done for you. However, in our experience, the best way to treat weeds is to stop them from growing in the first place. 

How To Go Blue

At this time of the year, we’re looking to prevent grassy weeds.  We started dying our pre-emergent treatment last year and the program has been a huge success. Customers love knowing they have treated every square inch of their lawn. Beyond that, we think it’s fair to say that people find that having a blue lawn is really a whole lot of fun. 

We use an FDA-approved water-soluble dye to bring that blue hue. The dye does not affect the performance of the treatment in any way. It is completely non-toxic, which means that, on its own, you could drink it, though you really shouldn’t. The dye fades on its own, generally after a week or so, so enjoy the fun while it lasts!

In order for our pre-emergents to properly penetrate to the areas where weeds like to germinate, you will need to water your lawn. We will leave you with instructions, and send reminder emails, to make sure you don’t forget. This is another reason we like the dye. It is a reminder to water in the treatment.

Included in the blue dye mixture is an additional treatment, this one for broadleaf weeds. 

If you are interested in going blue this fall, please reach out. This service is getting more and more popular, so the sooner you book the better. We look forward to hearing from you soon!