When is the Prime Time of Year to Apply Weed Killer?

If you’re using weed killer and nothing is happening, you’re not alone.

It’s not as simple as it seems to apply weed killers that contain herbicides, and this is the reason why people have difficulty with commercial weed control.

Unfortunately, like with the above-mentioned herbicide-based weed killers, effectiveness can be compromised by external conditions. This would include the time of year, the actual type of weed you wish to eradicate and what its life cycle is.

But while you’re swapping and changing your approach it’s likely you’ll be wondering ‘what is the best time of year to use weed killer?’. That’s where ASAP Sands Outdoor Services comes into play, the best Albuquerque weed control services provider in the city.

When is the best time of year to apply weed killer?

The best season during the year to apply weed killer is Spring and then again in Fall. It’s a great opportunity to catch weeds during their pre-growth period and stop them before they have a chance to grow.

Fall also works great because it is well ahead of the Winter and weeds are very susceptible then. weed killers are more effective in warmer months than in colder, so the next best season to target weeds is summer, followed by winter as the last one.

Why do weed killers work at certain times of the year?

The best time of year to apply weed killer is spring. You can do this because you can catch weeds before they have had the chance to grow up. Spring has the benefits of warmth and moisture.

Herbicides in weedkillers need to be absorbed from the soil for activation. This “sucking in” happens only when the soil is already wet from rain. Since Spring is mint to be a rainy season, the plant will take up enough herbicide when it’s not too dry for nothing much to be going on underground.

Furthermore, the herbicide solution will stay on the soil if there is no rain, as it won’t soak up by the plant.

Fall is in fact the second-best season because weed killers live for abrupt temperature changes. If you spray for weeds in October, the weeds will have a harder time making it through winter.

But not all weed killers are herbicide and so can be applied any time of year. As an example, there are a few products in the market that are herbicide-free weed killer. This also means that it is not impacted by the moisture levels within your soil.

What are the best conditions when applying weed killer?

Also, the season and just the changing of the weather day to day can influence how effective a weed killer works.

The importance of the season, and moisture level in the soil while using weed killer has already been mentioned above.

Other Perfect Days to Apply Weed Killer

The next best conditions to apply weed killer are:

• When the aviator can count on at least six hours without rain
• You don’t want a rainstorm to wash away the weed killer. That means the herbicide will be less effective when it is taken up by the plant.

During calm weather

A passing wind can sweep the spray out of the targeted space. A calmer day when you can aim right at that spot is better.

Warm weather – not in scorching sun, frost or icy conditions

Weed killers work better when it’s hot, not cold, but either extreme can make the job tough going.

During hot, dry conditions, weeds develop tougher leaf material and grow more intensely; each of these factors limit the penetration of herbicide into the plant and subsequent movement. —which makes it less effective rather than more effective… just one of the many reasons to attack weeds in Spring or Fall.

And robust, cold weather isn’t very practical, either. Plants can deactivate herbicides through their metabolism. But in cold temperatures, the plant’s metabolism slows. This in turn prolongs the time that the plant needs to respond and die from the herbicide.

With lots of conditions to consider, it’s difficult to control your weeds. A great way to avoid these issues altogether is to use a weed killer that lacks herbicide. This is because it will not be so much affected by weather and other circumstances.

Is the type of weed responsible for how well a weed killer works?

Yes, weedkiller works on specific variety of weed you are hoping to eliminate. It’s largely due to its lifecycle.

Surely, you know that there are a gazillion kinds of weeds. Read our ultimate guide to invasive weeds here if not. But all these different types of weeds do have varying life cycles, and this changes the best time to target them.

For instance, some weeds are that thrive in Fall and Winter while dying (or going dormant) in the next Spring and Summer and then are reversed. Certain weeds are even more persistent and will take an entire two years to go through their life cycle before they perish. And many will come back, year after year.

So, when you’re wondering “when is the best time of year to put down weed killer”, well that will largely depend on what kind of weed you are dealing with.

Considering treatment cycles

When you are pulling up weeds, it’s not as though you spray them once with weed killer and that does away with the entire weed. It’s what you need to do which are this thing that they call treatment cycles.

A weeds treatment rounds means the number of times that you must apply your unit of weed killer to exterminate all those wicked weeds. Cycles of treatment – the cycles of treatment could be subdivided into pre-emergent and post-emergent phases.

Pre-emergent weed killers target weeds before they emerge and grow. And post-emergent weed killers kill existing weeds on contact. Those are all absorbed into the plant tissue once things get growing.

And, as we’ve noted, you probably won’t just spritz the weed once and be done with it. Instead, you’re more likely to have to return to the weed’s well for treatment several times.

These weed killers contain herbicides; these herbicides pose potential threats such as being possible carcinogens and hormone disruptors. So, dousing your property with weed killer to get the job done can be harmful to you and other nearby plants.

You want to try to use herbicide-free weed killers if possible. That way, if you go back for multiple treatments, it’s not as big of a health risk because you’re not overloading yourself with herbicides.

Hand-Weeding There are several aspects to consider for the time of year when you’re removing weeds. Consider the weather and conditions, consider what life cycle the weed is in, consider how often we need to manage that treatment cycle.

How can Extended-Release Weed Killers Help?

That can be frustrating if you are trying to kill weeds and need specific times of year and meteorological factors for the solution to work best.

You ideally want a weed killer that is always effective year-round. Your weed killer should also need few treatments, so your weeds disappear fast. And with the ambiguity about the risks of herbicide, a substitute glyphosate weed killer is also preferable.

As a means of controlling and killing weeds every month of the year, there are several products that stand out as among the best. Many sprays and foam-based weed killers are not seasonal, and do not depend on weather, and work best today or the life cycle of the plant you want to kill.

Plus, if you’re looking at the number of treatments required, you just require 3 treatments a year for managing your weeds. Other non-herbicide methods for control of weeds – hot water, steam and boiling, require 6, 12 and 14 repeat application times per year.

Especially if your weeds are currently running riot and you’re unsure of the best way to keep them in check, extended-release sprays and foam-based weed killers’ products are the answer.

Contact us

So, have your weeds sprung up already and you’re too late to target them at the best time of year now? Get in touch with ASAP Sand Outdoor Services, at 505-293-4014 who can eliminate weeds year-round with extended-release sprays and foam-based weed killers or elminate them using pre-emergent and post emergent weed treatments.