What you'll learn

In this subject, we'll review the lawn treatment process for the amazing lawn care services we provide.

After you've completed this subject, you'll understand:

• What chemical loadouts are.
• Lawn care mix rates.
• Chemicals used for [Type of grass 1].
• Seasonal chemical loadout guidelines for [Type of grass 1].
• Chemicals used for [Type of grass 2].
• Seasonal chemical loadout guidelines for [Type of grass 2].
• When to make chemical application changes.

🔥 Tip: If you forget anything that you learn in this subject, you can go back and look at it at any time! And check it out on the go with the Trainual mobile app for iOS or Android.

What is a Chemical Loadout?

A chemical loadout is when you apply multiple product mixtures to turfgrass. The process (AKA which products are applied) changes depending on the frequency needed for each product and the time of year.

In the next few steps, you'll learn how and when to use specific chemicals on the different types of turfgrass in [area] throughout the calendar year.

It is very important that you follow the product label guidelines for each chemical and reference the Material Safety Data Sheet for each product used.

⚠️ Warning: Math is ahead. But don't worry — it's not too hard and you'll get the hang of it quickly!

Calculating Lawn Care Mix Rates

And before we get started, here's a quick overview of how to apply mix rates to your work. Plus, why it's important to apply products at the right rate.

How it works

Here's where the math comes in (but don't worry — we did it for you below).

We spray roughly [Number of gallons] worth of water per 1,000 square feet of land. But labels often tell us how many oz of chemicals should be used per acre (not square feet of land). We know that there are 43,560 square feet in 1 acre, so that tells us that we will be spraying roughly [Number of gallons] of water per acre — every time.

But, how much liquid chemical product do we add to our [Number of gallons] of water?

Here's an example:

[Chemical] is mixed at [Number of oz] per acre.

Because we know that we're using [Number of gallons] of water per acre, we will simply add [Nuimber of gallons] of water and [Number of oz] of [Chemical] to our tank.

Applying at the right rate

If you overapply chemical products, there could be consequences like plant dormancy. Not to mention it wastes money. So more is definitely NOT better. And it's important you are applying the product correctly.

⚠️ Plus, the label is the law. Meaning, if you don't follow the label, you're breaking the law by putting the wrong amount of chemical product on an area.

🎥 See the video explanation below:

⏱ Equipment Calibration

Sprayer Calibration Overview

In order to make sure you're applying your calculated lawn care mix rates correctly, you have to make sure that your sprayer is calibrated correctly.

If you don't calibrate your sprayer, you'll apply an incorrect amount of product to the lawn (even if your calculations from the previous topic are correct).

So let's go over how to correctly calibrate your sprayer.

Tools You'll Need

Here are the tools needed to calibrate the sprayer:

• Sprayer rig (duh).
• Stopwatch.
• Measuring tape.
• Measuring container or digital sprayer calibrator.
• Flags or stakes.
• Pocket calculator.
• Notepad.
• PPE (personal protective equipment) listed in the Lawn Care Safety subject.

Start with your sprayer about 1/2 full of clean water.

Step 1: Calculate Your Speed

First, mark two points from 200 to 800 feet apart. It is best to do this in fieldconditions as that can have an effect on sprayer speed. Use greater distances for fasterspeeds.

Time your drive or walk from one mark to the other in seconds. Then, time your way back the first mark in seconds. Take the average of the two speeds to calculate your run time in miles per hour.

Helpful math:

[Time 1] seconds + [Time 2] seconds = [Total time walked] seconds

[Total time walked] seconds ÷ 2 = [Average time walked] seconds

[Distance walked] feet ÷ [Average time walked] seconds = [Speed in feet per second]

[Speed in feet per second] ÷ 0.68 = [Speed in miles per hour]

Step 2: Calculate Your Desired Spray Rate

Next, calculate your “desired spray rate” in gallons per minute.

Helpful math:

[Speed in miles per hour] x [Nozzle spacing in inches] x [Gallons of product per acre per the product label]

[Above number] ÷ 5,940 = [Desired spray rate in gallons per minute]

This number will be used to select the correct nozzle size for the application and determine the amount we have to collect from each nozzle. In order to calculate this you will need to know the nozzle spacing in inches (W), the speed of the sprayer (calculated above), and the gallons per acre (GPA) that is required by the label for the application. Use the formula below to determine how much the nozzles should be putting out.

(MPH) _____ x (W) _____ x (GPA) _____------------------------------------------------------ = _______ gallons per minute (GPM) 5,940

With the desired spray rate calculated, the next step to measure the actual spray rate.

To do this use a graduated catch container and collect from each nozzle. Most containers are labeled in ounces. Use the formula below to convert GPM to ounce per minute.

GPM _____ x 128 ounces/gallon = _____ ounces per minute

Now convert minutes to seconds. This is done to make the catching time more manageable. Use the formula below using the ounces per minute calculated above.

Ounces per minute _____ / 60 seconds = ____ ounces per second

Now multiply the ounces per second with the number of seconds that you wish to collect from each nozzle. Typically a 15 to 20 second time is used, but you can collect for longer if you prefer.

Step 3: Calculate Your Actual Spray Rate

Next, calculate your current spray rate in gallons per minute. You can use your digital sprayer calibrator to do this.

Step 4: Correct Your Spray Rate

If a spray rate is off by 5% or more, choose one of the following options:

1. Change the nozzles to match desired gallons per minute.
2. Adjust your speed. Increasing your speed decreases your spray rate anddecreasing your speed increases your spray rate.
   

After you've got your sprayer rig calibrated and know how to calculate the correct lawn care.

🌱 [Type of Grass] Chemical Loadout Guidelines

[Type of Grass] Chemical Mixture Rates

Here are the products we use for [type of grass].

Liquid Products

[Product 1]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

[Product 2]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

Granular Fungicide

[Product 1]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

[Product 2]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

Grub Prevention

[Product 1]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

[Product 2]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

Moisture Manager

[Product 1]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

[Product 2]

• [Mix rate of product and water].
• [Application rate per square ft. of grass].
• [Other instructions].

[Type of Grass] Seasonal Application

Here are the chemical loadout guidelines during each season for [type of grass]. Keep in mind that these are general guidelines for [type of grass] care. What you'll apply and how much you use is dependent on the customer's turf situation and your discretion — to which we trust your training and experience.

Spring Loadout Guidelines: March-May‍

Use these products weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Use these products monthly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-annually:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Summer Loadout Guidelines: June-August‍

Use these products weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Use these products monthly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-annually:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Fall Loadout Guidelines: September-November‍

Use these products weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Use these products monthly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-annually:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Winter Loadout Guidelines: December-February‍

Use these products weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-weekly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

Use these products monthly:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].
  

Use these products bi-annually:

• [Product amount] of [Product 1].
• [Product amount] of [Product 2].

🧪 Making Chemical Application Changes

Diagnosing Lawn Issues

It's important to understand how to diagnose something that's going wrong in your lawn care routine so that you can adjust accordingly.

Mode of Action

A mode of action is the way a herbicide (or sprayed chemical) affects a plant. In other words, it's understanding if a chemical is not working the way it's supposed to or even "working a little too well" and damaging the landscaping.

Sometimes, stopping the use of a particular chemical or switching to a different herbicide, that attacks plants differently, will fix an issue you're facing (like lack of plant growth, improper rooting, weeds not dying, etc.)

Watch the video below for more details.

N-P-K Breakdown

N (Nitrogen), P (Phosphorus), and K (Potassium) are the 3 main ingredients in fertilizers. The numbers on an N-P-K of a product refer to the percentage of each element per pound of fertilizer.

Let's say a product is a 34-3-11. The N-P-K of that product would be:

• 34% Nitrogen per pound.
• 3% Phosphorus per pound.
• 11% Potassium per pound.

It's important to understand the N-P-K of fertilizer because different grass types have different needs (even at different times of the year).

Example:

Let's say you're treating a Bermuda lawn that needs 1 lb of Nitrogen applied.

If you're using 34-3-11 fertilizer, that means 34% (roughly one-third) of the fertilizer is Nitrogen. So you'd want to use 3 lbs of 34-3-11 fertilizer, as that would contain roughly 1 lb of Nitrogen.

Watch the video below for more info:

What You Know Now

You should now understand:

• What chemical loadouts are.
• Lawn care mix rates.
• Chemicals used for [Type of grass 1].
• Seasonal chemical loadout guidelines for [Type of grass 1].
• Chemicals used for [Type of grass 2].
• Seasonal chemical loadout guidelines for [Type of grass 2].
• When to make chemical application changes.

If you are unclear about how to do anything listed above, go back and review the previous topics.

Remember: If you forget anything that you learn in this subject, you can go back and look at it at any time! And be sure to download the Trainual mobile app for iOS or Android for when you're on the go.