This is Rodney with Zebra scapes

landscaping. I have Cole with us. He's a part of the zebra

scapes team, and we're glad to have you here. He's been with us

for a bit, and we brought him on board on the spray department,

just chemicals, weeds and all sorts of stuff. So we all have

those issues with weeds in the yard, and there's so many

questions that come all over the media and all this stuff that,

you know, chemical, and is it safe for the pets? And, you

know, I look at chemical, I read it, and it's like, holy cow,

like I'm a diet. This cans in my house to the point that,

obviously they sell it. So does it work? And then the effect of

it, how long it lasts. So I've been around chemical my entire

life. In the Midwest, we get all kinds of spray. My dad did

chemical all the time. And over time, I've learned a lot about

chemical and how dangerous it is, and also the huge benefit it

has to offer. You know, the chemical we have, and then how

to mix it and all that important stuff. So I have you here, you

seem awful young, and just want to pick your brain a little bit

when you go to clients and you got weeds, how can we assure the

customer that what we're applying and the effect of it

and the benefit of it?

When I usually talk to a customer, the main thing I

always stress is that we're huge into, you know, plant health

care. We're huge into making sure that their animals are

safe, that they're safe, that that we are in accordance with

the label of any chemical or herbicide that we're using. And,

yeah, I would just, I always stress safety. Safety is huge

for us. As long as you know that I always give as much

information as I can when it comes to what chemical we are

using.

So, I mean, you talk about it, but let's

talk about break it down to we're going to spray your so

we're going to spray your yard for pre emergent. Everybody we

don't pre emergent is, to me, I believe pre emergent is very

effective. And I kind of look at two things, is it chemical, or

is it and how dangerous it is. The reason why is because pre

emergent will not kill anything right now.

Pre emergent is a is a non selective herbicide. So it what

pre emergent does really. The basis of it is it just does not

allow any seeds to germinate if applied correctly on your soil,

any seeds of a weed will not germinate if applied Well, we

say 60% or more, but And so when you're spraying four weeds, and

you're spraying that pre emergent, it is very effective,

I mean. And you can see when you drive down streets, the yards

that have pre emergent and the yards that don't, yeah. I mean,

it's just, it's a vast difference.

So, and that's also critical timing,

yes, timing

is very critical when you're applying the herbicide.

Every herbicide is different. I mean, here at Zebra scapes, we

are licensed to, you know, to apply that chemical. So,

certified applicator. So, you know, following everything in

accordance to the label is is very important, especially me

and Johnny were both the certified spray text here we

went to school. The number one thing they stress is, the label

is the law. Yeah, the label is the law. And that's just, we

follow the label to the T and whatever the label says you're

going to get, that's the best result you're going

to get. So pre emergent, is it a chemical,

or is it not a chemical? Because it won't kill anything. It won't

kill anything. I would say it is a chemical and it is a

chemical, but when, when following the accordance of the

label, it is safe. It is very safe if you're if you're

following everything to the T and you're taking all the

precautions and the steps necessary.

So you, you know when clients ask me, I want

to spray pre emergent after you're done spraying, when can a

pest be outside like or should a pest be inside? Obviously you

want it inside when you're spraying so they mess it around

with you. They mess it around with you, running, running

around, because when it sees water, I'll chase but you're

done spraying, what is a safe way and what you're

not worried about at all. So the pre emergent we use,

specifically prodiamine, the label says it is safe when dry.

So that can mean a lot of different factors. I mean, it

depends on how long it takes to dry. It takes to dry, yeah, but

I always recommend two to three hours. And usually in that

period, you know, it will dry by then. But I always say, hey,

take a walk around. Look to make sure nothing's pulled up. Make

sure you're done. You know, just take those precautions. But

usually two to three hours, the chemicals dry and the dog

is safe to go outside. But realistically, 10 minutes is

dry, right? 10 minutes is dry, yes, but we like to be safe,

just in case. No y'all

want to cover your grounds. I mean to me, you

spray because you're and it's dry immediately. And then, if

you really look into it, how much do you have to absorb to

affect you? Is more than they can. Yeah, it's more than they

can. So I do the same thing. Tell clients, hey, just. At a

time is to cover your basis, the amount of to absorb it, to

affect them. Because it's not

you need a, you need a heavy dosage. And, you know, and

again, it's, it's mixed with, with water, because, you know,

we don't want to, you can't, according to the label, you

can't just have that high of a dosage, yeah. And so you really,

you really need a high dosage to get. I mean, see something

happen right then and there. Yeah, but yeah, usually, it's

usually, like, you said, 10 minutes. It's really good to go.

But I just say, hey, two hours, two hours today.

No, it's good. Better be safe. And then

also, you give the customer reassurance, because they are,

like, they start questioning you 10 minutes or whatever. Yeah,

don't seem realistic. But, I mean, we sprayed and the dog

there's the effect is so minimal, or even at all, when it

comes to pre emergent, and that's what I was strong. So if

you, if you're just really don't want chemical, like, just don't

apply it, and you're

pre emergent, is what I would do, because that just

eliminates the tree, the weeds, at a 60 to 70% chance of

anything germinating, if you spray at the right time and

multiple times a year. I know we talked about just the climate

change and everything, and down in the valley, they're spraying

three times a year. Yeah, I know you came to me and said, Hey, I

think we need to offer three times a year. I think we I think

we do. I think three times a year is adequate. And here it's

a weed factory here in Prescott, and Prescott Valley especially.

I mean, we just have fields full of them, yeah. And so I would

definitely recommend that three times a year that application,

just because, you know, you get better coverage. Let's say you

missed a spot, or let's say it didn't sink in the soil Well, or

there was rain or runoff, or just a lot of different factors.

And I think you know, why not? Three is better than two, so

it's more than two. So why not? Yeah,

it is it better to be that way than all

you have a week. Because all it takes, like you said, the

weather, the moisture coming in, the winter, does it come in, and

the amount of money for the third spray is so minimal than

seeing weeds and coming out and spot spraying and all that. So

the factors you think about it pre emergent is, yes, it is a

chemical, but it's so diluted down that it won't kill

anything, yes. So if you're on the fence, well, spray three

times a year, and then that will just minimize the weeds at a

astronomical amount. And from then, and if the first time

you're spraying pre emergent, you're not gonna see great

effect, right?

Yeah, like we the first time you spray. Well, are you

talking about in the, you know, in the beginning parts of the

spring?

Yeah, yeah. Some people say, Oh, I was under

the impression there's a first time you ever sprayed, pre

emergent. You're not going to get the greatest results as you

did if you did, yeah, second year,

yeah. So it's, it's, honestly, it's a process of

building that just that constant spraying, and your yard almost

begins to change over time, as you see that the first time,

you're not going to see the you know, as good as you would if

you've been doing it for a year or two years.

Good, because if you have a broken root in the

ground, it won't kill it. It won't kill it.

No, you're eating a post, which is you're eating

something. You're gonna need a

selected kill site to kill that. Yeah, so it

will if the roots already established, the seed already

germinated, pre emergent, will not kill it, so at all, and it

will grow on that point of it. So now, when you come to

chemical like, you have weeds and you want to spray, what,

like, what's your safety factor of your PPE and how, how harmful

is this?

You know, when it comes to chemical the effects usually

don't happen till years down the road, especially if you're

constantly spraying, if you're constantly inhaling it, you

won't, you'll see the effects down, you know, 20 years down

the road. But with proper PPE, again, according to the label.

You know, that's we take, that we take those precautions. You

know, we always read the label beforehand. All right, this is

the PPE required, and we usually go above and beyond the PPE that

is required, which is, that's the only time you can, you can

go against the label as if it's better than what the label says.

Yeah. So, yeah, we, our guys are gloved and masked up, and they

have glasses and goggles, whatever they need, depending on

the type of chemical that's being used. It's just, it's,

yeah, we it's very important, very important. We don't we want

to. We want the safety of the customer, but more important, we

want the safety of the client, of the of the employee as well.

You know, down the road, we don't have breathing problems,

or, you know, I can't remember things, or, you know, something

like that. So it's very, very

Yeah, something you got to watch.

Well, number one, a customer, they spray, what one time a year

they're applying a year there, yeah, you know, eight hours a

day, constantly, day after day after day. So, yeah, it's very

important to have all the mask on. So how critical is for a

client to say, get the dog inside, close the windows up.

You know, I'm leaving, like, where's the caution? Where?

Like, hey, it's safe. Just a spray, and we'll go on. What's

your thoughts on that stop interrupted right now,

when I, when I first walk up to a client's house, the

first thing I do is always ask, Do you have pets? Do you have

dogs? Do you have any. Sort of animal that likes to roam around

on your property, because if, and if it's yours, please keep

it inside. Keep those windows shut. Yeah, just, just like

you're saying, we just, I, oh, that's the first thing I do is

when I walk, is keep the window shut extremely is that, I don't

want you know if there's a drift coming in with with the wind,

and you're drinking your tea, or, I don't know your maybe your

coffee, whatever you like, whatever you prefer. You know,

some chemical gets in that tea or something. You know it

affects you at all.

Um, no, not really. It's such a small dosage, it won't

but again, we're very we want to keep things safe. No,

I want. I want. I'm just challenging you.

We want to be 100% always challenging me. Oh, but overall,

that small amount of chemical will not affect Yeah, because

you're diluted down and you spray the moisture. But still,

it's a safety factor. It's not only a factor. It's just knowing

the thought you have chemical on you, which I would strongly

recommend. Yeah, that being closed and the windows being

closed around it, because the drift is the issue.

The drift is the wind pickup. The wind pickup just

that coming through the windows. You don't want to be breathing

that in. But again, it's such a small doses that it would take.

It would take years of just breathing in every day, and

then, you know, maybe down the road, like respiratory problems.

But for a client, I would say, the precautions we take and the

chemical you we use, you're you're in good hands, and you're

very safe. When we're applying it out

yard, you spray weeds. They have pets,

when's a good time to let them out with post emergent.

Post emergent depends on the post you're using. But

again, the label says, when it's dry, it's safe. The one we use,

same thing, when it is dry, it's safe for the pets. So whenever

dry is, you know, but I always

Yeah, in Arizona, minutes, but let's say two to

three

hours, two to three hours just to be safe, yeah? Well, that's

great insight. And then, you know, a

lot of people are 100% get a chemical, and I understand, and

that's why I still say really think about pre emergent if you

are 100% chemical. Percent chemical, because overall it is

such a light dose of chemical compared post emergent. Post

emergent is still very safe with everything happening. You know,

you put the PPE on and all that stuff is critical. And a lot of

I learned over the years post emergent and pre emergent,

believe it or not, they get immune, right?

Yeah, the soil can get like, it's strange. The soil

almost builds up resistance or immunity over over time. And so

we work in it's called IPM, integrated pest management.

You're always reevaluating and seeing, okay, maybe we need to

make some changes here. Maybe the soils, you know, it's built

up a resistance over, I know, maybe a course of three to four

years, and it's no longer working. We might need to switch

herbicides, you know. So, yeah, I would say if, if you've been

doing it for a while, you're noticing, wait, it's not given

the effect that it was in the beginning, you know that that

could be, that could, you know, maybe, mean, we just, you need

to switch chemicals, or, you know, a variety of different

things. But yeah, the soil can definitely build nothing meaning

towards it. What's the how many years are

you talking or applications, I say,

from what I've seen and from what Johnny has seen, or

other spray tech is it lasts for anywhere from three to five

years, and then you start noticing a slight decline, yep,

a slight decline, but three to five year period, I mean, it's

golden, yeah. So yeah,

yeah, that's, that's, that's what we do. I

mean, we, you know, we'll look back when someone says, Hey,

we're not seeing the effect. And usually we like, Wait, when did

we switch that chemical over? We'll go back then right away,

hey, switch it over. Like you said, we just added the

chemical. We mix it up a tiny bit or a lot, and then we go

back and, you know, rotate three different ways and talk to our

our rep on what we should offer for that chemical. But Cole was

great having you a lot of insight. This is valuable

information for safety and also for pest as weeds and everything

that happens around our yard, and to keep them at a minimal as

possible, and, number one, as safe as possible. And that's

important, but also the confidence that a client is

confident that they're safe and they're going to get the

results. Because you see something being sprayed, it's

like, is this going to work? And all those things go through your

mind. So it takes a lot of education, a lot of classes that

you take. How often do you take these classes? Throughout the

year, throughout the year, I always, there's not really a

class I take, but I always touch up on things. I'm always

rereading my labels where you're looking at, you know, the test,

practice tests and then, but usually you renew your CEUs once

a once a year,

yeah? So yeah, every year you have

to. You have to, because something changes like that. But

by law, yeah, by law, yeah,

for us to have our license and be able to

spray, that's all critical information, yeah? But anyway,

thanks for having you. Is pleasure, and we hope this is

better, very beneficial. And put your comments below if you have

any questions or any just to. Agreements, thanks.