Yes, I read the label and it clearly states that it controls weeds. No product sold in Ontario will claim that they kill weeds. They control them! This wording now gives them an out. Now before we get ahead of ourselves, we are talking about the ‘iron based’ Weed B Gon sold in Canada and legally allowed to be used in all communities banning herbicides. We are not referring to the other Weed-B-Gon with the same name sold in the U.S.A. with active ingredients Triclopyr and Triethylamine salt that are not allowed in most environmentally conscious communities banning herbicides.
Where to Buy
So now that we are clear on which product, lets continue our discussion about Weed-B-Gon. If you are living in Mississauga and are buying Weed-B-Gon from Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Lowes, Rona or from many other fine stores then you are purchasing the iron based Weed-B-Gon.
At the moment it seems to be the only product on our market capable of killing much of any selective weeds on our lawns. Other than drought, dog urine and mislayed clumps of fertilizer.
Fiesta
If you are paying a local lawn care company to spray your lawn for weeds then they are using the commercial form of this exact same product. Yes, it is the same product but called ‘Fiesta’. Nice they get a unique name to use eh! There is also a ‘Fiesta’ in the U.S.A. but it’s active ingredients are Piñatas, Margaritas and Tacos.
When you buy Weed-B-Gon in a ready to use container already mixed (picture shown here) it is coming with a 2% active ingredient of iron, where as the Fiesta product is sprayed on your lawn with a 3% active product. You are now able to buy the 1 Liter concentrate version of Weed-B-Gon so you can add a few extra drops to increase it’s potency. (but, who reads instructions anyway) BUT BEWARE! It may burn your grass if you over do it!
Patience Required
As I have mentioned Weed B Gon is sold publicly in major stores while ‘Fiesta’ is the exact same product sold commercially from lawn care companies. They are an Iron based solution for an ‘environmentally safe’ control of certain weeds, not as many weeds as they claim on the packaging however but controls wide leaf weeds like dandelions and plantain weeds quite well. (don’t you wish you lived somewhere where they didn’t care about your health and well being). At this time Weed B Gon / or Fiesta are the ONLY products available in ‘Ontario’ to fight weeds. The other problem with the product is that it needs adequate time to work its magic, so it should not be applied prior to rain (never know when it’s going to rain), also it should not be applied in hot summer days (above 30 C degrees) or it may kill the grass around where you have sprayed. I have experienced this wonder first hand, good job it was my own lawn.
Spray bottle of Weed B Gon
How it works is that it will turn the weeds that it has been applied to a black wilted colour a day or so after being applied, the beginning of their slow death, you hope! But don’t get too excited, it will not have completely gotten to the roots so it will have to be applied again within a short amount of time. After the first application the weed plants have been weakened but the little #@%+% are not dead! Hence multiple applications! By the way, make sure you are ducking the rain when you are spraying the Weed B Gon or it will loose it’s effectiveness. And remember not on a very hot day in July or August, unless the potency has been weakened so much it has lost its effectiveness. (and you already paid a company to do it)
This is a good time to mention that the Weed B Gon will have only blackened a few of the weeds on your lawn, the balance of your favorite weeds will have had no ill effect at all from the Weed B Gon treatments. No matter how many times you spray them! Ha, your praying and hoping didn’t work after all.
Best Weed Picking Tool
So get out there every now and then on a sunny day and allow yourself a few minutes to start picking your weeds. Its really not that bad! Use some of the weeds to make some dandelion tea to help cleanse your body of toxins. Our dog Maggie loves to help my wife and I dig up weeds.
I have found a useful strong tool from Gardena with a V shaped hook on the tip for getting hold of entire weed roots. I find it to be the best tool to use of all that I have tried. I have added a photo of it here. You may have to apply the tool to a few sides of the weed if your ground is hard and you may not get all the root each time but a good chance you will succeed most of the time. Best time to get weed roots out is after a heavy rain. Soil is loosed up and weed pulling is at it’s optimum.
Final Thoughts
So my observation is that Weed B Gon/or Fiesta is not 100% effective, it’s lots of trouble and expensive to apply. Just the kind of business anyone would want to be in, ha! It’s no wonder lawn care companies like Mrs Green Jeans is having so much trouble keeping everyone happy and signed up, while frantically trying to give the squeaky wheel customers an additional weed spray when they call to complain.
-
- Broadleaf Plantain
-
- Dandelions
But, you will have to try it. Apply the Weed B Gon to the Dandelions and Broadleaf Plantains on cool days in the spring and summer. You will have to reapply it a few times for best results and then at least you will see that it is mildly useful.
As for the other weeds. I don’t know? (Buffalo shopping?)
Link To Our Related Posts:
– Watering Established Lawns…
– Lawn Seed Timmy Shaker Dispenser…