# TruGreen?



## greengecko (Dec 16, 2008)

Start by asking for a complete list of the chemicals used in the each treatment, then do your homework.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Find out what they're putting down. Have them call ahead so you can make a decision if you want that treatment. I do exactly that.


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## greengecko (Dec 16, 2008)

greengecko said:


> Start by asking for a complete list of the chemicals used in the each treatment, then do your homework.


At each application, the company must provide the following information to the consumer:

- Company name, address and phone number
- General description of the pest(s) to be controlled
- A list of pesticide(s) to be used
- The time(s) and date(s) of application
- Any precautionary warnings about potential health hazards to humans, animals and the environment
- If you ask for it, the applicator must provide product labels, safety data sheets, Environmental Protection Agency fact sheets and a document that describes the rate of application of the active ingredients in the product(s).

Source:  Michigan Department of Agriculture Website


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## ChetPunisher (Jan 8, 2011)

I only get fertilizer. No pesticides.


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## D Coates (Jan 6, 2006)

Personally, no problem


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## Omie (Nov 10, 2009)

I think yellow dandelions are really pretty on a lawn. I think of lawns as barren wasted opportunities for gardens, trees, wild meadows, and wildlife! Personally, I would never apply pesticides or herbicides on my lawn. I also like to encourage earthworms, crickets, butterflies, spiders, and birds. We removed about 1000sq.ft of our useless lawn last year and put in a vegetable garden and blueberries there instead. We ate TONS on salads and veggies last year and gave the excess fresh produce to our local food pantry. This Spring the raspberry patch goes in.
Can't wait to convert more lawn soon.  We keep talking about making the front lawn (yet more useless green wasteland to mow) into a pretty meadow with native grasses and flowers....maybe next year?
Sorry, i just get so excited about converting lawn to gardens!


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## dcross (Jan 20, 2003)

ChetPunisher said:


> I only get fertilizer. No pesticides.


I'm skeptical, would think there is some form of broadleaf herbicide in at least one of the treatments. You know, to get rid of the pesky flowers that bees like


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## Motivator (Jun 23, 2016)

I also use TruGreen. The fertilizer is basically nitrogen and potassium. I, on the other hand, hate weeds, so I use their weed control as well. They spot treat weeds, so they only put down herbicide where the weeds are actively growing and they are very bee friendly.


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## Motivator (Jun 23, 2016)

Omie said:


> I think yellow dandelions are really pretty on a lawn. I think of lawns as barren wasted opportunities for gardens, trees, wild meadows, and wildlife! Personally, I would never apply pesticides or herbicides on my lawn. I also like to encourage earthworms, crickets, butterflies, spiders, and birds. We removed about 1000sq.ft of our useless lawn last year and put in a vegetable garden and blueberries there instead. We ate TONS on salads and veggies last year and gave the excess fresh produce to our local food pantry. This Spring the raspberry patch goes in.
> Can't wait to convert more lawn soon.  We keep talking about making the front lawn (yet more useless green wasteland to mow) into a pretty meadow with native grasses and flowers....maybe next year?
> Sorry, i just get so excited about converting lawn to gardens!


Thick, healthy lawns are natural air filters, produce much more oxygen than the gardens that you convert them to, and also minimize erosion. They have their place. Not that gardens are a bad thing in any way, but thick healthy lawns are a great benefit to the environment.


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## Motivator (Jun 23, 2016)

dcross said:


> I'm skeptical, would think there is some form of broadleaf herbicide in at least one of the treatments. You know, to get rid of the pesky flowers that bees like


TruGreen's normal applications include weed control as needed, but since it comes from a separate hose, if the customer requests fertilizer only, they get fertilizer only.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Separate hose? 

How about TruGreen applying *insecticide* from the same tank/hose as the fertilizer? See this thread started by an unhappy TruGreen customer:
http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...alstar-(Bifenthrin)-all-along-my-Apiary-today



... but then they say they aren't going to charge him any _extra fee_ for that Talstar insecticide application ... 


:ws:


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## Motivator (Jun 23, 2016)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Separate hose?
> 
> How about TruGreen applying *insecticide* from the same tank/hose as the fertilizer? See this thread started by an unhappy TruGreen customer:
> http://www.beesource.com/forums/sho...alstar-(Bifenthrin)-all-along-my-Apiary-today
> ...


They don't. I am VERY environmentally friendly and have visited my local TruGreen to see how they do it. The products come from separate lines and separate tanks. The hoses draw from two tanks and there is a two position trigger on the handle. The first position ONLY puts fertilizer on the lawn. The second position releases the herbicide only where there are active weeds. There is absolutely no way that the person in that thread is correct. Might be that he misunderstood. Might be that the technician was new and confused, might be that the customer service representative was wrong. But they come from separate tanks and there is no way to pre-mix as described. It would also be ridiculous to premix and put herbicide on the entire lawn when spot treating is less expensive and more effective....as well as environmentally friendly.


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## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

Read the linked thread.

The TruGreen applicator clearly had mixed Talstar insecticide in with the fertilizer. Not only that, the applicator claimed that Talstar wouldn't kill bees. Yet that Talstar label is quite clear that Talstar kills bees. Apparently Trugreen does not train their applicators properly.


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## Motivator (Jun 23, 2016)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> Read the linked thread.
> 
> The TruGreen applicator clearly had mixed Talstar insecticide in with the fertilizer. Not only that, the applicator claimed that Talstar wouldn't kill bees. Yet that Talstar label is quite clear that Talstar kills bees. Apparently Trugreen does not train their applicators properly.


Unfortunately, he probably was simply lying. He probably did not read the notes on the account, used the 2nd position on the trigger and then lied to try and cover it up. If his service manager is the one at my local branch he MIGHT get one warning to never pull that BS again or more likely was fired over it.


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## Jackam (Jun 3, 2013)

I would not trust Trugreen. Look what they did at my Apiary.


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