Professional vs DIY Weed Control
Store-bought weed killer has its place. Here is an honest look at what DIY can handle and where professional weed control pulls ahead.
Overview
What This Comparison Covers
Weed control is the number one reason homeowners call a lawn care company. You spray the dandelions, they come back. You pull the crabgrass, it spreads faster. The frustration is real, and it usually comes down to product limitations and timing gaps. This comparison explains why professional weed control delivers more consistent results — and where DIY still makes sense.
Head to head
Side-by-Side Comparison
Professional Weed Control
Pros
Pre-emergent herbicides applied at the right soil temperature window
Selective post-emergent products matched to the specific weed species
Blanket and spot-treatment applications for full coverage
Re-treatment guarantee if weeds break through
Products not available at retail (higher concentrations, restricted-use formulas)
Cons
- Higher cost than a bottle of store-bought spray
- You rely on the company schedule for application timing
- Some companies use generic programs that do not account for your grass type
Best for:
Lawns with recurring weed problems, mixed weed populations, or yards where store-bought products have not delivered lasting results.
DIY Weed Control
Pros
Inexpensive for small, isolated weed patches
Immediate action — no waiting for a scheduled visit
Good for spot-treating a few weeds between professional visits
Some satisfaction in handling it yourself
Cons
- Retail pre-emergents are lower concentration and wear off faster
- Hard to identify weed species correctly, leading to wrong product choice
- Easy to damage your lawn with non-selective herbicides (like glyphosate on bermuda)
- Timing mistakes leave gaps that let weeds establish
- Centipede and zoysia lawns are sensitive to many retail herbicides
Best for:
Minor weed issues on an otherwise healthy lawn, or spot-treating between professional applications.
Factor by factor
Detailed Comparison
Factor
Professional Weed Control
DIY Weed Control
Pre-Emergent Effectiveness
Professional Weed Control
Professional-grade with precise soil-temp timing
DIY Weed Control
Retail-grade, often applied too early or too late
Pre-Emergent Effectiveness
Professional-grade with precise soil-temp timing
Retail-grade, often applied too early or too late
Post-Emergent Accuracy
Professional Weed Control
Species-specific selective herbicides
DIY Weed Control
Broad-spectrum retail sprays (risk of lawn damage)
Post-Emergent Accuracy
Species-specific selective herbicides
Broad-spectrum retail sprays (risk of lawn damage)
Grass-Type Safety
Professional Weed Control
Products selected for your specific turf
DIY Weed Control
One-size-fits-all labels (risky for centipede/zoysia)
Grass-Type Safety
Products selected for your specific turf
One-size-fits-all labels (risky for centipede/zoysia)
Coverage
Professional Weed Control
Full blanket application + targeted spots
DIY Weed Control
Usually just spot-spraying visible weeds
Coverage
Full blanket application + targeted spots
Usually just spot-spraying visible weeds
Retreatment
Professional Weed Control
Included in most professional programs
DIY Weed Control
Buy more product and reapply yourself
Retreatment
Included in most professional programs
Buy more product and reapply yourself
Weed Identification
Professional Weed Control
Trained technicians ID the species on-site
DIY Weed Control
You guess or search online
Weed Identification
Trained technicians ID the species on-site
You guess or search online
Long-Term Results
Professional Weed Control
Systematic reduction over 2-3 seasons
DIY Weed Control
Weeds often return within weeks
Long-Term Results
Systematic reduction over 2-3 seasons
Weeds often return within weeks
The verdict
Bottom Line Verdict
DIY weed control works for occasional spot treatments on a few visible weeds. But for a lawn with recurring pressure from crabgrass, dallisgrass, nutsedge, or broadleaf weeds, professional treatment is dramatically more effective. The combination of commercial-grade pre-emergents timed to soil temperature, species-matched post-emergents, and consistent scheduling is something retail products simply cannot replicate. If you have been fighting the same weeds every year, that is the clearest sign it is time for a pro.
Why Attaboy
What Attaboy Does Differently
Common questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my weeds keep coming back after I spray them?
Most store-bought sprays only kill what they contact above ground. They do not address the root system or prevent new weeds from germinating. Without a pre-emergent barrier and follow-up post-emergent applications, weeds will keep returning from seeds already in your soil.
Can I use weed killer on centipede grass?
Centipede grass is very sensitive to many common herbicides. Products containing 2,4-D, dicamba, or MCPP can damage or kill centipede if applied at the wrong rate or temperature. Professional applicators use centipede-safe formulations at carefully calibrated rates.
When should pre-emergent be applied in Middle Georgia?
The first pre-emergent application should go down in late February to early March, when soil temperatures at 4 inches consistently reach 55 degrees. A second application in early fall (September) targets winter annual weeds. Timing is everything — even a two-week delay can let crabgrass establish.
Is pulling weeds by hand effective?
Hand-pulling works for scattered broadleaf weeds if you get the entire root. But it is impractical for grassy weeds like crabgrass or spreading weeds like nutsedge, which regenerate from underground tubers or stolons. Hand-pulling is best used as a supplement, not a primary strategy.
How long does professional weed control take to show results?
Most post-emergent herbicides show visible wilting within 7-14 days. Full weed die-off takes 2-3 weeks. For lawns with heavy weed pressure, expect meaningful improvement over 2-3 treatment cycles as the pre-emergent barrier builds and existing weeds are systematically eliminated.
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