IN-BETWEEN VISITS TIPS: WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP

The most important SECRET to a beautiful lawn, next to our VIP Full Program with blended Nutrient Fertilizers, Regular Aeration & Overseeding, is proper maintenance! With increasing regulation surrounding the types of products that can be used on lawns, a homeowner needs to know that they can still have a beautiful Green & Healthy lawn, but they may have to accept a few minor imperfections, and the odd weed or two.

The key to proper maintenance and achieving a well balanced, healthy lawn, is knowing how to water and mow your lawn CONSISTENTLY! This is what gives you a thick and sustainable lawn without the need for chemicals.

​Watering your lawn!

• Be sure to Water for 1.5-2 hours once a week on each part of your lawn in the summer and when there has been little rain! Watering everyday can cause more harm than good as roots are not encouraged to grow more deeply in the soil, and air is prevented from reaching the root zone.
• Watering should ideally be done in the morning before 10 a.m. Evenings are second best before 6 or 7 p.m. NEVER water during the day, it wastes water through evaporation and can stress the lawn.
• Once we have applied our special formulation of premium slow-release organic based granular lawn fertilizer, please water your lawn. This is essential for quicker green up.
• During a drought, you need to water consistently or not water at all. Regular watering will prevent the lawn from going into dormancy. However, inconsistent water will further stress your lawn. Don’t leave your lawn unwatered for more than 20 consecutive days or you will suffer turf loss.
• Limit activity on a dry lawn to minimize further damage. Try the FOOTPRINT test: If you step on your lawn and your footprint does not spring back immediately, then your lawn is too dry.

​Mowing your lawn!

• Mow your lawn every 7 days during spring and fall, and at longer intervals during summer when grow slows. You should never cut more than 1/3 of the grass blade off at any time to avoid shocking the grass plant. Keep your lawn around 2.5”-3” long. This will help crowd out weeds. Return clippings to the lawn in order to nutrients to your soil.  
• Keep your mower blade sharp. (Sharpen your home mower blade at least twice a year for best results)
• Mow only when the grass is dry in order to avoid ripping grass blades, slipping and falling, and clumping of grass.
• Ideally, do not cut your lawn for at least 24 hours after our Fiesta® weed control is applied in order to maximize effectiveness.
• Keep grass longer during the heat of summer to protect the roots and retain moisture (minimum 3 inches)

What is in Fiesta® Turf Weed Killer?

Fiesta® Lawn Weed Killer is a versatile, patented product that is ideal for lawn care and:

• Works quickly delivering visible same-day results.
• Reduces and controls broadleaf weeds on your lawn.
• An effective alternative to chemical pesticides
• Completely odorless, unlike many other herbicides
• Uses a commonly-used mineral as its active ingredient.
• In most cases, you can use your yard in a matter of hours, instead of days like traditional herbicides.
• Kills weeds, down to the root
• Reseed turf after 24 hours
• Health Canada and The Ontario Ministry of Environment registered it for use in May 2010.
• Works in relatively cool weather up to 29 degrees Celsius

The active ingredient in Fiesta® Lawn Weed Killer is iron – a nutrient our bodies need and derived from the natural environment. The iron is chelated (bound to a special carrier molecule) so it is easy to dissolve in water and get into the weed.

Plants need iron too – it’s what makes your lawn (and broccoli and spinach) a deep, rich green. Fiesta though is too much of a good thing. VIP Lawn Care’s carefully controlled method of application means only broadleaf weeds are affected. The weed’s tissues oxidize and die very quickly, turning the lawn-invading pest dark and dry (sometimes called necrosis).

Our technique ensures your grass does not get a dangerous dose, so any residual Fiesta will just add to the colour of your lawn. Plus, since it is a liquid product, you don’t have to water it after application to get it to work. We spray, it dries, and you can relax.  It is safe for children and pets to go on the lawn right after it dries.

What Types of Weeds Does Fiesta® Kill?

The weeds listed below are weeds that are listed by the manufacturer as controlled by Fiesta:

• ​Black medic (Medicago lupulina)
• Bull thistle (Cirsium vulgare)
• Canada thistle (Cirsium arvense)
• ​Moss, liverworts, algae and lichens
• ​Persian speedwell (Veronica persica)​​

• Common chickweed (Stellaria media)
• Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)
• Dandelion (Taraxicum officinale)
  
• ​Shepherd’s-purse (Capsella bursa-pastoris)

• Dovefoot geranium (Geranium molle)
• English daisy (Bellis perennis)
• False dandelion (Hypochoeris radicata)
  
• ​Silverweed cinquefoil (Potentilla anserina)

• White clover (Trifolium repens)
• Slender speedwell (Veronica filiformis)
• White clover (Trifolium repens)
• Wild chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
  
• Healall (Prunella vulgaris)

Where can I buy Fiesta® Weed Control?

Fiesta is not for sale in retail stores like Canadian Tire or Home Depot.  You can only buy Fiesta if you have a license.  Our lawn care programs use Fiesta weed control to help you manage weed issues over several seasons in conjunction with proper mowing & watering.

​Is Fiesta a Herbicide?

Herbicides are products that kill plants. They can be chemicals or from more naturally based. The use of chemical herbicides is banned when it comes to lawn and weed control issues throughout the province of Ontario. There are only a small select amount of naturally derived products that are deemed safe to use and approved for use on your lawns. Fiesta™ Lawn Weed Killer is one of these.

Fiesta is a commercial-grade, iron-based herbicide applied through spray application. It is designed to provide effective weed control by quickly absorbing into several common broadleaf weeds in lawns, killing them while leaving your grass lush and healthy.
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The quick absorption of the iron solution in Fiesta creates a toxicity in broadleaf weeds since they intake iron differently than trufgrass, which is why it can be such an effective tool for getting rid of unsightly weeds. Showing results in as little as 24-48 hours. 

Is Fiesta Safe For People and Pets?

Many people ask us if Fiesta is safe for family members or even pets to be around. Because it is an iron-based solution it is only toxic to the plants that cannot handle the levels of iron in it. In many cases, Iron is also used as a nutrient that gives plants a darker green appearance. It is a low-risk product completely safe for people and pets when used according to label directions. After a spraying application has been completed the product will typically be absorbed and dried up within three hours. As with any liquid product, homeowners are advised with a green NOTICE sign to stay off the lawn until dry to ensure the product is absorbed into the plant.  During that time, there is risk of possible light staining of your clothes or paws on your pets if you interact with the product before it has had a chance to dry, after that it is harmless. Your family can enjoy their backyard without fear of other health concerns.

Fiesta was invented in Canada in Victoria B.C. by a research group that specializes in creating alternatives to conventional pesticides. Fiesta was approved in 2010 through the Low Risk Evaluation Stream of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA)

What is the difference between a herbicide and a pesticide? 

​Herbicides have active ingredients designed for the specific task of killing weeds. They can be made up of a number of different types of chemicals, some more detrimental to people and the environment than others. In Ontario, there are only a very small select amount of herbicides legal for use on your lawn, one of these being Fiesta™ Lawn Weed Killer, since it has an iron-based solution as opposed to the synthetic chemical-based herbicides like Round-Up™ containing Glyphosate.  



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​Pesticide is the all-encompassing term for a control product, whether natural or synthetic, that is used in some way to kill any unwanted pest. There are a number of things that could be considered ‘pests’ such as insects and rodents, but fungi, bacteria, plants like poison ivy and weeds are all considered pests as well. The broad classification of pesticide then breaks down into smaller more specific terms depending on the type of pest being dealt with. These include fungicide, insecticide, algaecide and herbicide. So technically all herbicides are pesticides, however not all pesticides are herbicides, the two terms are not completely interchangeable. 

Over time, when combined with our proper fertilizing program, we will help give you a healthier, thicker lawn that reduces the overall number of pesky broadleaf weeds in your lawn.  A comprehensive multi-pronged approach including Professional Fertilization, core aeration, certified overseeding, adding compost and insect management will give you the most visible results.