The taller the weed the easier it stands out against your lawn.
Best time to spray weeds before or after rain.
Systemic herbicides work best when applied late morning midday and in the afternoon in cool or cold climates.
It also depends on what type of chemical that you are applying but a typical 2 4 d based product needs to dry on the plant.
Heavy early morning dew can cause herbicides to run off so it s best apply them after dew has evaporated.
It may depend on what you are calling a dew.
If it rains before the allotted time the herbicide might not be effective or may take longer to kill the weeds.
Best time to spray weeds.
Weeds such as dandelions get flowers that make them easier to spot as well.
During a weed s annual growth spurt they are more visible.
However waiting until the foliage is dry is a better idea.
If raindrops are still on the leaves you will need to wait more.
A 30 minute rain free period may be adequate under ideal conditions.
Its perfectly ok to spray after a rain no different than a morning with a heavy dew.
I wouldn t spray after a rain but with dew on the leaves i wouldn t hesitate and would prefer to spray at that time rather than later.
Plant growth slows down at dusk and speeds up again as the sun rises the following day.
If you plan to spray remember to check the weather forecast to choose a suitable day.
My opinion is that dew has a positive effect on herbicide efficacy owing to capillary attraction.
If your area often receives a great deal of rain there are certain weed killers which are rain fast in 2 to 4 hours of spraying.
Weeds should be sprayed during their active growth season.
That s usually early or late.
Apply the weed killer on a still day when the air temperature is between 60 and 80 degrees fahrenheit and no rain is forecast for 48 hours.
You can take this into consideration.
When the weather isn t cooperating with your days off you might be tempted to spray the weeds as soon as the rain stops.
Small weeds of a sensitive species will require a shorter rain free period than large or difficult to control weeds.
When spraying larger weeds however several hours between application and rain may be required to avoid reduced activity.
There is almost always a setting period for herbicides applied once weeds have germinated.