Read the Label Before You Apply

We’ve had a humbling experience recently. It involves our lawn! John has always taken pride in our lawn. He meticulously mows, weed-whips, and spot sprays the few stray weeds that pop up here and there. For years our lawn has resembled the beauty of a golf course—until now!

I accompanied John to our local Ace Hardware store to buy weed killer and a pumper-spray gizmo to apply it. We looked over and discussed all of the options—you know, like concentrate or ready mixed—stuff like that. Well, we purchased our supplies and John happily measured the weed killer concentrate, mixed it with the right amount of water, filled up the pumper spray, and went after those weeds!

Day after day our lawn looked worse and worse! Disgusted with the weed killer, John took a picture of the lawn to show to the workers at Ace Hardware and ask for a refund for the weed killer. I gave him the receipt and he went into the garage to get the remainder of the bottle. A few minutes later he came back in the house and lamented:

“Anita, that wasn’t just weed killer! It was weed AND grass killer!” Now we try to walk the dog or go get the newspaper when no neighbor’s are outside because we are embarrassed and frankly very tired of having people ask, “WHAT HAPPENED?” Our lawn looks like a brown and green Dalmatian!