Treating Vegetation


Bushes, plants, trees and other vegetation are all an important part of Michigan’s landscape. They are also responsible for two-thirds of the time our customers spend without power and can pose a public safety hazard if growing too close or into electrical equipment.

Keeping You Informed

We’re committed to keeping you informed each step of the way. Here’s what you can expect:

  1. DTE representatives will visit your neighborhood to create a treatment plan and will knock on your door if work is needed on your property. If you’re not home, we’ll leave behind a door card detailing the work needed along with a phone number for you to call with any questions or concerns. We will need your confirmation before we can proceed with our work. Instructions are provided on the door hanger.
  2. Shortly after we receive your agreement, licensed professionals who are trained on proper application will perform the work. We do our best to start work promptly, but weather and other factors can sometimes cause delays.
  3. Keep pets and people away from the area until treatment dries, which is typically within minutes.
  4. If you have questions or concerns before, during or after your treatment, you can call the number listed on your door hanger.

The Treatment Process

Similar to how you would treat dandelions in your yard, we use a targeted approach to treating problem vegetation. Using special mixtures and spraying techniques, we specifically target vegetation that has the potential to interfere with electrical equipment, while leaving other vegetation relatively unaffected. The ingredient labels for those mixtures are always available.

Days or weeks after treatment, you may observe a "browning" effect, where the plant no longer sprouts green leaves and begins its process of decomposition. This is normal and means the treatment is working. The start and length of this process varies with each species of plant.

It is not uncommon to see an increase in low-growing vegetation after treatment. With the added space, sunlight and nutrients, low-growing plants and flowers are able to thrive – creating a healthy, balanced environment that won’t interfere with your power quality

Know What's in The Mix

Mixtures used in our program are approved by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and are of similar strength to other lawn care and cleaning products you may already have in your home. Ingredient labels for the products we use are available here. If you have any questions or concerns about the treatment we have planned for your property, please call the number on your door card to reach a vegetation expert.

Where We Don't Spray

Where We Don't Spray
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We do not apply treatments near noticeably occupied homes. We also maintain a 10-foot buffer from sensitive areas, such as manicured lawns, pastures, organic farms, bodies of water, public parks, etc. We contact each property owner by talking in person or leaving a door card, so if you have questions or concerns about areas on your property, just let us know.
DTE disclaims any and all liability for representations, expressed or implied, contained within this document. DTE does not guarantee that the herbicides will have their intended effect, nor does DTE make any warranties as to the impact on future power outages or safety hazards. By agreeing to allow professionals contracted by DTE to spray vegetation with herbicide, Customer waives any claims for damages or loss. DTE makes no representations or warranties of any kind and, to the full extent permissible by applicable law, DTE disclaims all express or implied warranties. DTE shall not be liable for damages of any kind arising from the spraying of vegetation including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive and/or consequential damages.