All You Need to Know About the Weed and Feed Program
In an endeavor to keep a green and healthy lawn, many homeowners and lawn care experts use weed and feed products. Using weed and feed for the lawn is a great option if you wish to maintain your lawn lush or looking to revive it quickly.
But what exactly is weed and feed?
Let’s explore everything you need to know about the concept of weed vs. feed and how it is used to create green and beautiful lawns.
What is Weed and Feed?
Weed and feed is a specific term used for lawn/yard care products that contain both ‘weed’ or herbicides and ‘feed’ or fertilizers. The product is specifically designed to fertilize your lawn while also killing harmful weeds in your grass.
Put simply, weed and feed can be seen as a combined product designed for dual purposes. The first is to kill off weeds such as dandelions, crabgrass (couch grass), and thistles, amongst others.
Based on the type of product you use and the elements present in the pesticide, there is a possibility of killing moss at the same time as well. This weed-killer element of the weed and feed product kills only the plants categorized as weeds and leaves the overall lawn unharmed.
On the contrary, the product’s feed aspect (fertilizer) offers all vital nutrients designed to deliver high amounts of nitrogen along with other essential minerals to the grass. These necessary supplements help strengthen the grass, make it grow faster, and also make the turf look greener and healthier.
How Does Weed and Feed Application Work?
There are mainly two types of weed and feed available for homeowners. Among these are the following:
- Granular
This type of weed and feed for lawns is available in very small, granular, dry pellets with herbicide. To apply it, you simply need to spread these granules over the lawn, and they will stick to the weeds.
- Liquid Weed and Feed
This is another type of weed and feed available for use, which is typically mixed with water and sprayed over your lawn. To get the best results out of these products, it is important to strictly follow the directions mentioned on the container.
Make sure to read the label thoroughly before picking a brand, as certain herbicides are best for certain weeds.
The best way to go about this is by determining the type of weeds present in your lawn/yard and comparing them to the products available, as it will list the weeds that are killed by the herbicide.
While the minerals here are largely the same, some weed and feed formulas may work better for specific grass types such as Augustine grass, Kentucky Bluegrass, Bermuda grass, St., or more.
When to Apply Weed and Feed Products?
Typically, the effectiveness of weed and feed products is best when weeds are small in size and actively growing, which is the spring and fall seasons. When applying them, it is important to take care of the following:
a. In the spring season: It is best to wait until the lawn is mowed at least two times. This is to make sure that the lawn has emerged from dormancy.
b. In the fall season: The application of feed and weed products in the fall season requires you to check historical frost dates in your area, as several weed and feed labels have a recommended application timing based on the frost date.
Advantages of Using Weed and Feed Products on Lawns
There are several advantages of using weed vs. feed treatment on lawns. Some of these are listed below:
- Weed and feed treatment helps you get rid of all the harmful weeds in your yard.
- Proper and timely application of weed and feed helps you kill weeds when they are young and are easier to remove.
- Feeding your lawn with the appropriate balance of nutrients encourages healthier and greener growth.
- Weed vs. feed application gives your lawn a better chance of surviving extreme conditions such as drought, heat, and cold weather.
Disadvantages of Weed and Feed
While weed and feed products are easy to apply and offer certain advantages, they also come with a list of cons. Here are some of the disadvantages of using weed and feed products on your lawn:
- Can Lead to High Usage of Herbicides
Applying weed and feed products entails the application of a high amount of herbicides to the entire lawn, even to places where no weeds are present. This can significantly increase the number of herbicides you are using.
- Granular Weed and Feed Chemicals are Not Environment-Friendly
Weed and feed products often use quick-release fertilizers, covering your lawn with a heavy dose of nutrients that are likely to get washed away with rain or watering.
These chemicals ultimately contaminate water bodies, including rivers, ponds, streams, and the ocean. In addition, birds often end up eating weed and feed granules, which are very harmful and can kill them.
- Weed and Feed Are Bad for Health
Most weed and feed products have bioaccumulative toxic substances present in them. These substances are linked to cancer and have been shown to lead to various immunological, reproductive, and neurological problems.
Alternatives to Weed and Feed
If you have taken care of your lawn adequately in the past and did everything to keep it weed-free, you may not need to use post-emergent herbicides or weed and feed products.
For pre-emergent herbicides, one of the best organic alternatives to weed and feed is corn gluten meal, which contains some nitrogen (natural fertilizer), making it an organic weed and feed you can use.
Additionally, keep in mind that it may be better to apply herbicides and fertilizers separately rather than together. The process might take more time, but weed and feed products always work better when used separately since they will be applied or used when they’re most effective.
Best Practices for Using Weed and Feed
To get the maximum out of weed and feed products and ensure that the advantages of this two-for-one application outweigh the disadvantages, here are some of the best practices you can follow:
- Make sure to always read the label before making the purchase to know what the products contain and ways to apply them.
- Do your research and identify the specific kind of grass growing on your lawn. Accordingly, choose a product that works best for that particular grass.
- Do not apply too much weed and feed or apply it at the wrong time of year, as it could damage your lawn and waste your money.
- Always identify the kinds of weeds growing in your grass and ensure that the herbicide in your product targets those weeds.
- Make sure to follow the directions given on the weed and feed for lawns, including the use of recommended amounts, timings, and more.
- Always clean up thoroughly after applying the product.
- Keep kids and pets away from the lawn for a few days after weed and feed treatment.
To Conclude
Many homeowners like the idea of using weed and feed as it requires them to use only a single application of the product instead of separately applying herbicide and fertilizer.
Weed and feed programs are generally considered an excellent way to do double the work in half the time. However, the product can also come with several disadvantages (as mentioned earlier) and environmental hazards.
The best way to navigate the situation and keep your lawn in the best shape is to hire a professional service provider like Dependable Lawn Care to carry out your lawn fertilization. If you’re in the Oakville or Mississauga area, we can help manage your end-to-end lawn care needs.
We have a dedicated team of lawn experts with extensive knowledge of the best fertilizers designed for the specific climate of the region. We’re also very environmentally conscious, which is why we choose only organic lawn fertilization programs designed to work in sync with nature and give you a healthy green lawn at the same time.
FAQs
1. Will weed and feed kill my lawn?
Not necessarily. Weed and feed combines two different herbicides which selectively target weeds. The product will not be harmful to your lawn if you follow directions for use carefully.
2. Is it safe to use weed and feed on all lawns?
In general, weed and feed for lawn is safe to use on most lawns, including Perennial Rye and Fescue types.
3. Is weed and feed safe to use around pets and children?
The best practice is to keep pets and children out of the application area until the spray has dried.