Everything You Need to Know About Weed and Feed for Your Lawn
Like everything in life, lawn maintenance requires balance. However, proper lawn maintenance is often challenging, especially if you’re constantly busy. You might even wind up with a brown, uneven lawn if there is too much of one thing or not enough of the other. Understanding what your lawn needs and when it needs is crucial if you want a lush, colorful lawn all year round.
Most homeowners looking for ways to maintain their lawn may find the topic of weed and feed all confusing, and we get it. Well, fret no more! This guide will take you through what weed and feed is, how long they take to work on your lawn, and the best times to apply them to your lawn. Let’s dive in!
What Is Weed and Feed?
The phrase “weed and feed” refers to any lawn chemical that kills weeds while also fostering healthy grass. It generally eliminates weeds while facilitating your grass’s improved absorption of nutrients and water. The notion of utilizing weed and feed is popular since it requires only one product application instead of spraying herbicides and fertilizers sequentially. For most homeowners, it is a method that helps them accomplish twice as much work in less time.
Several compounds are incorporated into these products, but some are more prevalent than others. Common weed killers in weed and feed include dicamba, clopyralid, 2, 4-D, and triclopyr. Any fertilizer can be used for the “feed” component of “weed and feed.” They often include high concentrations of the three nutrients that help plants grow: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.
Types of Weed and Feed
There are two types of weed and feed: liquid and granular. Even though the liquid types are simpler to use and yield quicker results, the granular forms are more cost-effective. Small yards benefit from spray or liquid weed and feed.
Granular weed and feed come in bigger sacks, normally 18lbs, and cover an area that is typically 5,000 sq ft or more. This version is more cost-effective, but you must irrigate your lawn after use for it to reach the grass.
How Long Do Weed and Feed Take to Show Results?
Depending on the compounds it contains, each product will react differently and take a different length of time to operate. While specific figures vary from brand to brand, you’ll often notice some benefits in about seven days. Under ideal circumstances, it takes 2 to 3 weeks to completely eradicate all visible weeds.
Prior to applying weed and feed, it’s crucial to read the packaging and directions. The product details allow you to estimate how soon you should anticipate outcomes and also how to space applications.
Pre-Emergent Weed and Feed
Pre-emergent weed and feed targets weeds before they emerge. Existing weeds are, therefore, not controlled by this type of weed and feed.
Pre-emergent weed and feed will stay active for 6 to 8 weeks, in contrast to post-emergent formulations. In the spring, you might need to reapply the fertilizer to your grass. Although it has a much smaller impact on weeds that are already established, it is quite powerful against weed seeds.
The kill time varies from brand to brand. However, they typically function halfway between the germination of seeds and the emergence of sprouts from the topsoil. Depending on the sort of weeds you’re dealing with, you might need to apply twice to get any late weed germinations.
Post-Emergent Weed and Feed
Post-emergent weed and feed is often used to eradicate already established weeds in the lawn. They only function on weeds that are actively sprouting. This type of weed and feed destroys the weed and prevents it from returning by using a combination of pesticides. It works best when used in the late summer to early fall before the weeds have a chance to grow to seed.
Using it a few days after mowing your grass lets you capture the weeds as they recover from their first shock and start to grow once more. Approximately 5 to 7 days following treatment, you’ll start to notice a greener lawn and the first indications of weed death. It typically takes 2 to 3 weeks after application for all weeds to fade away.
What Is the Best Time to Apply Weed and Feed?
In terms of grass maintenance, timing is important. A premature application of weed and feed increases the likelihood that you will miss fighting weeds that have not yet begun to develop and that they will withstand the application. On the flip side, if you delay too long, your lawn won’t obtain the nutrients it needs to develop healthily.
The ideal time to use weed and feed truly depends on your location and whether or not your lawn receives sun or shade. In most American regions, weed and feed applications are made from March through November.
Spring
Feeding your grass in the spring helps it establish strong roots and get a head start on the year. Additionally, this is the ideal time to use a weed and feed product.
Weeds require food, water, and sunlight at this time, just as your lawn does. You should provide the grass with a weed and feeding treatment explicitly made for this time of year. This enhances your lawn’s capacity to absorb nutrients and water.
Summer
The summer is hard on lawns. Still, use caution while applying a weed and feed product. Insects, heat, drought, and foot traffic strain it. Even in the summer, feeding your grass still helps to fortify and reinforce it against these issues.
Fall
The fall brings back the ideal weather for your grass. Your grass will flourish in new growth thanks to cool nights, lots of rain, and morning dew. If you forgot to apply weed and feed in the early spring, you should do it during this period.
Typically, the grass searches for the nutrients it requires to repair summer damage because it is prepared to thrive. According to some experts, this lawn feeding—rather than one applied in the early spring—is the most crucial of the entire year.
Fit Turf Is Here to Help!
Eliminating weeds from your lawn can sometimes be a constant battle that calls for an all-encompassing, ongoing plan. Having the appropriate timing and knowing when to apply each type of weed and feed will give you the right combination to get you across the finish line.
Fit Turf is America’s go-to company for local lawn and landscape care, whether you need weeding or regular maintenance done. We provide various services to ensure you get the lawn of your dreams. We’ll have your grass lush and green in no time with our fertilization, pest treatment, disease management, and weed control services. Get in touch with us today to find out how we can assist with your lawn needs.