8 Reasons Weed-‘N’-Feed May Not Be Right for You

Now that the weather is warming up, outdoor activities are gearing up, and you’re finally looking at your lawn. Homeowners may be tempted to run to their local lawn and garden store to pick up a bag of Weed-n-Feed. Many “experts” will tell you that this is the best way for homeowners to control weeds and fertilize for “season long control”.

Here are 8 reasons you shouldn’t use Weed-n-Feed

1   Wrong Amount:     One of the reasons most homeowner are unhappy with their Weed-n-Feed application is due to an improper rate of application. If you apply the product too thin, the weeds will be able to break through; too heavy and you risk burning your lawn or stressing it out. Sometimes the product itself is poorly formulated or simply too strong for your lawn.
2.   Bad Timing:     There is a small window of time (usually 6-12 weeks) where you can control spring weeds. If you have a hard time fitting lawn care into your schedule (like most homeowners) and it creeps into May or June before you apply Weed-n-Feed products, they will at the least be ineffective and at most damage your lawn. Unfortunately your local lawn and garden center will sell Weed-n-Feed products well into the summer.
3. You don’t water it in:      There are two irrigation aspects that must be met when using Weed-n-Feed products. First, the leaves of the weeds must be wet before the product is applied. To take care of the weeds that have already germinated, the product must stick to the leaves. Then, about 24hr later it must be watered in. The product has to soak into the soil to work on germinating weeds. Products that your local lawn professional apply soaks deeper into the soil preventing germination. Basically knocking out those weeds before they have a chance.
4. The product doesn’t cover all weeds:     Even though the Weed-n-Feed you get at your local lawn and garden center says it covers a broad spectrum of weeds, they may be overselling their product. Most of their products are sold nationwide. It is impossible for one product to cover every weed eventuality. Personal Lawn Care tailors the products applied to meet your specific weed control needs. This provides targeted control for even the hardiest of weeds.
5.   Won’t prevent weeds in the future:     Just because your Weed-n-Feed takes care of your dandelions now, it may not take care of the crabgrass that springs up a week later. There may be products that last longer, but for better control, contact your local lawn care professional.

6.   You don’t know how safe the product is:     There is a lot of debate about products used for weed control. The Weed-n-Feed products available may contain any number of chemicals. Just because the Department of Agriculture approves a product to be used on your lawn, doesn’t mean that it is safe for you, your children, or your pets. Over the past 30 years, Cullen Beard, owner of Personal Lawn Care, has taken great care in choosing which products are applied to your lawn. His background as a science and chemistry teacher makes him qualified to research the products in depth. “If I wouldn’t use the products on my own yard, around my own children, then I won’t use it on yours”.

7.   Too much Nitrogen:     The “feed” part of Weed-n-Feed products is usually a high nitrogen fertilizer. High nitrogen fertilizers should only be used during the summer when the lawn has come completely out of dormancy. Providing your lawn with too much nitrogen too early in the season will weaken root growth thereby making it more susceptible to drought or other stresses. Cullen recommends a high phosphorous fertilizer in the spring followed by a high nitrogen fertilizer during the summer.

8.   Can interfere with seeding:     If you are planning to seed your lawn, Weed-n-Feed will stop you in your tracks. Because Weed-n-Feed kills the weeds as they are germinating, it will also kill your delicate grass shoots. If you are planning on seeding, you should refrain from using any pre-emergent weed control until the new grass is well established.

All in all, if done properly, Weed-n-Feed can be useful for short term targeted weed control. But if you desire full season control, a professional weed control and fertilization company is the way to go.

Sources:
EarthEasy “6 reasons to avoid using “weed-n-feed” on your lawn Posted June 29, 2010 eartheasy.com/blog

James Altland Oregon State University “Top 10 Reasons Your Herbicide Failed” Weed Management