There are many weed and feed products on the market to choose from, all claiming to be the best weed and feed for lawns. The truth is that some of these products may be great if used in conjunction with others, but there are no magic recipes that make all weed and feed products the best choice. You will want to do your research to find the best weed and feed for lawns based on your particular type of soil, climate, grass and the types of weeds you are trying to control.
Granular Weed killers are a good choice for certain types of weeds that you want to get rid of. These granules can be applied using a weed and feed treatment or even on your own grass blades. The granules contain essential nutrients, including nitrates, selenium, phosphorus, and copper. The nitrates improve the growth of both the grass and root system. The selenium helps to prevent weed seeds from germinating.
Another popular weed and feed for lawns product is the warm-season grass clippings. They come from a plant that grows in Central and Northern United States, and are used to control weeds in lawns. They provide the nutrients that the lawn needs during the growing season, and are much less harsh on the soil. Most warm season grasses are high in protein and contain all eight of the necessary plant vitamins and minerals. These include niacin, thiamin, and biotin, which can be added to your lawn diet to encourage the growth of healthy grass.
To begin, make sure your grass is completely dry. Apply your weed and feed treatment evenly across your grass using a single, wide spread blade. Make sure you don’t apply more than 1/4 inch at a time, as this will encourage weeds to germinate and spread. Also, remember to wear gloves when spreading it, so you won’t ingest any chemicals by touching the blades.
The most widely used weed and feed for lawns product that repels weeds and attracts beneficial insects is the clover. You will find that clover has become very popular in recent years, mostly due to its ease of use and ability to keep pests away. Choose a variety of colored clover such as red, yellow, or blue, and mix them up. You should also consider an annual application of alfalfa on new green growth to kill dandelions and ants. Dandelions feed off of alfalfa, so if you don’t want your lawn to become diseased you will need to eliminate or control dandelions.
If you need a larger amount of control, try using pre-emergent weed killers with an extra dose of nitrogen, then use a hoe to clear away the remaining weeds. Pre-emergent weed killers work well on larger areas than liquid fertilizers, but are much more labor intensive. If you do use pre-emergent liquid fertilizers, be sure to follow the instructions closely, as it can be difficult to apply in the absence of sunlight. Fertilizers with different sizes available include micro-nutrients (like nitrogen and phosphorus), large-sized fertilizers, slow release fertilizers, and organic fertilizers.
Organic fertilizers consist of materials derived from plants and animals. The best weed and feed for lawns that contains this type of product will be one that is inorganic, since organic matter is not easily broken down by the process of photosynthesis. Organic fertilizers are less expensive, but they do require more frequent watering. You can save a significant amount of money by purchasing a product with slow release properties, such as Scotts fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers are designed to be applied to a lawn over the course of several weeks, and they will provide the maximum number of nutrients to an area that would be required to maintain a lawn using traditional fertilization methods.
If you have a lawn that needs to be maintained, one of the best ways to get rid of weeds and increase the overall health of your grass is to make sure that you mow frequently. Mowing is the single most important step in weed and feed for lawns, because mowing prevents the grass from being damaged by the roots as the main focus of a weed killer. In order to maximize the health and growth of your lawn, it’s important to mow often, which makes sense because mowing will also encourage weed seed coverage and minimize the damage that a severe storm or heavy rainfall can do to your lawn.