The Pros & Cons Of Weed & Feed

Should You Use Weed & Feed On Your Lawn?

Weed and feed has become a staple in many homeowners' DIY lawn care routines due to its convenience. However, these products aren’t always the right solution for every lawn or every situation. Depending on your lawn’s grass type and condition, weed and feed could either offer a helpful shortcut or lead to long-term problems.

Keep reading to learn if weed and feed is the right choice for you and your lawn, or if there may be a better approach to consider when it comes to your lawn care needs.

What Does Weed & Feed Mean?

The term “weed and feed” refers to a combination lawn care product designed to handle two tasks at once: controlling weeds and providing nutrients. This dual-action approach sounds appealing on the surface, especially for those seeking simplicity. Instead of applying a weed killer and then a fertilizer separately, weed and feed products allow you to do both in a single pass. This can save time and reduce effort, making it a popular choice for homeowners looking for a straightforward way to improve their lawns.

However, this one-size-fits-all approach assumes that your lawn has a uniform set of needs, which is rarely the case. Different grass types, weed species, and soil conditions often require specific treatments. Applying a general weed and feed product may help in some areas but miss the mark in others, leading to uneven results or even turf damage if misapplied.

What Is In Weed & Feed?

Weed and feed products contain two primary components: herbicides and fertilizer. The herbicide portion is designed to kill or suppress weeds, while the fertilizer supplies essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to encourage grass growth. The exact formulation varies depending on the brand and whether the product targets pre-emergent or post-emergent weeds.

• Herbicides: Most weed and feed products include selective herbicides that target broadleaf weeds like dandelions, clover, and plantains without harming turfgrass. Some formulas also include pre-emergent herbicides, which prevent weed seeds from germinating.
  
• Fertilizer: The “feed” portion typically includes nitrogen-rich fertilizer to stimulate lush, green grass growth. Depending on the product, it may also contain phosphorus for root development and potassium for stress tolerance.

Some products come in granular form and must be watered in, while others are liquid and designed to be sprayed directly onto the grass blades. Timing is crucial, as applying the wrong type of weed and feed at the wrong time of year can either render the treatment ineffective or harm your lawn.

When Can Weed & Feed Be Helpful?

There are definitely times when weed and feed can be a practical and effective option. For homeowners with relatively uniform lawns suffering from a moderate outbreak of common broadleaf weeds, a weed and feed treatment in spring or early fall can offer a noticeable improvement. When used appropriately and under the right conditions, weed and feed can provide visible results with relatively little effort.

Here are a few situations where weed and feed may be beneficial:

• Spring Weed Control and Nutrient Boost: A post-emergent weed and feed applied in early spring can tackle weeds just as they emerge while giving grass a boost of nitrogen to kickstart growth after winter dormancy.
• Small Lawns with Mild Weed Pressure: If your yard is relatively small and only affected by a few scattered weeds, weed and feed can help manage the problem without requiring multiple products or treatments.
• Convenience for DIY Homeowners: For people who prefer to manage their own lawns and want a fast, easy-to-apply product, weed and feed is an attractive option that simplifies lawn care.

How Can Weed & Feed Harm Your Lawn?

Despite the convenience, weed and feed is far from a perfect solution. In fact, in many situations, it can do more harm than good. One of the main problems is that the fertilizer and herbicide portions often have different ideal application windows. Fertilizer may be most effective in early spring or fall, while certain herbicides work best under warmer or cooler conditions depending on the target weed. 

Combining both into a single product forces you to compromise on timing, which can reduce effectiveness or cause unintended damage. Ultimately, weed and feed often sacrifices precision for convenience, and this can be problematic for homeowners who want to build a healthy, resilient lawn over the long term.

• Stress on Desirable Grass Species: The herbicides in weed and feed are designed to target weeds, but they can also stress or damage certain turfgrass types if not used properly. Warm-season grasses like St. Augustinegrass or centipedegrass are particularly sensitive to common broadleaf herbicides.
  
• Overfertilization or Nutrient Imbalance: Applying fertilizer when your lawn doesn’t need it just because you’re targeting weeds can lead to excessive growth, thatch buildup, or nutrient runoff into nearby waterways.
  
• Missed Weed Timing: If you use a post-emergent weed and feed after weeds have already matured, it may not kill them effectively. Similarly, pre-emergent formulations are useless against established weeds.
  
• Harm to Trees and Shrubs: Granular weed and feed products can harm nearby trees or ornamental plants if the herbicide is absorbed through shallow roots or if granules spread beyond the lawn.
  
• Environmental Concerns: Improper application or timing can lead to chemical runoff, especially if rain follows soon after treatment. This runoff can harm local ecosystems and water quality.

DIY Weed & Feed vs. Professional Lawn Care

Many homeowners turn to weed and feed because it offers a do-it-yourself solution that feels affordable and manageable. However, the DIY approach lacks the tailored precision that professional lawn care services can offer. Professionals evaluate your lawn’s unique characteristics, including grass type, soil condition, weed species, and local climate, before selecting the right products and timing for treatment. Below is a breakdown of how DIY weed and feed compares to professional services:

DIY Weed & Feed:

• Lower upfront cost.
• Convenient and accessible.
• One-size-fits-all solution.
• Risk of mistimed applications.
• Limited control over specific weeds or nutrient levels.

Professional Lawn Care:

• Customized treatment plans.
• More accurate timing and product selection.
• Expert diagnosis of lawn issues.
• Safer, more environmentally responsible applications.
• Higher initial cost but better long-term results.

While weed and feed might be a decent short-term fix for minor issues, professional care can resolve the root causes of poor lawn health and prevent problems from recurring. In the long run, a lawn care professional can save you time, stress, and even money by avoiding costly mistakes like overfertilization, herbicide burn, or lawn dieback.

Get Professional Lawn Care In Salt Lake City

Weed and feed products offer a tempting solution for tackling two lawn care challenges at once, but they come with trade-offs that homeowners should fully understand. If you’re serious about maintaining a lush, weed-free lawn year-round, it may be worth reconsidering the convenience of weed and feed in favor of more specialized care. 

Professional lawn care is undeniably the best way to ensure the health and longevity of your lawn. If you are in the Salt Lake City area and want to hear more about customized, professional lawn care treatments that address the specific needs of your turf, call Holmes Lawn & Pest today!