Weed & Feed: Before Or After Mowing Lawn
Photo by Ivan Radic
Its best to wait at least 24 hours after applying a weed and feed treatment before mowing the lawn.
In most cases, mowing the lawn immediately before or shortly after applying weed killer or fertilizer is not beneficial. If you do this, weed and feed granules become unevenly distributed before they even have a chance to work. Instead, wait at least 24 hours after applying a Liquid Weed and Feed type product before cutting your grass.
However, if you are using granular products, it is best to wait 48 hours before mowing to ensure that all of the components have dispersed and will not be removed.
In addition, the instructions that come with various weed and feed products can vary, so you must always follow the instructions printed on the label.
Getting Rid Of Lawn Weeds
If you want a healthy and beautiful lawn, you need to get rid of lawn weeds. Weeds rob your lawn of water and nutrients, and they can also harbor pests and diseases. By taking the time to identify and remove weeds, youll have a lawn that looks its best and is better able to withstand stress and damage.
For more tips on maintaining your lawn and other informative articles, visit the rest of the blog!
Filed Under: Home ImprovementTagged With: lawn care service
How Long After Fertilizing Can I Mow
If you use a liquid fertilizer, you can mow your lawn as soon as the grass has dried. Which is usually within four hours. However, granular fertilizer requires only a 24-hour wait before mowing the lawn after application. Lawn granules will scatter and lost if you do anything too vigorous to your yard, such as cutting the grass.
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Why Is Weeding The Garden Important
You may think that weeding is done purely for aesthetic reasons, intended to keep your garden and yard looking pretty. But in reality, these aggressive plants are invasive thieves.
Weeds tend to grow quickly, and they ultimately compete with other plants for space, moisture and nutrients. You plant your garden or yard carefully, thinking of spacing and sun, so when a destructive, thirsty weed enters the picture, you likely didn’t account for water and space that would be sucked up by your plants’ new neighbor. Even in terms of grass, when weeds pop up, they’re fighting your lawn for the water it so desperately needs, particularly in the hot summer months.
How To Spread Weed & Feed
There are a few important details to remember when spreading weed & feed. Keep all of these in mind when planning the job to achieve the best results. Note that these tips are not intended to replace manufacturers instructions, though you will find most manufacturers will recommend some variation of these tips.
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How To Mow The Grass After Weed & Feed Treatment
In principle, you can mow the lawn 24 to 48 hours before applying any weed and feed product. Or else, you can delay the mowing and wait and mow the grass 24 hours after using the product. First, however, still, keep the product instructions in mind.
This enables the product to soak into the ground and start acting before any flora damage that could decrease the ability of the weed to take up the product.
Always mow the grass at the correct height for the type of grass you are cutting. When you mow, try not to remove more than one-third of the grass at a time.
Additionally, if you have seeded any spots in your lawn, avoid using weed and feed to those areas because the herbicide will prevent the grass seeds from germinating.
Mowing Properly And Regularly
Your grass should be cut every week during the Spring, and at least every ten days during the summer. Mulching the grass back into the lawn helps spread grass seed and increase turf thickness. Your blades need to be sharpened yearly and never cut the grass more than 1/3 of its total length.
Every time your mow your lawn, you also mow the weeds which takes them out of the picture of a couple days, but dont forget that the roots are still alive and well and they will try to grow back.
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You Have A Soil Health Problem
While we mentioned soil health when we talked about compaction, theres more to it than just compaction. Soil that is naturally healthy is full of beneficial microorganisms which are necessary for your grass to take advantage of the nutrients found natively in the soil and those provided by fertilizers. When these microorganisms are thriving in your soil, it will also help strengthen your lawn against disease and pests which could thin out your lawn and make it more prone to weeds.
If you are using a lawn care program that doesnt address soil health , that could be the reason why you cant get rid of weeds in your lawn.
When Not To Apply Weed And Feed
Naturally, you cant apply lawn weed and feed during the winter. When the temperatures are below zero weedings and feeding isnt recommended, because the soil is too hard and cant absorb the nutrients. Summer is also a not good idea for weeding and feeding because the soil can be too dry for absorbing the nutrients. However, there are some exceptions, for instance with Scotts weed and feed schedule.
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Identify The Weeds You Have
In order to make a successful game plan, youll need to know just what kind of weeds youre dealing with. Weed treatments are designed to target specific weeds, so what may work on your broadleaf weeds may leave your grass-like weeds A-OK.
Weeds come in multiple categories, either broadleaf, grass-like, or grassy.
Broadleaf
- Common types: Clover, ground ivy, dandelions, chickweed
Grass-like
- Appearance: Similar to grass, with hollow leaves in a triangular or tube shape
- Common types: Nutsedge, wild garlic, wild onion
Grassy
- Appearance: Resembles grass, grows one leaf at a time
- Common types: Foxtail, annual bluegrass, quackgrass, crabgrass
Weeds can be broken down further into categories based on their life cycleannual, biennial, or perennial.
- Annual: Produces seeds during one season only
- Biennial: Produces seeds during two back-to-back seasons
- Perennial: Produces seeds over many seasons
Applying Lawn Fertilizer Sprays
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PetraTools Liquid Nitrogen Fertilizer, 28-0-0 High Liquid Nitrogen Spray For All Grass Types
This sort of fertilizer is straightforward to use and produces good results as a result, it is ideal for inexperienced gardeners as well as those who wish to reduce the amount of time spent tending to their lawn. For example, after you have finished mowing your lawn, you may immediately apply this fertilizer spray to it. Also, when you water in the fertilizer at the same time, there is very little chance that you will burn the grass.
In addition, they can be in a variety of configurations however, the most frequent packaging for them is that of a self-contained hose-end sprayer. This enables you to attach a garden hose to the bottle of fertilizer easily. And when you water, there is a dilution of fertilizer will be dilution to correct application.
The frequency of fertilizing can range anywhere from two weeks to one month. Depending on the fertilizer brand and the manufacturers advice. The concentrated solution form of these spray fertilizers is also available for purchase.
One can achieve the same results using liquid concentrate, which is typically an alternative that is easier to use. However, before application, they need to measure it out in advance and mixed with water.
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When To Fertilise The Lawn
Fertilising at different times of the year can have different effects, primarily because the soil temperature is different, so the plant is doing different things.
Spring is the most common time for fertilising. Applying lawn fertiliser at this time is a great way to get your warm-season lawn, like Buffalo, Couch and Kikuyu, to grow sideways. At this time, the plants focus is on new growth, spreading to increase its size. So, tease up those bare patches, fertilise your lawn and keep the water up to watch them spread and fill any unwanted gaps.
Summer is often the forgotten period of lawn fertilising. Its important that the grass isnt missing any of the key elements required as its under quite a bit of heat stress. Generally, at this time of year you may be experiencing lots of growth and need some help with mowing, check out our blog on growth regulators.
Autumn is another key opportunity for lawn fertilising as this increases the lawns health in 2 ways. It forces the lawn to continue growing for longer, allowing it to enter winter in a denser state, a key component to preventing those winter weeds. Secondly, as the plant starts to cool, it starts to store these nutritional elements in some of its growing parts . This allows it to respond better as soil temperatures warm up in Spring.
How To Use Weed & Feed To Revive Your Lawn
Lawn care experts and green-thumb DIYers often use weed & feed to produce beautiful lawns and flower beds. Whether youre keeping your lawn lush or needing to revive some of that emerald green color, using this product is a must. So what is it, and how is weed & feed used to create lush, beautiful yards? Heres everything you need to know.
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Cover Crops In Fall/winter
Also, at the end of the season after you harvest your veggies, plant cover crops, like wheat, clover, and barley. They are beneficial plants that give back to the soil but also keep weeds from growing and soil erosion from occuring. In some situations, you can use a cover crop in the shoulder seasons to block out weeds. See our list of cover crops.
Make Sure You Don’t Do This
Often people turn to the internet asking, how do you kill weeds and they come across several solutions like:
While its true that these methods will kill the weeds, do not spray these on your weeds if they are within your lawn. These methods will work, but they will kill EVERYTHING as a result. We have people call every year saying, I sprayed weed killer on my lawn, and I have white/yellow patches everywhere now. They used a product listed above and that’s why it killed everything!
Only use these products on driveways, back alleys, rock patios or gravel pads where there isn’t any grass. The good news is that you can kill weeds within your grass if you follow the instructions below. We will break this down into two sections:
Weed Prevention – to stop weeds from showing up in the first place
Weed Control – to tackle the weeds if theyve already arrived at the party
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Herbicide: Before Or After Mowing
Photo by
Roundup For Lawns Ready to Use All-in-One Weed Killer for Lawns
There is a wide variety of weed killer available on the market today, and each kind of weed killer employs a unique strategy to eliminate specific types of weeds. Therefore, your choice of herbicide should be based on several considerations, including the type of weed, the time of year, the degree of weed infestation, and the type of grass you have.
However, for the sake of clarity in this part of the article, we shall divide herbicides into two distinct categories: pre-emergent and post-emergent herbicides.
How To Weed And Reseed A Lawn
Find out how to remove weeds from your lawn and repair patches in autumn, with the help of this practical guide.
Monday, 23 September, 2019 at 10:00 am
A table displaying which months are best to sow, plant and harvest.|
Do not To do in January |
F
Do not To do in February |
M
Do not To do in March |
A
Do not To do in April |
M
Do not To do in May |
J
Do not To do in June |
J
Do not To do in July |
A
Do not To do in August |
S
Do To do in September |
O
Do not To do in October |
N
Do not To do in November |
D |
Autumn is the ideal time to tackle perennial lawn weeds, such as daisies, dandelions and plantain, sowing grass seed in their place. There is still time for the grass seed to germinate before winter.
Ideally, tackle the weeds after a spell of rain, so its easier to push the weeder or trowel down into the soil to dig out any roots. Remove any large clumps of spreading weeds, such as clover and buttercups, using a hand fork.
Heres how to weed and reseed the lawn.
And once your new lawn is established next year, why not invest in some kit to keep it looking in great condition. Our experts have tested the best lawn mowers to buy, as well as the best scarifiers and best aerators.
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How To Get Rid Of Weeds
Learn how to kill weeds in your lawn without killing your grass.
Most lawn weeds are opportunists that take root wherever they can find the space and catch a few rays of sunlight. If you already have a weed problem on your hands but arent sure what types are popping up on your lawn, read about some of the most common types of weeds.
For those of you who are ready to fight the good fight, heres a step-by-step guide that will help you get rid of weeds when they start growing on your lawn.
Treating Broadleaf Weeds When It’s Dry
Dandelions, clover, and creeping Charlie are some of the most common broadleaf weeds you’ll encounter, but plenty of other plants can invade quickly and spread relentlessly. To keep them in check, you may decide to use a granular weed-and-feed product or spray an organic liquid broadleaf weed killer.
The right time: Treat actively growing weeds apply granular products on a dewy morning or spot treat with an organic herbicide on a warm, sunny day.
Why timing matters: Used properly, broadleaf weed killers are highly effective when conditions are optimal. For example, the granules of weed-and-feed products, which are applied with a spreader, must stick to the leaves of the weeds to be effective. That requires moisture, so the perfect time to apply is in early morning when there’s a heavy dew on the lawn. If the grass isn’t wet, you’ll be wasting your time and money. Warm temperatures often help liquid treatments work faster, too. However, if you’ve been having a hot but dry summer, you’ll want to water your lawn first.
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Chemical Weed Treatment For Lawns
Perhaps the first thing that pops to mind when how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds is a chemical weed killer. The bad news is, spraying chemicals onto the ground can potentially have detrimental effects. You need to take a balanced view of whats best for your circumstances.
1. Weed And Feed
What is Weed And Feed and How Does it Work?
Weed and Feed is a universal term given to a range of lawn chemicals that kill weeds. This weed control system improves the lawns ability to absorb food and water for healthier growth.
The weed part of the Weed and Feed comprises herbicides, which are chemicals that kill most green leafy weeds.
The feed part of the Weed and Feed is a combo fertilizer consisting of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. This is designed to help your lawn stay healthy.
How does it work? The granules are applied to the lawn and absorbed by the weed. In addition to the granular form, you can find the liquid form of Weed and Feed, which needs to be applied with a sprayer. Unlike other chemical weed killers, Weed and Feed doesnt harm the regular grass unless you apply too much!
In case youre absolutely adamant that you dont want to use any harsh chemicals on your lawn, youll be pleased to know that there are some natural ways to kill your weeds. Read on for tips on how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds using natural treatments.
2. Weed B-Gon
Youre Not Using The Best Weed Control Products
There are a lot more nuances involved in weed control than most people realize. To get rid of weeds in the lawn, you must be sure youre using the right product on the right weed.
If youre taking a DIY approach to lawn care, chances are, youre using a granular product or one of the very few options of over-the-counter liquid materials that are available. Neither option is going to be as effective as the products professionals have access to. For liquid weed control options, there are dozens of professional products with different formulations of active ingredients, all of which perform differently. However, only a few of these are available to homeowners.
With a granular product, there are some factors that complicate the process. The lawn has to be wet in order for enough product to stick to your weeds and then it has to remain rain-free for 24 hours in order to work. Unfortunately, theres a lot of room for error in there. A professional-grade liquid application would be much more effective.
In addition, some more difficult-to-control weeds in our area such as crabgrass, nutsedge, or wild violet require a different approach. Even if youre using a professional service, its possible that theyre not including those targeted applications in their program as it may be something they charge extra to do.
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