Feed and Feed Spray When to Apply
It's the dream of every homeowner to have a beautiful, green, well-manicured lawn. But in order to achieve this goal, you have to be willing to put in the work.
With pests, diseases, nutrient problems, and weeds putting up a challenge, sometimes it seems like an uphill battle. Weeds in particular can be quite pesky, as they tend to steal vital nutrients from your plants, leading to their stunted growth.
This is where weed and feed products come in handy, as they help to kill off the weeds while also providing essential nutrients to your plants. Let's compare weed and feed spray vs granules.
What is Weed and Feed?
Weed and feed is a specially-formulated type of lawn fertilizer that is commonly used in gardens and lawns. It is basically a combination of herbicides that kill weeds and fertilizers that provide essential nutrients to plants.
This helps to create a healthy environment for your plants to grow, while also preventing the growth of weeds. As such, weed and feed products can be used to solve two problems without requiring the use of two separate products.
Are Weeds and Lack of Nutrients Related?
Weeds are often found in gardens and lawns where the soil is poor in nutrients. This is because they are able to survive in these conditions better than other plants. Besides, there is enough space for them to grow and spread if plants are not growing in the right manner.
But in situations where the soil has enough nutrients and the plants are growing well, weeds may not stand a chance. This is because they will be quickly overshadowed by healthy plants, hence they may lack enough sunlight and space to grow.
Using a weed and feed product further reduces the chances of weeds growing in your garden or lawn, as it provides essential nutrients to the plants while killing any existing weeds.
Weed and Feed Products – Sprays vs Granules
Now that we know what a weed and feed product is, let's take a look at the two most common types of products – liquid and granules. As you can expect, each type of product has its own set of pros and cons, which can come in handy when deciding which one to use.
Liquid Weed and Feed
Weed and feed products that come in liquid form are supposed to be mixed with water and then sprayed onto the plants. Liquid weed and feed products are often easier to apply, especially if you have a large garden or lawn.
This is because you can simply attach the product to a hose and then spray it over the entire area. For the weed component of the product to work as expected, it has to stick to the leaves, and liquid products will do that quite easily.
For even spraying, it is recommended that you use a calibrated sprayer. However, you can still use a regular back sprayer to spread the weed and feed product, especially for smaller lawns.
Pros:
- Much easier to spread evenly
- Easier to apply over large areas
- Quick-releasing formula allows for faster results
- More effective at controlling weeds that have already sprouted
Cons
- Notorious for burning plants when over-applied
- More challenging to store for extended periods
- More expensive compared to the granular form
- Requires more complicated application materials
Granular Weed and Feed
Granular weed and feed products are usually spread using a broadcast or drop spreader. For best results, it is recommended that you use a calibrated spreader. This is because you want to ensure that the product is applied more reliably over the entire garden or lawn.
While the granular form of weed and feed products is still effective in controlling post-emergent weeds, it is not as effective as the liquid form. This is because the granules have to be in direct contact with the leaves of the weeds for them to work.
As a result, granular weed and feed products are often preferable for pre-emergent weed control.
Pros:
- Easier to store for extended periods
- Setup materials are simpler and cheaper
- Pre-emergent weed control is more effective
- Less likely to burn plants when applied correctly
- Less expensive compared to liquid weed and feed
- Works for a longer period since it takes time for the granules to break down
Cons:
- Difficult to spread evenly, especially over large areas
- It's not so effective in controlling post-emergent weeds
- The application process is generally more time-consuming
- The results are not as immediate as with liquid weed and feed
- It's a tad harder for the nutrients in the product to get to the roots of the plants
So, Which One Should You Use – Liquid or Granular Weed and Feed?
Looking for a definitive answer? Well, maybe not with this one. It's really not a good idea to pick one type of weed and feed product over the other.
The type of product you ultimately decide to go with will depend on several factors. For one, you have to consider the size of your garden or lawn. If you have a large area to cover, then liquid weed and feed products would be a better option.
This is because they are much easier to apply evenly over a large surface. You also have to consider the type of weeds you're dealing with.
When dealing with post-emergent weeds, then liquid weed and feed would be a better option. However, if you're mostly dealing with pre-emergent weeds, then granular weed and feed products would be a better option.
Weed and Feed Spray vs Granules: Final Thoughts
Compared closely, neither granular nor liquid weed and feed products are entirely superior to the other. This is because each type has its own set of pros and cons that can be more or less advantageous depending on the user's specific needs.
As a general rule of thumb, it's best to interchange between the two depending on the task at hand as well as the season. That way, you can take advantage of the benefits of both while minimizing the disadvantages. Just be careful not to use too much weed and feed.
Source: https://www.gfloutdoors.com/weed-and-feed-spray-vs-granules-fertilization-guide/