The Time of Day to Apply Weed and Feed to a Lawn

Timing

• Weed and feed should be applied to wet grass in order for its weed-killing properties to adhere to unwanted vegetation. Wet grass blades, combined with cool nighttime air temperatures, encourage lawn diseases. Therefore, it is important for gardeners to apply weed and feed in the early morning to prevent fungal spore germination. leading to bacterial infection. In fact, you can apply the product, when there is still dew on the lawn, to avoid using supplemental water.

Time of Year

• Choose a time in the early spring or fall that is dry for applying weed and feed. This product needs at least 48 hours to absorb into the foliage before it can kill weeds. Make sure that your irrigation system has been turned off for two days. Avoid applying weed and feed during spikes in temperature because it can dehydrate grass. To prevent causing any lawn damage, refrain from fertilizing your lawn when the grass is water-stressed.

Application

• Allow your grass to grow to at least 3 inches before applying weed and feed. Wait to mow your lawn two days after applying the product. Apply weed and feed evenly over the lawn. Any missed areas will result in an uneven lawn. Use the exact amount indicated on the label. Using an excessive amount of weed and feed is one of the fastest ways of killing your lawn in the beginning of the growing season.

Other Factors

• Weed and feed is designed for use in the lawn and not your flowerbed. When applying the product, be careful around landscape plants and trees. In fact, tree seedlings cannot tolerate weed and feed. Centipede, zoysia and Bermuda warm season grass types should not be fertilized during or after the grass greens up, according to gardening writer Walter Reeves. Gardeners must use fertilizer and weed killing products separately when growing these grass types.