When Should I Put Weed & Feed on My Yard?

Warm-season Grass

• Use Weed & Feed in the late spring for your warm-season grass. Warm-season grass cannot adequately absorb nutrients when it is not actively growing. Warm-season grass such as St. Augustine needs warm soil temperatures above 65 degrees Fahrenheit before it can be fertilized, according to gardening writer Walter Reeves. To check the soil temperature, use a soil thermometer in the morning and afternoon to get a reading. Average both temperatures to get an accurate reading.

Cool-season Grass

• Cool-season grass types such as ryegrasses and bluegrasses should be get Weed & Feed products early in the spring. This grass type grows during the cool temperatures of the fall, winter and spring. You can also use Weed & Feed in the early fall to help your grass remain healthy and weed-free in the winter months. Refrain from giving fescue grass Weed & Feed products in the spring. The new growth that the product encourages will die out in the heat of the summer.

What to Avoid Doing

• Avoid wasting your money and spreading Weed & Feed on centipede, zoysia and bermuda grass. These warm-season grass types must be fertilized after the green-up for the season, and they need weed preventer before they come out of dormancy. Grass that is given Weed & Feed products before it has a chance to green up will not absorb the nutrients. Also, grassy weeds can come in and use the excess nutrients that these grass types aren't using.

How to Use

• Choose a time where there will be at least 48 hours of dry weather to use Weed & Feed. Weed & Feed needs time to absorb into the broadleaf weed's foliage to kill the plant. Grass should be at 3 inches in height. Avoid mowing right before or for two days after using Weed & Feed. Water the lawn to wet the weeds' foliage. Weed & Feed granules stick better to wet leaves. Apply the product over the lawn. Refrain from applying the product again for several months to prevent burning up your lawn.