How often should I fertilize and spread weed killer?

Hi Sean,

Its probably just as important to water your lawn as it is to fertilize it. During dry summer months watering goes a long way! People often over look that and use fertilizing as a unexcusable substitute for watering. Back in the old days watering lawns was the norm and fertilizing was rare. And if they fertilized they used lawn lime.

But as people found their work load was keeping them from watering -and they also got lazy- they found that buying these commericial fertilizers (like Scotts) was a easy substitute. I am not saying don't fertilize I am saying fertilizing should be number 4 or 5 on your list and don't become one of these people who says "screw the environment and I am going to use weed and feed all the time and who cares if it eventually washes into the creeks and goes to the water filtration plant and becomes part of my drinking water which eventually will give me cancer". Or, "who cares if it winds up in streams and kills them and the fish and aquatic life that lives in them".

Once you realize that know that since you have new sod it will take years for weeds to become a problem and so weed and feed should be applied only once in the fall or spring. IN the mean time try to pull any dandellions using a long handle weed dandelion weed puller available for purchase at a garden center. You can do an entire lawn in one session in minutes to hours depending on the overall size.

Did you know..... All standard commercial fertilizers have toxic metals that are not listed on the bag label. Heavy metals like lead and mercury that the government allows them to add without your knowing about because of a law passed about 30 years ago giving them both tax breaks and incentives to add these metals as a means to dispose of industrial waste heavy metals. I am not making this up- it really is true and most people are totally unaware that these metals are in their fertilizers! So to get around that consider getting organic fertilizers especially if you have small children or pets who will walk on the lawn regularly. Consider lawn lime as an alternative to these heavy metal laden fertilizers. Try to make it routine to water your lawn. You would be surprised how watering can make a difference.

Here is another issue with commercial herbicides (weed killer) is a neuro-toxin. Meaning it does a number on nerve cells by way of absorbtion through skin and traces in drinking water. It is a carcinogen- a substance that causes cancer. Another reason why you should use it very minimally and ignore the propoganda of Scott's company who does bogus studies to prove its not harmful. They want their Millions of dollars of profits to keep growing and that is their primary concern- not whether they can damage your brain or give you cancer by their products!

If you use comericial fertilizers try to use it very minimally and use the pellet ones which dissolve the slowest. Spray ones get washed away after a rain or two and/or watering washes them. So they are not a good choice if you plan to be a responsible lawn attendant who waters more than fertilizing.

Look into buying a battery operated watering timer. This is a green way to go! Because it minimizes the amount of water you use plus it waters at the proper amount of intervals per week etc. They sell for around 40 dollars but they will pay for themselves by saving you time you have to be there for watering. Available at garden centers and Home Depot etc.

Spray Weed And Feed

Weed And Feed Spray

This is so easy to remember only three times a year and the fall on holidays - Memorial day, 4th of july and labor day - thats it!

All the answers to these questions will be on the product bag under directions and care.

Don't kill weeds! That isn't very nice now.