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kali_deere

Fertilizer mishap

9 years ago

Hi everyone,

so I used Weed and Feed on my lawn for the first time and I even got the small fertilizer spreader that you push across the lawn to let the granules out. I set it okay the suggested number and went about my business.


turns out I may have not done everything correctly because my lawn looks like it has zebra stripes! There are about 3' wide sections of dark green, then 3' section of light green, and so on all the way down the front lawn! Perhaps the spreader only emits the granules from one side or something?

The backyard doesn't look as bad, just a few patches of unevenness.


but what do I do about the front lawn? Leave it until the next time I need to fertilize/weed? Or should I use a drop spreader to go over the light green patches? I'm afraid of over fertilizing and destroying the lawn.

Comments (6)

  • 9 years ago

    First thing to do is donate any remaining weed n feed to someone else. That is not your best bet for either fertilizing or getting rid of weeds.

    Second thing you can do is to apply an organic fertilizer. You can apply that at full strength any time you want including the same day you apply full strength chemical fertilizer.

    Test your drop spreader by putting some product in and walking over concrete. You should be able to see if there is any blockage. I'm not sure how easily they can be adjusted. You might want to get a broadcast spreader.

  • 9 years ago

    Here's my lawn.


    i don't actually know what kind of spreader I have, it's by Scott's, it has two wheels and a handle and is pushed as if it's a tiny mower and a fan like device as the bottom spins around and disperses the chemicals.


    oh I didn't know weed and feed was bad! I need something that will control the insane weeds (tons of clover, ivy, dandelions and nutsedge all over the place but not visible in picture) as well as fertilize the grass. Any suggestions?

  • 9 years ago

    Are there better products for controlling weeds while also feeding the lawn?

    Weed And Feed was very expensive so I assumed it was good!

  • 9 years ago

    The best thing for the lawn is to fertilize with fertilizer when it needs to be fed (late May, early Sept, and late Nov) and to spot spray weeds with an appropriate herbicide (like Weed b Gon or Weed b Gon Chickweed, Clover, and Oxalis Killer) in mid April and possibly in June or August depending on weeds and daily temps. Read the label. Note that the timing for the fertilizer is different from the timing for the herbicide. This is part of the problem with weed n feed products. Generally those products don't feed or weed very well. Granular herbicides are a waste of herbicide and an environmental issue. When you spot spray you only moisten the leaves of the weed and nothing goes into the soil.

    Sounds like you have a broadcast spreader. It might have "edge guard," or whatever it's called to allow you to avoid broadcasting fertilizer onto your driveway or neighbor's lawn. That should only be used next to the driveway and then it should be released or stowed or however it gets removed to allow a full spread of fertilizer. Could be it was left on and the fertilizer fell heavier just to the left side of the spreader.

  • 9 years ago

    Thank you for the great advice!

    unfortunately I think I may have left the edge guard on. Also I'm not sure about spot spreading because there appears to be weeds (particularly crabgrass or nustedge I can't tell) COVERING the whole lawn :/


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