Will it affect my landscaping - azeleas, hibiscus, monkey grass, etc?

Those aren't "weeds" right?

[This message has been edited by Ducks4Brkfast (edited 3/28/2007 11:01a).]

If you have Oak Trees in your yard NEVER EVER use any weed and feed type of fertilizer. It is hard on the trees and will harm them.

I used to use it any had great results (I never had any tree damage) but I certainly know it could occur. I started using fertilizer from COOP this year Foundation which has a pre-emergent and I can't remember what step 2 is called. It seems to have worked well. It's expensive as hell though.

As far as the flowers etc... I never had any problems with mine and it did get on them most times.

Neil Sperry talked about weed and feeds the other day. I never thought about it but he said absolutely "YES" it will hurt your trees and shrubs. I did not put it out this past fall or this year (LAZY) and have noticed much better growth in all of my nongrass plantings. He suggested spot treatment and aggressive fertilizing (grass will force most out eventually).

Anyone ever used their Turf Builder? My turf (central Austin) is thin to say the least and could use some "Building".

The current thinking is that the weed and feeds are about the worst thing for your plants and the environment. Get an organic slow release fertilizer, like Ladybug(I think they sell it at Lowes), and you will be much better off...

Deats99 he also is one of the chief proponents of the Foundation fretilizer and pre-emerge. He is who I got my info on it from. Of course that is quite different than a normal weed & feed.

Glad I asked, cause I had the feeling it may have ripple effects on other plants and wanted to apply this weekend.

Sounds like the best thing to do is merely fertilze and let the St Augustine overpower weeds, etc.

when i picked some of producers weed and feed, they said not to get any on the flower beds. the girl mentioned something about the herbicide targetings broadleaf plants, and that is why it would hurt your flowers, weeds and not the grass. but so far the stuff didn't do crap to the weeds. so i picked up a bottle of weed killer that attaches to a garden hose. don't worry, i got the stuff that is safe for lawns.

Sperry is real into the organic stuff. Not surprising he hates Scotts.

For what it's worth, I applied Scott's Bonus S to my lawn last weekend.

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so i picked up a bottle of weed killer that attaches to a garden hose. don't worry, i got the stuff that is safe for lawns.

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I tried one of those last year - I think it was spectracide. It did zip to the weeds. Waste of money.

Visit:
http://www.ps90forum.com/forum

Don't use that crap. And avoid Scott's when possible.

The best fertilizer for Texas is E-Z Gro 19-5-9. Developed FOR Texas lawns by a Texas Aggie, Marion Bozarth '49. Use it April 1, and July 1, then use the winterizer 18-6-12 Oct 1. It works great on shrubs and trees too.

The E-Z Gro line is the best, but you can only buy it at the mom and pop type stores. Not sold at Lowe's, Home Depot, etc. It costs a little more, but you'll like the results.

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when i picked some of producers weed and feed, they said not to get any on the flower beds. the girl mentioned something about the herbicide targetings broadleaf plants

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That is something different than Foundation.

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Sperry is real into the organic stuff. Not surprising he hates Scotts.

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Did you mean Howard Garrett? Howard is organic. Didn't think Neal was.

Do a Google search for "atrazine" - that is the main ingredient in most weed and feeds.

Neal Sperry has been a good middle of the road organic guy in the past (sort of like me).

Markandles, you're right. I stand corrected. I was thinking of Garrett.

Get a bag of microlife instead or topdress with compost. Weed and feed is terrible for the environment and encourages nice green lawns with weak shallow roots and low drought resistance.