The Best Weed and Feed Products of 2024 for Fewer Weeds and Greener Grass, Tested
Hello, my friend, hello again; today we come together to talk about The Best Weed and Feed Products of 2024 for Fewer Weeds and Greener Grass, Tested and hope the blog can help you.
Make any lawn look healthy and green by selecting the right weed and feed product.
A drab, weedy lawn isn’t a lost cause with the help of modern weed and feed fertilizers. Designed to introduce essential nutrients to accelerate the grass’s growth, these products help lawns grow thick and healthy. At the same time, they put the hurt on weeds to choke out the plants you don’t want in favor of the lush carpet of greenery you do. After researching the top fertilizer mixes, we tested eight of the top weed and feeds on a lawn that needed some serious help. These weed and feed products were all tested for at least 4 weeks with varying results and levels of success.
After testing, we can say that our favorite is the GreenView Broadleaf Weed Control Plus Lawn Food. It’s highly concentrated, so it doesn’t take much product to make a big difference. We tested the products in a grid, and the square with this product outgrew (and out-greened) all the others.
The test lawn needed both nutrients and weed reduction, so it gave us the perfect canvas for testing. Keep reading to get a look at how the best weed and feed performed in real-world conditions and what kind of growth (and weed death) you can expect in your own yard.
- BEST OVERALL: GreenView Broadleaf Weed Control Plus Lawn Food
↓ Jump to Review - BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK: Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed
↓ Jump to Review - UPGRADE PICK: BioAdvanced 5-in-1 Weed & Feed
↓ Jump to Review - BEST NATURAL: Espoma Organic Weed Preventer
↓ Jump to Review - BEST COOL-SEASON: GreenView Fairway Formula Spring Weed and Feed
↓ Jump to Review - BEST WARM-SEASON: Scotts Turf Builder Southern Triple Action
↓ Jump to Review - BEST LIQUID: Scotts Liquid Turf Builder With Plus 2 Weed Control
↓ Jump to Review - ALSO CONSIDER: Concern Weed Prevention Plus
↓ Jump to Review
Before You Buy Weed and Feed
Maintaining a healthy lawn includes mowing, weeding, watering, and fertilizing. However, fertilizing isn’t always necessary. Overfertilizing a lawn will make the grass grow more vigorously, requiring more frequent mowing or leading to runoff, which ends up in the local watershed.
Excessive fertilizing can also result in lawn burn, which is when the nitrogen and salt levels in the soil are too high and cause yellow to brown strips or patches of dead grass. A lawn only needs fertilizing if the soil lacks the vital nutrients to help it grow. Home soil test kits can be used to check the soil composition and help you decide what type of fertilizer will best nourish your grass.
How We Tested the Best Weed and Feed
We created a numbered grid using marking paint and stakes, and one weed and feed fertilizer was applied in each square. The exception was the liquid weed and feed, which required application in a larger area; it was applied to a 100-square-foot area next to the grid.
We calculated how much weed and feed to spread in each square based on the manufacturer’s instructions so that we didn’t over- or under-fertilize. The space was small enough that we spread the fertilizers by hand to prevent them from mixing. We then took pictures upon application and once a week for 4 weeks. Each weed and feed was scored according to a rubric based on how much product it required, how well it performed, and the ingredients. We also considered the eco-friendliness of each fertilizer, looking for nontoxic options and also pet-friendly weed and feed.
Testing Stats | |
Products tested: | 8 |
Hours spent testing: | 8 weeks |
Tests performed: | 1 |
Price range: | $20 to $70 |
Our Top Picks
The following list includes the fertilizers that stood out during research and were then tested to narrow the field to some of the most effective weed and feeds on the market. This list includes both liquid and granular weed treatments.
Best Overall
GreenView Broadleaf Weed Control Plus Lawn Food
Our Ratings: Application 5/5; Feed Effectiveness 5/5; Weed Control 2.5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- NPK ratio: 27-0-4
- Application: Spring or early fall
- Grass type: Kentucky bluegrass, fine and tall fescues, perennial ryegrass, Bahia, St. Augustine, common Bermuda, hybrid Bermuda, zoysia, centipede, Colonial bent
Pros
- Doesn’t require a lot of product to make a big difference in lawn health and growth rate
- Capable of killing over 250 weed varieties, including dandelion, clover, thistle, and creeping Charlie
- Slow-release nitrogen formula feeds lawns for up to 8 weeks
- Made a noticeable difference in grass growth rate and health
Cons
- Should not be used on Floratam St. Augustine, Dichondra, and carpet grass
- Contains 2,4-D, which has a potentially damaging effect on human health and the environment
Taking care of a lawn and reducing common weeds is part of property ownership, and for those who want to spruce up lawn health quickly, this GreenView weed and feed mix can do it. This fertilizer and weed killer for lawns is made with a slow-release nitrogen formula that thickens grass, without excessive growth, targeting 250 weed varieties, including dandelions, clover, plantain, dollar weed, and ground ivy. It was the top performer in our testing, creating grass that outgrew the rest. It’s also a great spring or fall weed and feed.
The granules are effective for over 8 weeks and are safe to use on warm- and cool-season grass types, though there are a few varieties to avoid. Plus, the slow release nitrogen is safer to use when temperatures start to rise without burning the grass or causing other lawn injury.
The grass was noticeably taller and greener in the square with this GreenView mix. It’s also a highly concentrated fertilizer and weed preventer, so it doesn’t take a large amount to make a big difference in lawn health. While it didn’t kill existing weeds, fewer weeds grew in the area where this mix was applied. Our only issue with this product is that it contains 2,4-D (as did almost all of the other synthetic products in this test), which has the potential to affect human health and the environment. Make sure to read the application instructions to reduce the potential harmful effects.
Get the GreenView broadleaf weed and feed at Amazon, Lowe’s, Tractor Supply Co., The Home Depot, Walmart (39 pounds), or GreenView.
Best Bang for the Buck
Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed
Our Ratings: Application 5/5; Feed Effectiveness 4.5/5; Weed Control 2.5/5; Value 4/5
Product Specs
- NPK ratio: 26-0-2
- Application: Spring
- Grass type: Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass, centipede, Bahia, Bermuda, zoysia
Pros
- Strong formula provides quick, tangible results for thickening grass and preventing weeds
- Highly concentrated and ample quantity is provided to cover most lawns; available in larger sizes for larger coverage area
- Compatible with fescue, centipede, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, Bahia, zoysia, and Bermuda
Cons
- Not suitable for warm-season grasses; read the label carefully to determine lawn compatibility
- Contains 2,4-D, which has a potentially damaging effect on human health and the environment
Scotts is a well-known brand with an extensive range of lawn care products, including fertilizer and weed and grass killer. This product combines the strongest weed and feed for lawns available from Scotts. It’s supposed to kill common broadleaf weeds like dandelions and clover using WeedGrip technology while feeding the lawn for thicker grass. However, our testing revealed more feed than weed. Granted, the lawn we tested it on has a serious clover and dandelion problem. It’s possible the weed issues were too much even for this powerful weed killer. While we didn’t see a noticeable difference in weed health, they didn’t proliferate.
Scotts Turf Builder is one of the most popular and economical fertilizer and weed control combination products available. Although this weed and feed for Bermuda grass works on many common turf grasses, such as fescue, centipede, Kentucky bluegrass, ryegrass, Bahia, and zoysia, it’s not recommended for some warm-season grasses, such as St. Augustine, Dichondra, or carpet grass. As a synthetic product, it contains 2,4-D, which has the potential to damage human and environmental health.
Get the Scotts Turf Builder weed and feed at Amazon, Lowe’s, or The Home Depot.
Upgrade Pick
BioAdvanced 5-in-1 Weed & Feed
Our Ratings: Application 5/5; Feed Effectiveness 5/5; Weed Control 3.5/5; Value 5/5
Product Specs
- NPK ratio: 22-0-4
- Application: Spring, early summer, fall
- Grass type: Bermuda, fescue, buffalo grass, seashore paspalum, zoysia
Pros
- Works on over 200 weed and grassy-weed varieties
- Long-lasting formula feeds for up to 3 months and controls weeds and crabgrass for up to 6 months
- Provides nutrients as well as heat and drought resistance
- Requires a minimal amount of mix to make a big difference in lawn health
Cons
- Not suitable for new grass and should only be applied to established lawns
- Contains 2,4-D, which has a potentially damaging effect on human health and the environment
Taking care of grass while keeping away common weeds and crabgrass can be exhausting and time-consuming. But the BioAdvanced 5-in-1 weed and feed long-lasting formula greens grass and boosts growth so much that users might need to add an extra cutting to their weekly routine. This potent mix can act as a grass killer for crabgrass as well as broadleaf weeds like clover, dandelion, chickweed, and 200 other weed and grassy-weed varieties. It also strengthens established grass by fortifying roots.
With a coverage area of over 4,000 square feet, this weed and feed mix resists the effects of heat and drought and is safe to use on cool-season grass types. It’s also a highly concentrated mix, requiring a minimal amount to be effective.
In testing, it made a big difference in grass growth rate and health, making the grass noticeably brighter and taller. However, it didn’t do much to choke out the clover and weeds, though it showed some ability to prevent new weeds from sprouting. It also contains 2,4-D, a chemical that can potentially harm the environment or people.
Get the BioAdvanced weed and feed at Amazon, Tractor Supply Co., Walmart, or BioAdvanced.
Best Natural
Espoma Organic Weed Preventer
Our Ratings: Application 5/5; Feed Effectiveness 4/5; Weed Control 2.5/5; Value 3.5/5
Product Specs
- NPK ratio: 9-0-0
- Application: Spring
- Grass type: All grasses
Pros
- Made from 100 percent corn gluten meal, a natural and safe ingredient
- Can be used in any season and is compatible with all lawn types
- Can be used in flower beds or vegetable gardens
Cons
- Only covers 1,250 square feet of lawn, which is less than many other weed and feed products
- Doesn’t fertilize or control weeds as well as synthetic products
Espoma’s Organic Weed Preventer is a natural solution to prevent lawn weeds without harming the environment. This product is made with 100 percent corn gluten meal, which is a byproduct of the corn-milling process that contains a high amount of nitrogen. When applied to your lawn, the nitrogen in the corn gluten meal provides a slow-release fertilizer to nourish the grass and make it more resistant to weeds. Additionally, the corn gluten meal acts as a natural pre-emergent herbicide that inhibits the growth of weed seeds by drying out their roots.
Unlike chemical-based weed preventers, Espoma’s Organic Weed Preventer is safe for pets, children, and the environment. It can safely be used on flower beds and in gardens. During testing, we found that much more of this mix is required to be as effective as synthetic fertilizers. The granules are also more noticeable on the lawn. However, we didn’t have to worry about children or pets walking on that lawn while the granules were still visible. We also appreciated that it can safely be used on flowers and vegetable gardens.
This fertilizer/weed preventer did improve grass color and growth, but it didn’t perform as well as synthetic products. Espoma can help prevent pre-emergent weeds, but not those already growing.
Get the Espoma weed and feed at Ace Hardware or Walmart.