herbicides affect plants, they can be either liquid or granular in nature.

Most of the granular products are aimed at treating large areas for weeds. The liquid products can be used to treat either large areas or smaller (even spot) treatments. The granulars tend not to contain as many mixed different herbicides as the liquids, although there are exceptions. The best way to use an herbicide is a couple of weeks after the fertilizer has been applied. The "weed and feed" products can't achieve that, and are generally aimed at the lawn owner that wants to make one trip around the yard with the spreader and then wait for a miracle to occur. That's not optimal, but it makes the companies a lot of money.

The store people in the garden center just told me that the liquid weed killer is good for the weed already been growing while the granular is for preventing the weed from growing. If the weed has already been there, the granular weed killer does not much help but the liquid does. Is it true? Which granular weed killer only is most efficient and effective, by the way?

then they were specifically talking about a particular bag of granular product they were selling. weed control agents come in two flavors- pre emergent and post emergent and two types, granular and liquid. mix and match.

the pre and post designations signify they will prevent a weed from emerging from the soil or control it after it begins to grow. the "crabgrass preventer" seen in home megamarts is an example of a pre emergent. timing is everything with pre emergents and optimal times change from area to area.

post emergents such as triox, glyphosate, 2,4-D and others are applied to existing weeds. in this case liquid is far the better choice. make sure that whichever product you select is labeled safe for use on the particular turf you wish to apply it over. follow label instructions to the letter and more isnt better.

So you experts agree the liquid or concentrate is more efficient and effective than the herbicide unless the weed has not existed, right? I just do not understand why some people still like spreading herbicide even if the weed has already been growing very well.

liquid is almost always the better choice for existing weeds. i say almost only because there may be some specific instance that currently may slip the mind. pre-emergents do not magically keep a weed seed from growing, they lie on/in the soil surface layer and kill the weed as soon as it germinates or shortly thereafter.

post emergent weed and feed products are not the best choice for control of existing weeds. its better to fertilize and control weeds separately. granular post herbicides are not as effective as liquid sprays. the weed and feed products, as the PP suggested, are aimed at homeowners that want a one-trick solution for their lawn.

unless you are talking about an acre or more, i suggest you get a hose-end sprayer, the Ortho brand "dial a spray" is one example, find the product compatable with the type of turfgrass you have and spray the turf. if a blanket spray is too much then purchase a handcan or backpack sprayer and spot treat as needed.

i would avoid the disposable sprayers you hook to your hose designed for a one time use or the premixed windex bottles full of spray. you will attain better results with freshly mixed product. in the long run you will spend a lot less too.

I got one question what fertilize should I use I live in Oregon and my lawn is waking up and has a yellow color

daddy3, that's a good question but you will get better replies to your question if you make a new topic for it. People reading this topic are concerned with herbicides, not fertilizers.

coody said: So you experts agree the liquid or concentrate is more efficient and effective than the herbicide unless the weed has not existed, right? I just do not understand why some people still like spreading herbicide even if the weed has already been growing very well.

Coody, you are confused about this. Herbicides come in many types and you have them mixed up. There are liquid herbicides like Weed-B-Gone and there are dry herbicides. Both work on existing weeds. Then there are pre-emergent herbicides that prevent weed seeds from germinating and becoming a plant.

As far as I know you have not answered the questions as to where you live and what kind of grass you have. Giving you a straight answer to any of your many questions really depends a lot on your answers. Warm season grasses get much different treatment than cool season grasses.

coody, for all practical purposes weedkiller, weedicide and herbicide mean the same thing. They are products which kill plants and we use them at dosage rates designed to kill undesirable plants (weeds) without harming desirable ones (crops). Weedkillers are formulated as liquids (mixed with water) or granular (solid particles). Weedkillers are classified as pre emergent or post emergent The former are applied before the weeds germinate while the latter are applied after the weeds have grown a bit (the three-leaf stage). Weedkillers are also classified according to their 'mode of action'. Contact products kill only the tissue they touch; systemics are taken up in the plant system and kill the whole plant.
Whether one uses a liquid or granular product will depend upon the equipment at one's availability and her/his skill at using such equipment. In my opinion, a pump-up sprayer, with a cone jet and a trigger that can be locked in the "ON" position is "ideally unsuited" to give a uniform application without overspraying. I am sure that many people will disagree with me but before they do, I will invite them to spray a visible dye over the front lawn and we can then discuss terms like striping, drift and uniform coverage as shown up by the dye pattern.
A granular product requires faith in one's ability because one does not see where the product has landed.
Application equipment and skill are the main considerations.
Finally, we must recognise that the products today are designed to be very specific to their purpose and we must display responsibility when we use them. This is the way to protect ourselves, our crops and our environment.

Ronalawn82, you said, "Contact products kill only the tissue they touch; systemic are taken up in the plant system and kill the whole plant." Do you imply the liquid only kills the tissue but the granular kills the while plant? If so, please explain how the liquid only kills the tissue but the granular does the whole plant (weed leaf, flower and root)? I am talking about the weeds have already been growing well. The pump-up sprayer may not be the best because it is time consuming. Experts, which one do you prefer (please mention the product name) liquid or granularand and why, assuming you have seen the lawn has lots of henbit with purple flowers?

When I used chemicals I had good success with Weed-B-Gone spray.

several of us here have answered your questions with almost identical replies- some more in depth than others but all valid.

perhaps your best bet is to go to your local independent garden center and speak with someone there directly about your concerns.

I tried to find a granular of weed killer at stores this weekend but I couldnÂt. I only saw either the liquid weed killer or granular of the weed and feed. Some people have suggested separately using the weed killer and fertilizer. Since it is hard to find the granular of the weed killer, I have to believe using the weed and feed is more popular than the weed killer AND fertilizer; otherwise, the manufacturer or store should provide more granular of the weed killer only product.

I may be one of those who suggested using separate products (although not on this thread).

I think you're confusing yourself by overanalyzing this.

It really doesn't make a lot of difference whether it's granular or liquid. What makes the difference is what the weed killer has in it.

The reason the weed and feed products are granular is that the fertilizer is granular and the weed killer is added to it. It's easier to apply it to the entire lawn that way.

The reason the weed killer by itself is liquid is because it can be sprayed without watering the lawn and can bs sprayed just on the weeds (spot spraying). Is easier to apply it to the weeds that way.

The fact that the weed and feed product is more popular does not make it better. Think of TV. There are popular shows that are really bad and there are good shows that are not popular.

If I were you, I'd buy the fertilizer and the weed killer as separate products. I'd fertilize, then a week or so later, I'd use the weed killer and spot spray the weeds.

Bpgreen, you would buy the fertilizer and the weed killer as separate products. You wouldd fertilize, then a week or so later, you would use the weed killer and spot spray the weeds. I wonder whether you still fertilize first if the weeds have already been growing very well or you would spray the liquid or spread the dry weed killer (again, very difficult to find dry weed killer product) first?

Stop looking for the dry weed killer by itself. You probably won't find it.

I don't know how many times and in how many ways I can say the same thing.

Buy the fertilizer. Fertilize. Wait a week. Use the weed killer to spot spray the weeds. If you find granular weed killer by itself, I'll be surprised. I wouldn't buy it, though. The granular stuff is only used when you want to attack the entire lawn. If you really have that many weeds, you can use a hose end sprayer for a weed killer, but usually, all you do is walk around with a spray bottle and spray the weeds that are growing.

Yes, I'd still do them as separate steps if the weeds are already growing. If you fertilize, they'll be growing more vigorously in a week.

> "If you fertilize, they'll be growing more vigorously in a week."

And hence what had been said - spray when the weeds ARE actively growing!

To recap -

Buy liquid ... Weed B Gone for Chickweed & etc or Bayer All In One are good all around herbicides.
Mix 1 gallon in an old windshield solvent plastic jug.
Spot spray using an old Windex bottle sprayer

*OR*

If your yard is completely filled with weeds, buy the Ortho Dial A Sprayer also when you pick up the "liquid" weed killer.

Spray weed killer 1 one week *AFTER* you fertilize.
Don't expect miracles in 2 days - two, sometimes three applications are needed every few weeks.
Eventually, you will see less and less and will only being spot spraying here and there with a Windex bottle.

Got it? - Git R Done!