Question
Hi. I'm writing from Saskatchewan, Canada. Our summers average between 65 & 90 degrees F. I have a very mature lawn and the last couple of years we've had very little precipitation and higher temperatures. My lawn has taken a beating as a result. Quack grass and dandelions have choked out a lot of my grass and I'm left with quite a few bare patches. What I'm wondering is this. Can I apply a Scott's lawn fertilizer c/w Weed control and throw in a bit of lawn seed to try and bring my lawn back, or what would you recommend? I have a very large lawn and would like to keep my costs down as much as possible.

Thanks in advance!

Answer
You can use the weed-n-feed product again actively growing dandelions, but best result is in fall. It needs to be applied to a wet lawn and then left on the leaves for 24-48 hours before being watered in. it must be watered in eventually.

Quackgrass, if this is really what you have, can not be dealt with using selective herbicides (e.g. weed-n-feed). Unfortunately, there is no selective herbicide available to control quackgrass in lawns. To control quackgrass chemically, a "non-selective herbicide" is required. A non-selective herbicide will kill all growth it contacts. Brands include Round-Up (glypsophate). It will kill all vegetation (grass, weeds, etc).

Another typical weed found in lawns is crabgrass. it is an annual. it can be treated in very early spring when tulips are just about to bloom. Use a fertilizer w/crabgrass preventer (scott's with Halts) to a dry lawn and water it in immedatiately. If you use this product, you can not sow grass for another 6-8 months. I recommend using it only if you do not plan on sowing grass.

If dandelions, crabgrass, and quackgrass is dominating your lawn, I recommend eradicating the entire lawn with round-up and sow seeds. Since seeds need regular moisture to germinate, best result is had if you can water until grass starts to grow. otherwise sow during periods of the year where rain is more typical and use straw to cover the surface after sowing.