If you want to use weed and feed products but remain worried it may harm your furry friends at home, the good news is– pet-friendly weed and feed exist! You can use several brand-name weed and feed (AKA fertilizer and herbicide combinations) to tend to your lawn without putting your pets at risk. Read on as we've compiled a list of our favorite pet-safe weed and feed and more!
Important Note: When using chemical-based weed and feed products, it is best to keep your pets away from your lawn until 1 to 2 days. If you're using organic products, you may avoid this waiting period. (Related: The Best Weed and Feed for Bermuda Grass (+ Lawn Care Tips))
24,174 Ratings
The Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed 3 is a safe weed and feed for pets. Just ensure to follow the label instructions accordingly.
127 Ratings
The Pennington brand is renowned for its pet-safe fertilizers, so it's no wonder they also offer safe weed and feed for pets.
749 Ratings
The BioAdvanced 3-in-1 Weed and Feed keeps your lawn fed while actively eliminating weeds (and preventing new ones from sprouting).
889 Ratings
Aside from being gentle to your pets, it is considered friendly to the other living organisms in your garden.
2,353 Ratings
This organic weed and feed safe for pets can be achieved by combining an organic pre-emergent weed control and an organic fertilizer.
4,354 Ratings
It has a fast-acting formula with friendly bacteria that helps break down notorious moss and weed leaves.
In This Review & Buyers Guide
6 Safe Weed and Feed for Pets
In choosing the best safe weed and feed for pets, always prioritize its efficiency in killing weeds, improving grass growth, and keeping your furry friends safe. Here are some of the best pet-safe weed and feed products (commercial and organic) on the market today.
The Scotts Turf Builder Weed and Feed 3 is a safe weed and feed for pets. Just ensure to follow the label instructions accordingly. It combines a balanced lawn fertilizer with 2,4-D and Mecoprop herbicides– known to be safe for use around mammals.
After application, allow your lawn to sit for two days to kill any growing weeds. Don't forget to water the lawn adequately afterward to dissolve the product. Once dry, you can allow your pets to roll and play in the turfgrass again.
Organic Pre-emergent Weed Control
If you're looking for an organic weed and feed safe for pets, skip using a commercial product with synthetic ingredients. Instead, go for the all-natural route by using organic weed control. You can do this with corn gluten meal, which dries the weed seeds as they sprout. This effectively gets rid of them before they overtake and ruin your yard.
The best part? Your pets can access the yard immediately after spreading this product. But, the downside of following an organic method is that it cannot keep the soil fed for long, nor does it eliminate existing weeds. Homeowners opt to follow up with an organic fertilizer (also pet-safe) after the application of the weed preventer. This makes for a well-rounded lawn care practice.
Considerably one of the most potent weed and feed on the market today, the BioAdvanced 3-in-1 Weed and Feed keeps your lawn fed while actively eliminating weeds (and preventing new ones from sprouting). Homeowners dealing with an excessively weedy lawn can benefit the most from this choice.
Note that keeping your pets away from the yard for 48 hours after application is crucial. You will also need to water the lawn for 30 minutes to one hour. Ensure your turfgrass is thoroughly dried to allow the granules to seep into the soil.
The next organic weed and feed safe for pets can be achieved by combining an organic pre-emergent weed control and an organic fertilizer. For this, you can choose Milorganite, an organic slow-release fertilizer that can help you achieve the green lawn of your dreams.
To ensure the best results, apply Milorganite fertilizer according to the recommended rates on the label after applying the pre-emergent weed control. Using the two products will help you benefit from a weed preventer and fertilizer without the possible hazards of synthetic ingredients and chemicals.
The Pennington brand is renowned for its pet-safe fertilizers, so it's no wonder they also offer safe weed and feed for pets. It has a 30-0-4 fertilizer ratio suitable for established lawns (more than one-year-old). Since it is formulated with chemicals, keeping your pets away from the lawn for 48 hours is the best practice once the application is completed. Water the lawn thoroughly and allow it to dry completely.
Pennington Ultragreen contains three highly effective herbicides in killing broadleaf weeds such as clover, dandelions, and henbit. It also has Dicamba, which makes it more effective in eliminating the most common lawn weeds.
Another readily available safe weed and feed for pets is the Espoma Organic Weed Preventer Plus Lawn Food, which is made from 100% corn gluten meal. Aside from being gentle to your pets, it is considered friendly to the other living organisms in your garden.
It also has 9% nitrogen content, enabling good lawn fertilization capabilities. This product can get rid of common lawn weeds, including the following: Black medic, buckhorn plantain, catchweed bedstraw, dandelion, redroot pigweed, annual bluegrass, giant foxtail, large crabgrass, quackgrass, and yellow foxtail.
Espoma recommends applying this product at least twice a year (in the spring and fall). It is best to use it on a dry lawn that's freshly mowed. If there's no rain to be expected, water your lawn lightly after application within 24 hours.
Advantages
Another weed and feed safe for pets is the Westland organic weed and feed product, preventing unwanted weed growth and feeding your lawn with highly-needed nutrients. It has a fast-acting formula with friendly bacteria that helps break down notorious moss and weed leaves.
Homeowners report visible results only within a week, thanks to the lawn seed in the fertilizer. You can expect the grass seed to germinate shortly and fill any bare patches in the lawn after application.
Advantages
What to Keep in Mind
The following recommendations should be kept in mind when choosing a pet-friendly weed and feed product for your lawn:
(1) Before being watered in, any weed and feed product containing chemical herbicides must be given one to two days to do its job. (2) Pets should not be allowed outside before commercial weed and feed have been watered into the lawn. (3) Water your lawn and let it dry after 1-2 days of applying the weed and feed mixture. (4) Your pets can play on the grass once your lawn has dried up after watering. (5) You may accomplish the same benefits by combining organic weed preventer and fertilizer solutions without having to keep your pets off the grass for 1-2 days.
Even though the weed and feed chemicals are not particularly harmful to pets, keeping an energetic dog or a curious cat off the grass for two days might be difficult. When using organic products, you may spread them around in your yard and immediately let your pets walk on the grass afterward. Compared to a chemical lawn care solution, organic fertilizer and weed control might be the clear winner.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How long do weed and feed take to work?
It typically takes four days and one month to see improvements if the product is applied during the growing season, supposing you've picked the right product depending on your grass and weed types (don't worry, our reviewed products indicate all this!). Dandelion, moss, clover, and other weed areas will turn black or brown and wither away, as you'll see. (Related: How Long Does Weed and Feed Take to Work?)
How long do weed and feed last?
Every manufacturer will have its own set of recommendations for each product. However, weed and feed products are often sprayed just once, twice, or sometimes during the growing season, for instance, roughly every two months.
When should I water the lawn after applying weed and feed?
To get a moist soil, it is often advised to water your lawn before using a weed and feed product. You may need to wait at least 24 hours after applying some treatments before watering. Some products require watering or a significant amount of rain before they become active and start to work, so always read the manufacturer's instructions to get the best results out of your weed and feed product.