Why You Should n’t Use Weed and Feed
As a gardening and landscape gardening expert , I strongly rede against the enjoyment of gage and feed products . While they may seem like a convenient solution for keeping your lawn weed - free and healthy , the long - term consequences far outweigh any poor - term welfare . Let me excuse why .
1 . commotion of Microbial Balances and Nutrient Processing
One of the independent issues with weed and provender intersection is the accumulation of herbicides in the soil . These chemical not only toss off the targeted weeds but also have detrimental effects on the stain ’s microbic aliveness . filth microorganism dally a of the essence role in maintaining a hefty ecosystem , breaking down organic matter , cycling nutrients , and promote plant growth . The use of herbicides disrupts this soft balance , lead to a decline in microbic variety and activity .
Without a thriving microbial community of interests , nutrient processing in the soil is compromise . This think of that all important nutrients , such as N , daystar , and potassium , may not be efficiently absorbed by plant . As a upshot , your lawn may become dependent on synthetic fertilizers to compensate for the loss of natural nutrient cycling . This create a vicious hertz of chemical dependency , ultimately harming the farsighted - condition health of your lawn .
2 . Herbicide Resistance in sens
Another significant concern associated with the use of weed and feed products is the development of weedkiller resistance in weed . Over clock time , repeated exposure to the same herbicide can lead to the selection of tolerant weed population . These resistant skunk can survive and multiply despite the software of herbicide , rendering the merchandise ineffectual . This not only overcome the purpose of using weed and provender but also makes it even more challenging to master dope in the future .
3 . Harm to Beneficial Insects and Landscape Plants
mourning band and feed products are not selective in their activeness . While they target grass , they can also harm good insects , such as bees , butterflies , and other pollinators . These insects play a crucial function in the reproduction of many plant metal money , including ornamental plants in your landscape . By using sens and feed , you inadvertently put these significant pollinators at peril , contributing to the decline of their populations .
Additionally , weed and provender products may also harm suitable landscape painting plants . The chemicals can drift or percolate into the stain , causing damage to neighboring plants , shrubs , and trees . This can lead in stunted growth , leaf stain , and even death , negatively impacting the overall esthetic and wellness of your landscape .
4 . Polluted Runoff
When sens and provender products are applied to your lawn , there is a endangerment of runoff during rainfall or irrigation . This overspill can carry the herbicides and semisynthetic fertilizers into nearby weewee body , such as flow , rivers , or lake . The accruement of these chemicals in water can have harmful burden on aquatic ecosystem , disrupting the balance of aquatic lifetime and potentially contaminating drinking water supply sources .
To summarize , the tenacious - full term use of weed and feed product has several negative consequences . It disrupts microbial balances and alimental processing in the soil , put up to the development of herbicide - resistant weeds , harm beneficial insect and landscape painting plants , and leads to polluted runoff . Instead of rely on such products , it is better to adopt more sustainable and environmentally - friendly practice , such as unconstipated mowing , proper watering , manual sess removal , and organic soil amendments . By doing so , you could asseverate a healthy lawn while belittle the negative impact on the environment .
Caroline Bates
