Best Weed and Feed for Warm Season Grasses
Warm-season grass lawns require weed and feed products formulated and labeled for their specific turf type. Many of the most widely marketed weed and feed products, including some of the highest-profile national brands, are not safe for Bermuda, Zoysia, St. Augustine, or Centipede grass. Applying the wrong product to a warm-season lawn can cause significant turf injury, including yellowing, growth suppression, and in severe cases, permanent damage to sensitive varieties.
This guide covers safe and effective options for each major warm-season grass type, along with the timing and application guidance specific to warm-season turf.
Why Warm-Season Grasses Have Different Requirements
Warm-season grasses have different herbicide sensitivity profiles than cool-season grasses. The primary concern is with dicamba, which at higher concentrations can cause leaf and stem abnormalities in Bermuda and Zoysia, and which is toxic to St. Augustine grass even at low application rates. Products formulated primarily for cool-season grasses often contain dicamba levels that are safe for Kentucky bluegrass but too high for warm-season turf.
A second factor is timing. Warm-season grasses enter a growth phase later in spring than cool-season turf, reaching peak metabolic activity in late spring through summer rather than in early to mid-spring. Weed and feed applications should be timed to this growth window to ensure the fertilizer component is used effectively and heat-stress risk is managed.
Bermuda Grass: Product Selection and Timing
Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) is the most widely grown warm-season turf in the southern US and transition zone. It is also one of the more tolerant warm-season grasses when it comes to herbicide exposure, which gives homeowners a wider range of compatible products compared to St. Augustine or Centipede.
Recommended products for Bermuda grass:
Spectracide Weed and Feed for Southern Grasses (20-0-0): Labeled for Bermuda grass and provides strong nitrogen loading (20%) alongside 2,4-D, mecoprop, and dicamba for broadleaf weed control. The 20-0-0 NPK ratio is appropriate for the nitrogen demand of actively growing Bermuda turf. Apply once the lawn is fully out of dormancy and daytime temperatures are consistently above 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
Hi-Yield Lawn Fertilizer with Atrazine: Atrazine-based products are specifically labeled for Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass and provide both pre-emergent and post-emergent activity on a range of weeds. Atrazine is effective against certain broadleaf weeds and some annual grasses, making it a useful tool where multiple weed types coexist.
Application timing for Bermuda: Apply in late spring to early summer when the turf is actively growing. Avoid applying when temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit or during drought stress. Do not apply in fall when the lawn is approaching dormancy.
Zoysia Grass: Product Selection and Timing
Zoysia grass (Zoysia spp.) is more sensitive to herbicide injury than Bermuda grass, particularly to products containing high dicamba concentrations. Look for products that list Zoysia on the label specifically rather than assuming a Bermuda-labeled product is safe for Zoysia.
Recommended products for Zoysia:
Scotts Turf Builder Southern Weed and Feed 2: Specifically labeled for Zoysia and Bermuda grass. Uses a lower dicamba concentration than northern-formula products and delivers 29-0-5 NPK with 2,4-D, mecoprop-p, and dicamba at rates calibrated for warm-season turf safety.
Pendulum 2G (pre-emergent): For homeowners focused specifically on crabgrass prevention in a Zoysia lawn, pendimethalin-based pre-emergent products in granular form are compatible with Zoysia and do not carry the broadleaf herbicide sensitivity concerns of combination products. Follow with a separate fertilizer application.
Application timing for Zoysia: Zoysia is slower to break dormancy than Bermuda, and applications before full green-up carry higher injury risk. Wait until the turf is at least 80 to 90 percent green and actively growing. For most of the southern US, this means mid-spring to early summer.
St. Augustine Grass: Limited Options and High Sensitivity
St. Augustine grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) is the most herbicide-sensitive of the major warm-season grasses. Products containing 2,4-D, which is the primary active ingredient in most consumer weed and feed products, are not safe for St. Augustine. Dicamba-containing products are also excluded. This significantly limits the available options for combination weed and feed.
Recommended products for St. Augustine:
Hi-Yield Lawn Fertilizer with Atrazine: Atrazine is the primary herbicide labeled for use on St. Augustine grass and provides broadleaf weed and annual grass control without the 2,4-D or dicamba that injure St. Augustine. Read the label carefully as atrazine has specific re-entry, runoff, and geographic restriction requirements in some states.
Scotts Bonus S Weed and Feed for Southern Grasses: This product is specifically formulated for St. Augustine grass and uses Atrazine as the active herbicide. It is one of the few widely available consumer products explicitly labeled for St. Augustine, and it is a reliable option for homeowners looking for a single-application solution.
Application timing for St. Augustine: Apply in late spring when the turf is actively growing and temperatures are consistent. Never apply during or ahead of a cold front, as St. Augustine is sensitive to temperature drops following herbicide treatment. Avoid application during summer drought stress.
Important note: Do not apply any weed and feed product to newly sodded or newly seeded St. Augustine grass within the first year. Wait until the turf is fully established.
Centipede Grass: Use Atrazine Only
Centipede grass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is highly sensitive to most synthetic herbicides and requires the most conservative approach of any common warm-season grass. Only atrazine-based products and those specifically labeled for Centipede grass should be used.
Recommended approach for Centipede:
Atrazine-based fertilizer products: Look for granular products that explicitly list Centipede grass on the label alongside atrazine as the active ingredient. Apply at the conservative end of the label rate range.
Organic alternative: Corn gluten meal is a safe pre-emergent option for Centipede lawns because it carries no risk of herbicide injury to sensitive turf. It is not as effective as synthetic options in the short term but is appropriate for homeowners who want to avoid herbicide risk on a sensitive lawn.
Application timing for Centipede: Centipede is slow-growing and typically requires less nitrogen than other warm-season grasses. Avoid high-nitrogen weed and feed products, as Centipede is prone to nitrogen burn and thatch buildup under excessive fertilization. Apply in late spring at low rates and do not exceed one application per season.
General Application Guidance for Warm-Season Lawns
Regardless of grass type, the following rules apply to weed and feed applications on warm-season turf:
- Do not apply when temperatures exceed 90 degrees Fahrenheit
- Do not apply to lawns under drought stress, irrigate to adequate moisture levels before treating
- Do not apply in fall as warm-season grasses approach dormancy
- Do not overseed warm-season lawns before applying, wait until any new seeding is fully established
- Follow the labeled re-entry interval before allowing pets and children back on the lawn
For a full step-by-step application method including mowing timing and post-application watering rules, see how to apply weed and feed: mowing and watering rules.
For a counterpart guide covering cool-season lawns, see best weed and feed for cool season grasses.