# Weed and Feed



## panamon (Feb 27, 2012)

About a month ago, I used Weed and Feed on my backyard lawn. My mom told me today that she can no longer care for her 70+ year old California Desert Tortoise. I want to take him in BUT I want to know how the dangers of the Weed and Feed I put on my lawn. I called the manufacturer (Vigoro) and they said it's safe once the 'pellets' have soaked into the ground. I told them that I fear the poison would have been absorbed by the grass and the turtle will no doubt try to eat it, and they didn't have a good response to that. They just kept telling me it's safe after it soaks into the ground.

Anyone have any thoughts on this? I WILL NOT take the tortoise in until I am certain my backyard lawn will not harm him.


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## dmmj (Feb 27, 2012)

You know that is a tough one, they probably mean safe for contact with the grass, not with eating it.


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## Tom (Feb 27, 2012)

Tough call. I don't know the answer either. I would guess that it depends on many variables.


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## wellington (Feb 27, 2012)

I have no experience personally with this. However, I person in Illinois has Sulcata's. She has said she treats her lawn in the fall and by the next summer she feels it is safe and her torts graze. Not sure though what she treats it with. You could possible get a more honest answer from a garden center. They have no stake in the product as it isn't theirs. They have no reason to lie. Good luck


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## ascott (Feb 27, 2012)

I would first find the weed and feed product container and read the label to find out how long the product claims to keep the weeds away...there are some poisons that will wash away from the application site with several water exposures and then there are some that are designed to work for a year....so you need to first determine what type the one you used shows....

Now, I am going to remind of a few things about the combo fertilizer/herbicide mixes...they can be a horrific product to our environment...there are tests done that show that in households where folks live that have used these types of chemicals have higher traces for longer periods of time WITHIN the home than that remains in the application area...the poison traces are found in carpet and furniture and can transfer to children and pets--so remember what you are potentially exposing your household to (as well as surrounding wash away areas) when you decide to use a poison chemical for weed control....remember, you have two hands and they work wonderfully for weed control...yes, very labor intensive--but eventually a much better form of weed control...

http://www.organiclawncare101.com/weed-feed.html
http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/health/ehcsg/weed_feed.html

I personally would not allow free grazing on the grass for a year....now, that does not mean you can not take the tortoise it just means you will have to provide a location safe from the poison and knowing that it will not be a permanent situation but rather a safety measure....this is just my opinion 

Also...water your lawn regularly and keep it cut on a regular basis...this will aid in the ridding process.... 

And when the time comes....you will actually have a full time weed eater going in your yard and you will not have need for such poisons...lol


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## Yvonne G (Feb 28, 2012)

Hi panamon:

Welcome to the Tortoise Forum!!

What would you like us to call you?

And may we know where in the world (appx.) you are?

I use a granule fertilizer in my horse pasture. Once its watered into the dirt and the granules have disappeared, I put the horse back out there. I've been fertilizing in this manner for over 20 years. One of my horses died of old age a couple years ago at 27 and the other is still alive.

In my opinion, you should temporarily section off a small area for the tortoise. Maybe you have an area where there's not too much grass, or maybe where you didn't treat the grass. Water it well. One thing to think about is that the sun dissipates the product too. So watering and sunshine should make it ok for your tortoise. During this temporary time, you can feed the tortoise dark, leafy greens. Maybe he won't eat so much grass if you feed him. After this year, your yard should be safe for the tortosie. So when he comes up from hibernation next year, you can give him the whole yard.


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## panamon (Feb 29, 2012)

Thanks for the welcome and the suggestions.

I looked up the active ingredients of the weed and feed.

I read through several PDFs from sources ranging from the EPA to University studies.

2, 4-D, 2-ethylhexyl ester - Lasts about 10 days in soil and less with water.
Mecoprop-p - Has about an 8 day half-life when exposed to sun and water.
Dicamba - UGH. 6 week half-life.

At that rate, it'll probably be safe to take him in sometime in July/August. That'll be somewhere around <5% of original potency for Dicamba and the other 2 should be long long long gone.

BTW - emysemys. I'm in Los Angeles, CA.


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## ALDABRAMAN (Feb 29, 2012)

Welcome!

I would not take a chance. Give it some time, several cuttings.


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## ascott (Feb 29, 2012)

> I would not take a chance. Give it some time, several cuttings.





> In my opinion, you should temporarily section off a small area for the tortoise. Maybe you have an area where there's not too much grass, or maybe where you didn't treat the grass. Water it well. One thing to think about is that the sun dissipates the product too. So watering and sunshine should make it ok for your tortoise. During this temporary time, you can feed the tortoise dark, leafy greens. Maybe he won't eat so much grass if you feed him. After this year, your yard should be safe for the tortosie. So when he comes up from hibernation next year, you can give him the whole yard.



I totally agree with both Greg and Yvonne....I would not allow free grazing for this season...that is just my opinion though...


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