When it’s about taking care of your lawn, there are a lot of choices you can go with. Various fertilizers and programs will help you in getting your lawn in shape.
Among many of them, Scotts 4 step vs. turf builder is two rivaling choices out there.
Now, which one you should go for depends on what you prefer. That’s why I will take you through a comparison of these lawn care products to help you choose one.
Let’s get going.
Differences Between Scotts Turf Builder And 4 Step
First of all, they both have their benefits and similarities. The common concept of using these lawn care plans is to keep your lawn in its best shape.
However, in practical usage, they both are quite different from each other.
So, let’s check out what the differences are between these two lawn care programs.
- Usability
The Scotts 4 step program is a lawn care plan that goes on for a year and gives a complete solution to care for your lawn. The plan comes as a whole with four steps to successfully grow a perfect lawn.
Simply following each step will give you a greener and healthier lawn without any questions. The main purpose of following this program is to prevent any crabgrass germination and to give weed protection.
On the other hand, you have the Scotts turf builder, which boasts in making your lawn thicker and greener. It greens out your lawn evenly, so the lawn looks consistent throughout the area.
It can also help in crowding out fresher weeds and give your lawn the strength it needs.
The turf builder can also help in protecting against any issues in the future. And you can use one of the variants of turf builder for any season without worrying too much.
- Cost
There is a noticeable cost difference between these two programs. The 4-step program is much more expensive than opting for a turf builder.
There are several reasons for that.
The first one is that it comes as four different feeds in a single program. So, you will have to buy four different types of feeds to complete the program.
Also, the fact that they cost quite a bit adds up to the expense even more.
On the other hand, you have the turf builder for all seasons that you can get in single packages. It’s also much more affordable than the step 4 program feeds so that you can save up on some bucks.
Now, the cost will also vary depending on the size of your lawn. Both the lawn care programs typically come with a 5000sq feet size in each pack.
So, if you have a more extensive lawn, you may have to opt for multiple packs or larger pack sizes. This will also affect the cost.
There aren’t many differences you can see in these lawn care programs, aside from these. You can opt for whichever you want, but most people consider the 4-step plan not worth it.
However, you can have different results in your case, so let’s check out when to use these plans for the best results.
- Types of food
Both these lawn care programs come with different types of feed that have their significant purposes.
Scotts 4 Step
In the 4-step program, you get a complete solution for your lawn care. It comes with four different types of food that you have to feed in 4 different seasons.
The first one in the program helps prevent any crabgrass growth on your lawn. Using this one at the right time will destroy all the crabgrass while they are still weak.
It gets them out from the root, so you won’t have to worry about future growth either.
The second feed in the program targets weed control in your lawn. The working procedure is pretty similar to the first feed. This one stops the weed growth, so your lawn doesn’t get germinated at all.
The next feed or the 3rd step is all about getting nutrients to your lawn. It contains the necessary ingredients to make sure your lawn is getting the proper nutrients in rough conditions.
Missing out on this one will impact the growth and look of your lawn severely.
Lastly, you have the 4th feed, which is used for creating a solid and thick lawn. This is the final step to the program, which leaves you with a healthy and strong lawn that you have worked hard to get.
When to apply Scotts 4 Step?
It’s very important to use these lawn care programs at the right time. Otherwise, you will get no results from these whatsoever. Instead, you may even damage your lawn in some way.
The good thing about the four steps is it comes with proper season-based usage, so you don’t have to guess when to use it.
You start with using step 1, which is the crabgrass prevention feed.
You have to use it in the early sprint as this is the perfect time to get rid of crabgrass even before they can grow strong. Then, you have to apply step 2 or weed prevention feed in late spring.
After that, step 3 of the process goes in the summer season to provide the necessary nutrients in your lawn. As summer will have heat and dryness, you will need to provide some extra nutrients.
Lastly, you can end with step 4 by applying the lawn strengthening feed in the fall.
Scotts Turf Builder
Unlike the 4-step program, where you don’t typically deal with different feed types. While you can opt for seasonal feed, there is also an option for all-season feed.
This can potentially unlock your best lawn without causing any issue whatsoever.
Here, you can have a single type of feed that does the job for you quite well. With this feed, you should end up with a thick and strong lawn with a greener look to satisfy your eyes.
When To Use Scotts Turf Builder?
In general, you can put down Scott’s turf builder any time of the year if you get the all-season feed. However, to get the best results, you should apply it when your lawn is at its peak of growth.
You can typically use this one in spring and fall. It’s better to avoid this one in summer because it comes with higher Nitrogen levels which can be harmful to the heat in summer.
However, if you live in a milder climate, you can use it in spring and maybe in late summer.
Conclusion
In short, Scotts 4 Step vs. Turf builder do pretty much the same thing except, 4 step seems to be a complete solution.
However, there is a lot of debate going on with its worth in making your lawn better. Also, if you are thinking about the cost, then turf builder might be a better pick for you.
Overall, I would say going with turf builder is a better option.
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Can you explain more about this comment?
“On the other hand, you have the turf builder for all seasons that you can get in single packages.”
It seems Turf Builder has different ingredients in each step from what I can see.