There are many ways to destroy weeds in the lawn. We have summarized mechanical, chemical and biological methods for you.
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Probably the most annoying thing to struggle with the hobby gardener at home: weeds in the lawn. So that your grasses are no longer messed up by this, we have some information and tips that will surely help you.
That is why weeds appear so often in the lawn
The reason for weeds mostly has to do with a lack of nutrients. Because compared to most weeds, the grasses have a higher need for nutrients – as a result, the stalks thin out more and more, holey spots form in the lawn and the weeds have more space to spread. This is because they are more robust and can adapt better to the low nutrients in the soil – when the lawn is weakened, they strike immediately.
Often a cheap seed is to blame for the misery. Therefore, always look for a high-quality lawn seed, as these do not become so weeded up so quickly. When choosing, it shouldn’t be important how quickly the lawn grows, but how densely the turf grows.
These weeds dominate the lawn
There are different types of weeds – there are annuals, perennials and lawn moss as summarized by the online garden journal. Here are the most common:
Annual weed
Chickweed
Middle plantain
Millet / chicken millet
White clover
Honorary award
daisy
White goose foot
Perennial weed
dandelion
Sour clover
Horn clover
Little dock
little Braunelle
Ragwort
Lawn moss
Hornmoose
Liverworts
Peat moss
Moss
Scarifying and mowing the lawn: How to mechanically destroy weeds
Regardless of whether plantain, white clover or moss: all weeds are small in a mechanical way: on the one hand by scarifying, on the other hand by mowing.
The scarifier is specially designed to clear the grass of unpleasant weeds and lawn felt at the beginning of the lawn season. To do this, first mow the lawn to a height of around two centimeters and then scarify it lengthways and crossways in a checkered pattern. The removed weeds are then removed by hand or rake and disposed of. After a week or two, the lawn is fertilized and watered regularly.
Since scarifying is usually due in March or April, but weeds can appear at any time, simple lawn mowing is also a good way to keep uninvited guests in check. You should be able to access the device at least once a week and never shorten the grass to less than four centimeters. If the weed is barely visible, it is shaded by the blades of grass – and sunlight in particular helps them to thrive. If the crops no longer feel sunlight in the long term, the terrible weeds quickly end.
How to control weeds with chemical agents
There is a large selection of weed killers that you can purchase at the hardware store. These contain so-called growth substances, which trigger uncontrolled growth in all dicotyledonous plants – including weeds – and ultimately ensure that they die. Lawn grasses, on the other hand, are monocotyledonous plants, which is why they remain untouched by weed killers.
There are also combination products that both destroy weeds and fertilize the lawn. How to kill two birds with one stone: the weeds die and at the same time the grasses are strengthened and start to sprout.
As soon as you have selected the right agent for you, you can start: Choose a frost-free day and spread the weed killer evenly on the lawn. A spreader can be helpful here. The lawn should have been slightly watered beforehand. In addition, you should have started fertilizing your lawn at least two weeks beforehand so that it can then grow quickly.
Warning: Before using a weed killer, check whether the product could be harmful to small children or animals such as dogs and cats. Some remedies are harmless, while others should only be walked on safely after a while. Find out about it first!
Destroy weeds in the lawn: These home remedies help further
On the other hand, you are on the safe side with natural and biological methods of weed control. For example, dandelions can be fought excellently by sprinkling charcoal ash on them. Thistles, however, do not tolerate water – so you should cut off the stem as soon as rain is announced. The plants then slowly rot.
A tip that has an effect on all weeds is boiling water: Simply put this on the unpleasant plants – but in the best case do not hit the lawn. Then pull the dead remains from the ground and pour it.
This trick kills weeds in the lawn
You have probably already heard of this: since weeds are very dependent on good light supply, you can simply remove them by placing a black film on them. Select the places in the lawn where the plague is greatest and place the tarpaulin on it. Then attach them with stones or other heavy objects.
After two to three months, the weeds should have died – after all, without the sun, there is no photosynthesis and, accordingly, no growth. The grass itself, on the other hand, recovers relatively quickly if you fertilize and care for it appropriately afterwards. It is also a good idea to sow some lawn at this point.
Fertilization helps against weeds
As mentioned above, a lack of nutrients is mostly to blame for the spread of weeds. So the best method is to easily fix this deficiency with fertilizers. So your lawn also has more power to fight the robust weeds.
It is best to combine fertilizing with scarifying in spring and autumn of a year. The following sequence is recommended: First mow the lawn, then scarify and then fertilize. Because of the previous processing, the fertilizer can penetrate the soil better and support the lawn roots.
Destroy weeds: You can use liming to fight moss
The appearance of moss in the lawn is usually related to an acidic soil. This is the case when the pH is below 7. To confirm this suspicion, you can take a soil sample and send it to a laboratory. If the presumption turns out to be true, the lawn needs liming. How much lime you need per square meter depends on the nature of the soil:
Light or sandy soils need 150 to 200 grams of lime per 100 m²
Medium-heavy, sandy to loamy soils need 300 to 400 grams of lime per square meter
Heavy, loamy or clayey soils need 400 grams of lime per square meter
When is the best time to kill weeds?
When is the best time for weed killing mostly depends on the method. Scarifying, as mentioned, is best in March and April and in autumn, as well as fertilizing, while you can still use the lawnmower to control weeds in summer.
With weed killers, on the other hand, you have to pay attention to optimal conditions such as a warm, moist floor and frost-free days. When fighting home remedies, you are least dependent on the season.
