To avoid patchy and full of grass flower beds and have an attractive garden, the rule of thumb is knowing how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds.
There are different ways to remove perennial weeds from your entire lawn. To know what kills weeds permanently, first, you need to know what type of weeds you are dealing with and choose a suitable method.
How To Identify Types Of Weeds
Broadleaf Weed
Just like the name suggests, this type of weed has large and flat leaves. You can notice it quickly due to its appearance.
You will mostly come across some in this category like dandelion, clover, chickweed, ground ivy, etc.
Grass-like Weed
This weed is the most commonly misunderstood type since it has the same appearance as typical grasses. However, it usually has more hollow leaves in a tube or triangular shape.
The most common examples of this type are wild onion, wild garlic, and nutsedge.
Grassy Weed
You may confuse this type with regular grass due to its name. That is understandable because it only grows one leaf at a time. This type of weed includes foxtails, annual bluegrass, crabgrass, and quackgrass.
Some expert gardeners even divided weeds into 3 types based on their life cycle: annual, biennial, and perennial.
- Annual weeds: Only produces seeds for 1 season.
- Biennial weeds: Produces seeds in 2 consecutive seasons.
- Perennial weeds: Produces seeds over a long period.
Learn how to get rid of weeds on an ugly lawn.
How To Get Rid Of A Lawn Full Of Weeds Naturally
Pull Weeds Out By Hand
If you don’t know how to get rid of weeds on the lawn, you can always use the old-fashioned way to get rid of them: pulling them out by hand.
Even if you already use other solutions with your lawn, you still need to pull out visible weeds by hand, sometimes manually.
Some common lawn weeds may sprout from any roots left in the ground; therefore, it’s essential to remove the root altogether.
To avoid accidentally distributing seeds elsewhere, you need to wear a particular pair of gardening gloves for the job.
Use A Core Aerator
If you don’t know how to get rid of weeds without killing grass, aerate your lawn.
Compacted soil is the greatest enemy of a healthy lawn. It will make your plants hard to get enough air, water, and nutrients through their roots.
It will also be an ideal environment for common weeds to grow. A core aerator will create thin holes across the ground surface to allow air circulation and help water to move more freely.
Cover Weeds With Mulch
Covering your planting areas with an extra layer of mulch can prevent new seeds from developing, as well as hold moisture to enhance your soil.
For weed seeds that are already underground, this layer will also keep the sunlight from reaching them. It will stop these seeds from sprouting into new weeds.
Cover Weeds With Newspaper
If you don’t have mulch available in your garden, you can use newspapers as an alternative.
By covering the planting areas with a thick layer of newspaper, you can block the sunlight from reaching the weed seeds underground and stop them from sprouting.
Before laying your newspaper down, you need to wet the soil thoroughly first. It is also a great way to recycle and attract earthworms to come into your garden.
Use White Vinegar
Most gardeners are aware that strong vinegar is one of the organic herbicides. You can either use white vinegar on its own or mix it with salt and dish soap for a better result.
The method is straightforward. All you have to do is fill a bottle with vinegar mixture and spray directly on the weeds you want to kill.
Since vinegar can be activated by heat and sunlight, you should do this on a sunny day. It will also ensure that the rain doesn’t wash the mixture away before it does the trick.
Pour Boiling Water
Pouring boiling water is the simplest way to scald those nasty weeds. To combat those unwanted weeds, boil a kettle of water and pour it over them.
However, for deep-rooted weeds, you might need to repeat the procedure several times to stop them from coming back. Make sure to wear long pants and proper footwear to avoid burning yourself.
Use Cornmeal
Did you know that corn gluten meal can stop seeds from reproducing? If you sprinkle cornmeal into your garden, it can prevent weed seeds from sprouting into plants.
These natural weed killers won’t harm your animal and can be found in most local groceries.
Burn Weeds With Flame
Burning weeds with flame is another natural way to kill weeds using heat. Passing a flame over weeds for a short period can kill the cells within them.
You don’t necessarily have to roast the weeds. Just by wilting them can quickly kill them.
However, this method can only work with the weeds above the soil surface, not deep roots. You will have to flame your weeds several times to ensure that they are entirely gone.
This is not the best way to kill weeds in dry weather due to fire risks. Always wear protective clothing and follow the instructions for safety purposes.
Use Sunlight
The sunlight or solarize method means covering the weed areas with plastic sheets and letting the sun do the rest. The heat from the direct sunlight will toast the garden weeds.
This process can take up to 4 to 6 weeks. When you see the weeds underneath become brown and withered, you’ll know that your issue is resolved.
How To Get Rid Of A Lawn Full Of Weeds Chemically
Use Pre-emergent Herbicides Or Post-emergent Herbicides
Pre-emergent herbicides and post-emergent herbicides are the perfect options if you want to kill weeds in your lawn without harming your grass.
Just like their names, you need to apply a pre-emergent weed killer before the weeds start appearing in your garden. On the other hand, post-emergent herbicides will tackle established weeds.
The best time to use herbicides is early spring or late fall. Around this time, the soil temperature is optimal for the task.
For large weeds areas, you will need to proceed with annual applications.
Use Weed And Feed Fertilizer
Weed and feed is another term of lawn chemicals that can kill weeds. This product will fertilize your soil and control existing weeds at the same time.
When you spread weed and feed on the ground, the weeds absorb the liquid and die slowly. In contrast to other chemical weed killers, weed and feed fertilizer won’t harm your plant or grass seed – unless you use too much.
The Most Useful Tips For Weed Control
Do Not Dig The Sleeping Weeds
It’s important to know that every square inch in your garden contains weed seeds. So digging the soil can bring them to the surface and increase weed growth.
Instead of digging into the soil, you can use a sharp knife to slice through the weed roots and break their feed source.
Since weed seeds can be dormant for a long time, minimizing soil disruption and limiting digging is better.
Water Your Plants Only, Not The Weeds
Some perennial weeds sprout rapidly in moist areas. That’s why you have to water only the plants that need it.
By depriving weeds of water, you can turn the drought to your advantage. You can use soaker hoses to avoid the growth of weeds in unplanted areas.
Chop Off Weed Heads If Possible
The quickest is to chop off their heads if you don’t know how to kill weeds in the lawn. By cutting off their heads, you can limit reseeding and restrict their spread.
Hoe Down Your Weeds
When invasive weeds have taken hold in your garden, nothing can compete with a garden hose with a long handle in eliminating them.
You can remove heavy weeds with a garden hoe and create a new layer of dust mulch instead. The best time to do this is early in the morning, especially when the soil is dry.
Pull Weeds At The Right Time
If you need to hoe weeds when the soil is dry, then the right time to pull out weeds is when they are soaked. If the soil is wet, you will also be able to get the entire root out completely.
Final Thought
Not knowing what kills weeds but not plants can be a major headache for any gardener. After reading this article, we hope you the quickest is to chop off their heads know how to get rid of a lawn full of weeds.
Since weeds can be excruciatingly stubborn sometimes, you want to consider a suitable method for a specific situation. Above all, knowing how to identify weed types and choose selective herbicides can create desirable garden beds.
