Giving your garden a new makeover can be a beautiful experience but it does come with the daunting task of having to remove those unwanted pesky grasses. Although lush green grasses make your garden look beautiful but if they manage to invade the flower beds that you grew with so much perseverance, it becomes a total headache.
Before the grasses ruin flower beds to the point, they can't recover, you must make sure to get rid of them. We've listed a few ways to remove grass from your garden.
1. Manual Removal
This method is labor-intensive and time-consuming, but the more meticulous you are, the better the results. Begin with small sections and use a sturdy shovel. Once you get beneath the grass to the top of the soil, you can either remove or flip the grass. Just make sure it’s not crabgrass and doesn’t have seed heads or weed seeds.
If the grasses are scattered in small quantities and plucking out by hand seems no big deal you can go for it. But make sure you are wearing your safety equipment.
If manual labor isn't your preference and you'd rather let nature take its course, solarization is a good option. This method requires more time, as it can take around six to eight weeks, provided you get a good amount of sunlight each day.
The process involves cutting the grass very short, watering it, and covering it with a sheet of clear plastic. The hot sun's rays will kill off all the turf grasses and it'll also eliminate any weeds present.
3. Smothering
By layering materials like newspaper, cardboard, or plastic, you can block light, stopping photosynthesis and causing the plants to die eventually. Smothering keeps all the organic matter in place.
This is one of the least labor-intensive methods for removing grasses, but it is also one of the most time-consuming, often requiring the paper or plastic to stay in place for six weeks or more.
Using a sod cutter is another method for removing grass, but it requires having access to a sod cutter. Heavy-duty machines will quickly and thoroughly remove grass and weeds.
However, it can be less labor-intensive compared to digging the grass out with a shovel. After cutting, you still need to either remove the grass or flip it to use the decomposing organic matter to nourish the soil. Just make sure it's not crabgrass or full of seed heads or weed seeds.
5. Use a Tiller
Rototilling is an effective way to remove grass and loosen the soil in larger areas. Instead of peeling up the lawn to haul it away, you could break it up by tilling it in place and then work the grass back into the soil. There are human-powered hand tillers, which require a lot of physical effort.
One benefit of tilling grass is that you retain all the top organic matter that you’d otherwise need to dispose of, and you don't need to haul it anywhere!
A highly organic and sustainable way to kill grass is to cover it with a thick layer of natural mulch material. You can mulch over the grass with leaves, wood chips, compost, leaf mold, bark, pine needles, and/or paper material.
To successfully kill the grass, the mulch needs to be several inches deep, deep enough to block sunlight, provide sufficient weight, and effectively smother the grass. Fluffy materials like leaves will compact and break down over time, so start with an even thicker layer, perhaps a couple of feet.
7. Spray Vinegar
Vinegar kills grass and weeds by dehydrating the plant. However, for it to be effective, the vinegar needs to have at least 20 percent acetic acid. Common pickling vinegar is only 5-7 percent, so you'll need horticultural vinegar for the task. Put the vinegar into a spray bottle and apply it directly to the leaves and stalks of the grass.
Spraying vinegar to kill grasses requires multiple applications before the grasses are completely dead. Since it's acid, you don't want to hurt yourself! So put on a protective gear before using vinegar.
8. Define Turf Edges
Clearly defined turf edges can stop grass from spreading. Regular trimming and pushing soil back from the edge might seem like hard work, but it saves time by preventing creeping grasses and plants from encroaching on borders.
After mowing, trim the edges with well-aligned edging shear. Use the back of a hoe to push the soil away and create a gap between the edge and the border. In this way, you should have a garden free of invasion from grasses
9. Use Herbicides
One of the most effective ways to remove grass from flower beds is to use a broad-spectrum herbicide. But you should keep in mind that such herbicides will also kill any ornamental plants they come into contact with.
Apply the herbicide directly to the exposed grass plant. A wand-style sprayer is ideal as it allows you to target the grass with minimal overspray. If the grass is near ornamental plants, you can block the plants with a piece of cardboard or an overturned bucket to prevent the spray from coming in contact with plants.
10. Use Boiling Water
While dealing with the notorious grasses, boiling water can be a natural and effective way to tackle it. Bring a pot or kettle of water to boiling and carefully transfer the boiling water to a heat-resistant container like a watering can or pitcher.
Identify the areas where grasses are growing. Slowly pour the boiling water directly onto the grasses and surrounding area. Be precise to avoid splashing onto nearby plants you want to keep. Grasses can be persistent, so you may need to repeat the process several times to fully eradicate it.
11. Use Corn Gluten Meal
Tackling grasses with corn gluten meal is one effective way to keep the grasses away from your yard. It might keep some new seeds from sprouting, but those pesky ones already crashin' the lawn won't care much. Corn gluten meal is often touted as a natural pre-emergent herbicide that can help control weeds like grasses.
It works by inhibiting root formation in germinating seeds. It's typically applied before grasses start to grow, acting preventatively rather than as a treatment for existing grasses.
12. Use Flame Sweeper
Sweep the flame over the Grass aiming to wilt it without setting the plant or surrounding area on fire. The goal is to heat the plant to the point where cell walls burst, not necessarily to burn it to ash. Grasses will eventually die of extreme heat after burning them out.
But as we always say, Safety First, so, arm yourself with safety gear, a fire extinguisher, and a good sense of humor, because you're about to make your yard a no-Grasses zone, one fiery sweep at a time.
One thing that might come in handy to get rid of grasses growing in your yard is the chickens. Once you’ve chosen the location for your new garden area, fence it off and introduce some livestock, such as chickens or small pigs. Chickens are particularly effective at clearing out unwanted grass as they scratch through it in search of food.
This method may require more than just a weekend's worth of effort. You can also introduce baby goats or sheep.
14. Overseeding
Overseeding is a great method to combat grasses in your lawn. By overseeding, you encourage healthy plant growth that can outcompete grasses and fill in bare patches, thereby reducing its presence over time.
First, rake and prepare the patches of lawn where grasses is present. Remove any debris, dead grass, or weeds to create a clean seed bed. Choose a high-quality plant seed that is well-suited to your region. Spread the seeds evenly over the prepared patches. You can use a spreader for larger areas or hand-sow for smaller patches
15. Plant Natural Competitiors
Using natural competitors to control grass involves planting ground covers that are more aggressive or fast-growing than grass. These plants can outcompete and suppress the grass, making them an effective method for managing grassy areas.
Plants like vinca, clovers, and stonecrop have the potential to outgrow the grasses and eventually leading to shading grasses. Planting aggressive natural competitors can not only remove unwanted grasses but also provide more alluring and beautiful landscapes without grass invasion.
Letting grass die from drought involves stopping irrigation to allow natural water shortages to kill the grass. Grass requires regular watering to stay healthy, so when you stop watering it, the grass gradually becomes stressed, dehydrates, and eventually dies.
This method works best in climates with natural seasonal droughts or during dry periods when rainfall is scarce. The process begins with the grass turning brown and wilting as it runs out of moisture. Over time, the lack of water leads to the complete death of the grass, leaving behind bare soil.
17. Raise Garden Beds
Building a raised garden beds over a grass area is an effective way to both manage unwanted grass and create a productive gardening space. To implement this method, you can start by constructing elevated frames by using materials like wood, metal, or stone, and then position these frames directly on top of the grass.
There's no need to remove the grass beneath but instead, the weight of the bed and the soil within will eventually suppress and kill the grass over time.
18. Frequent Mowing
Frequent mowing to weaken grass involves cutting it extremely short regularly to stress and eventually kill it. Grass generally thrives when maintained at a certain height, but cutting it very short repeatedly disrupts its growth cycle. The process begins by setting your lawn mower to a lower setting and mowing the grass as short as possible.
Over time, the repeated stress and lack of adequate leaf surface cause the grass to thin out, turn brown, and eventually die.
Replacing grass with gravel or decorative stones is a practical landscaping solution that eliminates the need for lawn maintenance. To implement this method, you first need to prepare the area by removing existing grass, weeds, and debris.
This can be done by manually digging up the grass, using herbicides, or covering it with a layer of plastic or cardboard to smother it. Putting on gravel leaves no room for the grasses to grow eventually leading to lesser and lesser grasses in the yard.
20. Practice Vigilance
Practicing observation in your lawn maintenance routine is key to controlling the growth of grasses and maintaining a healthy outdoor environment. Walk around your lawn regularly to inspect for signs of growth. Check spots where grasses are more likely to appear. As soon as you spot them, remove them promptly.
If you are able to detect the presence of grasses early on, you can take measures early that will prevent your plants or flower beds from being invaded by the notorious grasses.
Post Removal Maintainance
While all the above methods are effective for removing grass, it’s important to remember that weeds are persistent and some may still appear after the initial removal. Therefore, diligent weeding in the first few months is essential.
Additionally, preparing the soil for future plantings is a great step, and giving your soil a good drink of compost tea can help revitalize its microbial life.
What should you do after clearing out the grass?
With the grass removal completed, or even if it's still ongoing, now is the exciting time to start turning your low-water oasis into a plant-filled reality.
It’s important to design the new garden to specifically outcompete the weeds and turf that may try to return. Focus on using plants with aggressive rhizomes or ground covers and plant them densely.
Benefits of Removing grass
1. Free Time
You'll get back a ton of time and energy when you stop having to mow, trim, and water your yard. In the height of summer, you'll save at least a few hours per week! This comes as a first benefit of removing grass completely from your yard.
2. Water Conservation
Grasses need a huge amount of water to stay alive. So getting rid of grasses and instead planting drought-resistant plants like cactus conserves the water one way or another.
3. Reduced Chemical Use
When you have unwanted grasses in your yards it's human nature to want to get rid of them. In the process, we often choose the fast track and that is using herbicides. So completely getting rid of grasses also discourages the chemical use. Reduced chemical use not only promotes healthy biodiversity but also helps you to save some extra bucks.
Grasses are technically ecological desserts. Replacing grass with native plants, flowers, or shrubs can attract pollinators and other wildlife, increasing the biodiversity in your garden.
5. Reduced Allergies
Certain people have allergies to grass pollens. If you are one of those people then getting rid of grass can certainly help you overcome your allergies.
6. Improved Soil Health
Some alternatives to grass, like ground covers or wildflowers, can improve soil health by adding organic matter and supporting beneficial microbes.
