I have a 200 yd.² area presently covered in dandelions and crabgrass that I would like to landscape. Thousands of weeds cover this area in my backyard. What weed removal process would you recommend?
Serious question. Which side of that border is supposed to be the lawn?
Buffett_Goes_OTM
A torch won’t burn green grass like that effectively.
werther595
Vinegar and dawn. No need to torch or use anything overly chemical just to kill off everything. You might even be able to solarize it with a few dark tarps
Dad_Is_Mad
As much as this sub hates to admit it, Glyphosate (Roundup) is your best, cheapest, easiest, and most effective route. Anything else is just back breaking labor.
BidensHairyLegs69
Maybe lay a cardboard over it all, won’t be the quickest or prettiest solution but an alternative
FloRidinLawn
Where you live may depend on process.
Warm season. Nuke it now and lay sod. It would likely root by winter.
Cool season. Depends where, you might be behind the ball for prep process and seeding. I can’t speak to this detail as easily
Lonely-Spirit2146
Herbicide, dead is dead
SolidHopeful
I’m always a believer in controlled burns.
Rake up the ashes.
Break up the top soil.
Even remove some of the top layer
Install a nice 1/2″ – 1″ layer on new top soil.
A nice mix of blue grass, rye, white clover.
SlanderousE
Blowtorch!
decrementsf
Tarps or carbboard provides another option.
My experience with gravel driveways is that a blowtorch will kill vegetation. Often not down to the root. And it continues to germinate and grow back in the future. In practice use ground clear, then come back a few days later and burn the dried out parts grown through the gravel. This is never ending work. *Better* is to hit the gravel with some form of pre-emergent which allows for less maintenance. Personally avoid salts because as a long term system eventually I expect salts to migrate.
Applying gravel observations to your case, I predict the torch to immediately singe without necessarily killing roots. Get regrowth fairly quick and have to do it again repeatedly. Just throwing the lazy tarp or cardboard down may be more effective. Intuitively dislike herbicide near the trees.
SpringTucky101
Trim as low as possible. Cover tightly with a heavy duty landscape fabric. Preferably two layers. Lay cardboard down. Later with compost and soil. Heavy. Place landscape rocks and plants and ground cover seeds. Mulch heavy. Water and enjoy. Starting is the hardest part.
PMMEWHAT_UR_PROUD_OF
You need to consider the long process and not a few hour fix.
1st – get a push reel mower. No gas, easy to push, and they cut consistently. Keep the grass mowed really short. This will prevent weeds from going to seed.
2nd, cover a spot that you want to landscape with cardboard, don’t use plastic as plastic heats up and lays micro plastics into the soil.
3rd – prepare your landscaping project. Get all the things you need.
4th – remove the cardboard and implement the project.
Do pieces at a time. Otherwise you will make your weed issue worse.
Entire-Raccoon-1092
Blowtorch would be entertaining for us
BldrSun
Just got done with 4 weeks solarizing 900 sq ft with clear 6mil plastic. Worked great. A few spots that don’t get much sun, hit em with roundup. Clear because it gets hotter and completes the kill.
If the area gets regular sun and you’re patient solarize, otherwise roundup.
14 Comments
Serious question. Which side of that border is supposed to be the lawn?
A torch won’t burn green grass like that effectively.
Vinegar and dawn. No need to torch or use anything overly chemical just to kill off everything. You might even be able to solarize it with a few dark tarps
As much as this sub hates to admit it, Glyphosate (Roundup) is your best, cheapest, easiest, and most effective route. Anything else is just back breaking labor.
Maybe lay a cardboard over it all, won’t be the quickest or prettiest solution but an alternative
Where you live may depend on process.
Warm season. Nuke it now and lay sod. It would likely root by winter.
Cool season. Depends where, you might be behind the ball for prep process and seeding. I can’t speak to this detail as easily
Herbicide, dead is dead
I’m always a believer in controlled burns.
Rake up the ashes.
Break up the top soil.
Even remove some of the top layer
Install a nice 1/2″ – 1″ layer on new top soil.
A nice mix of blue grass, rye, white clover.
Blowtorch!
Tarps or carbboard provides another option.
My experience with gravel driveways is that a blowtorch will kill vegetation. Often not down to the root. And it continues to germinate and grow back in the future. In practice use ground clear, then come back a few days later and burn the dried out parts grown through the gravel. This is never ending work. *Better* is to hit the gravel with some form of pre-emergent which allows for less maintenance. Personally avoid salts because as a long term system eventually I expect salts to migrate.
Applying gravel observations to your case, I predict the torch to immediately singe without necessarily killing roots. Get regrowth fairly quick and have to do it again repeatedly. Just throwing the lazy tarp or cardboard down may be more effective. Intuitively dislike herbicide near the trees.
Trim as low as possible. Cover tightly with a heavy duty landscape fabric. Preferably two layers. Lay cardboard down. Later with compost and soil. Heavy. Place landscape rocks and plants and ground cover seeds. Mulch heavy. Water and enjoy. Starting is the hardest part.
You need to consider the long process and not a few hour fix.
1st – get a push reel mower. No gas, easy to push, and they cut consistently. Keep the grass mowed really short. This will prevent weeds from going to seed.
2nd, cover a spot that you want to landscape with cardboard, don’t use plastic as plastic heats up and lays micro plastics into the soil.
3rd – prepare your landscaping project. Get all the things you need.
4th – remove the cardboard and implement the project.
Do pieces at a time. Otherwise you will make your weed issue worse.
Blowtorch would be entertaining for us
Just got done with 4 weeks solarizing 900 sq ft with clear 6mil plastic. Worked great. A few spots that don’t get much sun, hit em with roundup. Clear because it gets hotter and completes the kill.
If the area gets regular sun and you’re patient solarize, otherwise roundup.