As you can see in the picture, this part of the garden that used to be a lawn is now a mess full of every species of weed you can think of. I don't want to use herbicides as I've just planted a new hedge, and I've already spent days of my life hand-pulling weeds to go back.
My plan is:
– Cut everything down with the lawnmower as short as possible
– Remove as many weed roots as possible with a big garden hoe
– Level the soil as much as possible and flatten it
– Overseed the whole area (Is using pre-lawn fertiliser treatment worth it?)
– Put extra topsoil on the whole area, flatten and wait for the grass to grow.
Is that likely to succeed? I don't want a perfect lawn like most over here, just something that can manage the weeds! I will probably seed the lawn when the weather gets a bit warmer to give it the best chance.
Thanks for the help!
by Rialagma
4 Comments
Sorry but that’s probably not going to work. If you’re already talking about releveling and seeding then you should just nuke the whole lot with something and go fr there. Use a shade bled grass seed to start out because they establish fast. I’m in the US so I don’t know what kind of grass you have but what I do is start with a rye grass then over seed with a Kentucky bluegrass to choke out the rye. The rye just grows really fast so weeds can’t get a hold and the Kentucky blue will choke it out and take over
Regular mowing, like weekly, should help make a more ideal environment for the grass but you will continue to have weeds.
No herbicides sounds like a losing battle. Try chemical warfare the first year and get a strong healthy lawn established. Once a strong healthy lawn is established it will have an easier time outcompeting invading weeds. At that point you can switch over to organic herbicides (yes, they do exist) to keep your lawn.
However, what you are showing there looks terraced. How are you going to mow it? Maybe plant a flower garden instead?
Herbicides aren’t gonna hurt your hedge, buddy….if that’s your reason then save yourself the hassle and use em.