Most of this is weeds and I’m tired of being the only one that tries to maintenance this. Just going to try to nuke it, then start over if I’m still living here.
Edit: I’m open to ideas on how to get this done more efficiently and cost effectively. It’s my wife’s family home and I’m actively saving to buy us our own home. I want to put as little money into this as possible. I also have a dog and a newborn that runs out here a lot, so if chemicals are recommended, would need to be pet/child safe.
by the_coffee_maker
19 Comments
[deleted]
Confused….what exactly are you trying to do? Nuke the yard without chemicals?
The best and fastest way to nuke a yard without chemicals is with [flame weeding.](https://flameengineering.com/pages/flame-weeding-101) Just get a [propane torch](https://www.amazon.com/CALPOSE-Propane-Flamethrower-Control-Charcoal/dp/B0DQ12RNQS?crid=2XONQMEWBG9QU&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.3V-gxJFKq6-Ge4dcfy9eYZm2sbnEWfQPJlA2618Cji_-YYbffeRzGtKgMv46xAFYS-jfOzYt9I8XRtX_deea1Ks6btCOHBMXsyTHoAtKyZNrmtMIkBpGtbVS5KP8Tlwf1e9XM2XHF8MwXGdX9jTNU8svQi_bIG8xUd5k9ijj69-1ai-Pf1cW88O3Q_GZPeZM-NxxEEj-aiiNZ8IwAN4CBhkPl0emv_dNwGK5cyLRKDY.kApWK7_zTqkPtnlsdScUeSKVfL8GMntgNzAXPJnR2Sg&dib_tag=se&keywords=propane%2Btorch%2Bweed%2Bburner&qid=1778600742&sprefix=propane%2Btor%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-3&th=1) and flame weed 2 or 3x a few days apart and you will achieve the same thing as the cardboard without the mess.
Neither method will kill the seeds in the soil or the roots, so there’s that.
Black mil contractor plastic works great at killing it super fast
Killing surface weeds but not the millions of seeds in the ground already.
This isn’t the answer you’ll want to hear, but roundup (glyphosate) will be the most effective for lawn renovation. If you think long term, a really optimized reno won’t necessitate a huge chemical load, but a half-baked one will. Gly breaks down fairly quickly in soil, and if you can keep kids/pets off the area for 48 hours + a rain/watering + dry time, it’ll be safe. It’s much better than regularly dumping something like 2,4-D to fight weeds which doesn’t break down quickly.
I did this a month ago. I sprayed the new roundup and waited for everything to die. Put grass seed on top with a small amount of top soil. Ran into two problems. First, the new grass was essentially sod. Anytime the dog ran, it peeled a layer of sod back because the roots were in the cardboard and not the clay soil. I’ll need to wait for the cardboard to break down more before allowing traffic. Second, the weeds were resilient. Even after killing them, they still tried to get past the cardboard and some did successfully.
Usually weeds are better than a giant dirt patch. All you have to do is cut it once a week.
How are your dogs and toddler going to like a mud pit better? Unless you are actually gonna kill all those weeds, reseed, and make it a lawn or something.
But your comment confused me about possibly just leaving after everything is dead.
The cardboard box method is for killing grass forever and covering with mulch to make it a garden bed.
Either nuke it with glyco or just use Speedzone SE to control existing weeds then aerate + overseed + tenacity in the fall.
My local adult beverage stores are always happy to provide cardboard
Have kids, get a couple dogs, put up a trampoline and maybe above ground pool then the yard will be gone in no time.
Buy more stuff! Consume!
Go to a furniture store warehouse. We used to throw away literally tons of them per month.
Check to see if you have local cardboard recycling drop off. Or, maybe behind a Home Depot or box store, they tend to stack them up….
Why not just rent a tiller?
Local Buy Nothing group? That’s how I did it for a 12×24 garden bed. Got so much more than I needed from a family that had just moved into a new house.
The best way to naturally remove weeds and maintain your lawn without them is by keeping your grass high (4 inches). Weeds and other unwanted plants need sunlight. Tall grass creates shade and prevents weed seeds from germinating.
Instead of going for a full “blackout” approach, I’d just use glyphosate (1 time chemical warfare), as others have suggested. Use tons of PPE and cardboard to cover the areas where you want plants or grass to remain, in case of overspray or flowing particles.
Wait until everything dies, then pull or rake what you can.
Loosen the soil.
Seed with new grass.
Let it grow tall, about 5 inches high. Mow your lawn for the first time to only 4 inches. And maintain it.
Some coffee shops will give you their old burlap bags or sell them really cheap. It works and eventually breaks down into the soil.
Nuke it with Glyphosate end of summer. 2-3 times. Seeding in fall, top soil. Water. Then most importantly pre-emergent next spring, check your zone, don’t miss this or you come back this exact shape again next year. One thing about lawn care is that if you don’t want to spend a lot of money, you have to spend a lot of time.
Black plastic 6 months.