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Best way to kill


Located in central IL (6a) looking to convert the easement (Hellstrip) into a native plant garden.
I've done some research but figured I'd ask before I go ahead with it. What would be the best way to kill all of the grass here? Debating between solarizing or cardboard/mulch.
My plan is to kill off the grass this summer and throw down some seeds in the fall. Which probably would lean towards solarizing otherwise I would have to remove the mulch. Ive seems there's some debate between clear or black plastic how much does that matter?

by Jwolrab

9 Comments

  1. alienatedframe2

    Fastest and most thorough? Glyphosate. Which is treated like a bad word but is just a tool if used responsibly. It’s often the method of choice for pro restorationists.

  2. Swampy2007

    I wouldn’t spray chemicals, it’ll contaminant the soil . Essentially if you plan on digging in it , and new plants will soak it in for a bit 1. Place a black tarp over it and choke out the grass , cardboard could work too , 2 . compose like thick mulch or leave clipping . You would need it high enough from the sun getting to it at least 2’ to 3’ ft. or 3. Torch burn it off , With a small propane tank and torch rod connecter .

  3. tabouli_cutie

    Spend extra time on site prep, like one or two seasons, because once those plants are in it is hard to manage the non native annual grass.

    Glyphosate is really good at lawn killing. I’ve done glyphosate, then once everything dies you can mow it to remove the dead biomass, wait a couple weeks to see what pops up and give it another spot treatment. You might need more prep or you may be able to plant and put some topsoil and mulch down… Do not till!!!

    You could even do half of it with herbicide and half of it with smothering. Experiments are fun!!

    Also check with your municipality to see if they have any rules about tree lawns.

  4. GroundbreakingLog251

    Soak thoroughly then fuego. or staple plastic over it for the winter

  6. Virtual-Courage6706

    Remove a few inches of the turf around the perimeter, cover the area completely with two layers of Ram Board, add a few inches of wood chips ala Chip Drop, go crazy with a variety of native plugs in the Spring, update us this time next year.

  7. spaceKdet31

    if you want to avoid spraying or plastic covers, you can also till that section and rip the grass out and then cover with cardboard with tiles on top to help ensure whatever you missed doesn’t grow back. you may be able to rent a tiller at a hardware store like home depot or lowes. to make it much easier, just use water to help loosen it up before tilling.

  8. pakora2

    As others have said I would either do cardboard and wood chips/compost, or cover with a thick black plastic tarp (we have used a pond liner that worked well). If you do the tarp and don’t want it to be unsightly for a year, you could always stick some potted plants on top of it to dress it up a bit. If you do cardboard, you can get free wood chips to go on top from chip drop or by calling a local tree company. This can be more cost-effective than compost unless you have access to free compost.

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