How to clean an old lawn and sow a new one. Spring work on the lawn

Lawn is a common element landscape design, which consists of ornamental grass and gives the site a special appeal. Currently, more and more attention is paid to the lawn grass, which forms a green cover and has a beneficial effect on the mental and physical health of a person. Over time, the lawn fades, thins, becomes covered with weeds, therefore, loses all its original splendor. It becomes necessary to get rid of it completely or update it. In both cases, the question immediately arises: how to remove the old lawn?

The dismantling of the old lawn is carried out, as a rule, in cases where the grass fades, acquires an unpresentable appearance.

How to start the process of removing the old coating

There are several ways to dismantle the turf cover: cleaning with a shovel and other handy tool, or using herbicides.

In any case, for work, you need to prepare the following materials and tools:

  • herbicides;
  • garden tools;
  • sealed bags;
  • respirator and gloves;
  • cultivator.

To make cleaning the old lawn less tedious, it is better to invite several assistants.

The process of removing the old lawn is inexpensive, especially without the use of herbicides, so large financial costs will not be required.

To remove the sod with a shovel, you need to take a layer 10-15 cm deep.

Work should be done with old clothing and gloves.

Such a procedure will require a lot of physical effort and is associated with big amount dirt, debris and dust.

After the sod is cut, it is removed in special sealed bags and taken to a landfill or forest located near the site.

This is a prerequisite, especially if carried out. This is due to the fact that even dried soil contains a large supply of seeds that can be used to grow new grass.

Treatment lawn grass herbicides - the right way getting rid of the old coating

Since herbicides are chemical, which can cause serious harm to human health, then when working with them it is very important to observe existing rules security.

Lawn treatment should be carried out only in a special respiratory mask and rubber gloves. Otherwise, the action of herbicides can lead to poisoning, burns of exposed skin and allergic reactions of the body.

Herbicides are sold in liquid or powder form. They also differ in the type of impact, they can be continuous (destroy all types of plants) or selective action.

"Herbicide" in Latin means "grass" and "kill".

By the type of exposure, herbicides can be:

  1. Continuous action (non-selective) - capable of destroying any types of plants on the site. That is why they are used on the site before planting or after harvesting. Such herbicides are suitable for use in forest clearings when it is required to free the area from vegetation.
  2. Selective action (selective) - destroy only a certain type of plant. They are ideal for controlling weeds and weeds, so they can be applied even when crops are growing.

According to the peculiarities of the effect on the plant, herbicides are:

  1. Contact action - at the moment of contact with the plant, the stem and leaves are affected, as a result of which it dies. Such herbicides are used to combat annual plants to delete them.
  2. Continuous and systemic action- in contact with the plant, it penetrates into it, after which it dies. The drug is especially effective for controlling weeds that are perennials or have a sufficiently powerful root system.

To maintain the natural beauty of any garden or suburban area it is necessary to promptly remove from the soil plants that interfere with the development of other vegetation. If you start this process, it can take a lot of time, effort, and financial costs to care for the area, since you will have to purchase drugs designed to remove weeds.

At correct fit and timely care, lawn grass against weeds will not only protect the soil, but also embellish the landscape design.

What you need to know about weeds

Of course, there is no one hundred percent way to get rid of weeds on your lawn. But if you know the types of weeds and the characteristics of their growth, you can choose the right means of control. Therefore, we propose to start by considering some of the features of weeds and to understand why removing weeds from the surface of the soil is so necessary.


First, all weeds are divided into juvenile plants and perennials. The second category is very dangerous: if we do not control weeds on the lawn, next year this problem will remain, weeds will spread throughout the site even more, and the damage to the planted crops will be more serious. Secondly, weeds differ in the way they propagate.

Regardless of the characteristics of distribution, in weeds it is quite simple and fast process, therefore, we recommend that you treat the lawn against weeds in a timely manner to prevent the widespread problem.

The spread of creeping weeds on the lawn poses a serious threat to the soil, as they take up nutrients and moisture from the soil. And, as you know, it will be difficult to grow plants on weak soil. This is why it is so important to find effective method how to remove weeds from your lawn.

To begin with, it is better to familiarize yourself with the photo of weeds and the names of such plants: there are several ways to combat different types of weeds. We will tell you about one of the best practices and explain which lawn grass displaces weeds as it grows.


The role of the lawn on the site

The lawn is a perennial natural grass cover. Depending on the properties and features of the application, there are shade-loving lawns, as well as sports and decorative lawns. They are often used to prevent trampling, but you can tell right away if the lawn will clog weeds - and solve two problems at once.

Attention! No less important features lawn plants is air purification and the ability to muffle noise in the area.


It is important to understand that no universal way how to remove weeds on the site, since they adapt well to the existing conditions. And even if you learn how to get rid of weeds before planting your lawn, use lawn herbicides and other weed control products, it will not guarantee you complete soil protection.

So how do you kill weeds on your lawn? This process will consist of several stages:

  • soil preparation, including its marking and cleaning of unnecessary vegetation;
  • tillage with protective agents;
  • fertilizing and rolling before planting lawn grass;
  • adding seeds and growing a lawn.

First, decide where exactly the borders will be located. lawn area... To permanently clear the lawn of weeds in the desired area, make markings and manually pull out already established weeds from this surface. Repeat this procedure after a couple of weeks. The terrain can now be leveled.

Attention! If you need to divide the area into straight flower beds, use pegs and twine to draw the boundaries correctly.

Now you can start working the soil. Decide how to treat your lawn for weeds, and read reviews of herbicides for weeds on your lawn to choose the most suitable products. Be sure to consider the type of weed for which such products are intended. It is generally easier to use a weed control on your lawn in the spring because weeds do not spread seeds throughout the area during this period (unlike in autumn).

Since the vegetation on the site will turn yellow and die from chemical intervention, remove all excess from the soil. After two weeks, walk over the surface again to remove any residue.

Advice: if you cover the area with geotextile, the roots of weeds that remain in the soil will be killed and the seeds will not sprout out.

Now you need to take care of the composition of the soil. If the soil is acidic, add lime or chalk to it. For heavy clay soil use vermicompost or humus. After selecting a specific type of lawn weed-repellant, check the packaging for which mineral fertilizers must be applied to the soil. In spring it is best to use nitrogen fertilizers, and in the autumn season - potash and phosphorus.

After adding fertilizer, loosen the soil, level the soil and moisten. Now use a massive roller to level the area, and after a week, remove the weeds that will germinate while the soil is resting.

To prepare for planting lawn grass, visually divide the area into equal sections - and immediately distribute the number of seeds equally for each. Water dry soil using a hose with a shower head. When there is no wind, spread the seeds over the area in a crisscross pattern. Next, use a rake to loosen the soil and use a roller to tamp the seeds in. Water the entire area gently again.

It will be better if you scatter compost or straw over the treated area, and then water it about two to three times during the day.


Advice: you should not sprinkle a few seeds on each section, since the empty spaces will be filled with weeds in the future, and you will have to re-carry out all the listed activities. But an excessive amount of lawn grass seeds, displacing weeds, can lead to the fact that some of them stop development, freeze and die.

By the way, planting lawn grass that destroys weeds is best done between May and September, since it is at this time that vegetation is growing. It is advisable to allocate autumn or spring for these works. But keep in mind that seedlings should appear before the onset of frost. On average, a month and a half passes between sowing and strengthening the seedlings.

What lawn to plant to prevent weeds from growing? It is necessary to select the seeds in such a way that the mixture of herbs will most effectively cope with the task at hand. Of course, only high quality seeds should be used, and their characteristics are the easiest to guess at cost. The higher the price of a lawn grass that destroys weeds, the better it takes root and the faster it germinates.

Also be guided by the date of production: choose "new" seeds, since in this case the probability of germination of most of them is much higher. The price of grass displacing weeds for a lawn is on average from 3 to 15 thousand.

You should also make sure that you have enough seeds for planting throughout the territory. The seeding rate for one square of terrain will be indicated on the package. Multiply it by the size of the plot - and you get the right amount seeds for growing.

If you follow our recommendations and follow the steps for creating a weed-clogging lawn, the first blades of grass will appear in a week. After the snow melts in early spring continue feeding the soil and, if possible, add the remaining seeds to strengthen the system. Then, by summer, the lawn will be fully formed, and you can not only enjoy the absence of weeds, but also spend time on fresh air with maximum comfort.

Choosing the right vegetation

Let's talk about how to sow the lawn so that there are no weeds. Such a weed control agent will be most effective if you choose several varieties at once that will favorably transfer the neighborhood with each other.

It has best reviews lawn grass that destroys weeds of the following varieties:

  • microclover, related to unpretentious varieties;
  • willow-borer more demanding to care for;
  • red fescue and meadow bluegrass that tolerate frosty periods favorably.

Microclover is an example of a weed control lawn that can withstand high temperatures and drought, and can also grow even under direct solar radiation... Watering this type of grass will grow rapidly if you water it regularly, so you will need to mow your lawn frequently.

In the absence of watering, microclover will behave quite naturally, but to maintain a bright green hue, you will have to feed the soil several times during the month.


Escaping bent leaves can grow up to fifteen centimeters in height and gradually take root in the soil. It has a high growth rate and spread throughout the territory, if you provide this variety with proper care. The field borer is adapted to different soils, but the best option for its cultivation there will be drained soil with fertilizers.


As for red fescue, this herb grows best in fertile soil, periodically watered with water. It copes well with the destruction of the root system of adjacent vegetation and can withstand strong drops in temperature, so it will persist for subsequent seasons.


Meadow bluegrass is suitable for areas with severe frosts. With the onset of spring, the seeds of this lawn grass will sprout out rather quickly.


If you decide to sow lawn grass instead of weeds, opt for plant varieties that do not require careful maintenance every day. This will make it easier for your lawn to look well-groomed for a long time. Learn how to remove weeds from your lawn and consult with seed sellers about which plants will best suit your soil.

Lawn care features

To remove weeds from the lawn, before planting it is necessary to pull out some perennial plants from the ground, and weed all the soil. Existing weeds must be uprooted.

Also, the weed-displacing lawn should be mowed at the beginning of the summer season. The grass from this will become more well-groomed and will grow better, and the weeds, on the contrary, will react poorly to such an effect.


One of important points how to deal with weeds on the lawn in summer - regular watering. In other seasons, it is not so necessary due to the less dry weather. But it is better to do this often so that the lawn grass feeds on useful microcomponents.

For those where seeds have not taken well, the lawn should be sown. This will create an even layer. After finishing summer period the lawn should be provided with additional feeding, and with the onset of frost and strong winds, as well as the appearance of snow, it is necessary to remove the fallen leaves so that the lawn will happily endure the winter. The lawn is overgrown with weeds, what should I do? Of course, in those places where they appear, pests should be removed manually.


Be sure to treat the soil at the stage of lawn formation against weeds. special means for the destruction of weeds. Use a continuous weed control lawn herbicide. Lawn weed treatments such as Agrokiller or Tornado are suitable for you. Lontrel is also highly effective against weeds on lawns.

You can use selective agents such as Lintur to remove weeds. Make sure to pick the right remedies before killing weeds on your lawn.

Of course, it is not always possible to grow a weed-free lawn quickly. For professional wrestling with these pests you will have to spend a lot of time on proper care behind the site. But over time, this problem will bother you less and less. Now that you have looked at the photos and names of the types of weeds on the lawn and know how to get rid of them, you can maintain beautiful view suburban area.

Video

How to deal with weeds on the lawn - watch the video:

Who would dispute the claim that a neat emerald lawn is the perfect decoration for a private plot? This is true, but this is only one side of the coin. But its downside: the lawn is one of the most problematic and difficult to maintain components of the garden, especially in our northern latitudes.

The truth about the lawn

There are really a lot of problems: damping, soaking, winter freezing. Attacks by moles, ants, fungal diseases, but you never know more misfortunes fall on the lawn. But its owner is not easier either. Need constant care: Frequent mowing, periodic watering, regular fertilization, combing, tilling, aerating, desperate weed control and many other necessary operations to maintain the quality of the lawn - all this significantly darkens the joy of owning a lawn mowed.

To the greatest extent, this applies to areas of significant area, where the exemplary maintenance of the lawn turns into a burdensome duty. And in cases where the lawn is settled on forest areas, under the shady canopy of trees, one should be especially stubborn in the struggle for its survival.

What to do if there is not enough time, effort and money to care for the lawn, is it really possible to give it up altogether? In no case! The advantages of a lawn are so obvious that they outweigh all the challenges to be experienced on the way to its creation, and the difficulties that must be constantly overcome when caring for it. However, even at the design stage of the garden, it is necessary to seriously think about where, what and how much large sizes lawn you can afford to have. And how can it be replaced on the remaining area of ​​the site.

Green satin or cheerful chintz?

It is not at all necessary to occupy the entire space of the personal plot with a luxurious, but capricious and demanding parterre lawn. It will look quite appropriate in the ceremonial part, at the entrance, and on the lawn behind the house it can be replaced by a much easier-to-maintain garden lawn.

For a plot designed in the popular naturgarden style (natural garden), it is impossible better fit meadow lawn. Spectacular compositions composed of different types cereals, harmoniously combined in height, color shades, texture of leaves and inflorescences, make an indelible impression. To create such original fragments of prairies, species and varieties can be used Veinikov (Calamagrostis), lightning(Molinia),Bukharnikov (Holcus), fescue(Festuca), miscanthus (Miscanthus), and spikelets, or elimus (Elymus).

A variegated Moorish lawn with an abundance of bright wildflowers ( poppies, daisies, flax, cornflowers, calendula, escholzia, chamomile). Such a lawn is usually located in the far corners of the site: there it successfully imitates natural meadows lushly overgrown with flowers, naturally surrounding more inhabited parts of the garden.

The listed types of lawns require minimal maintenance. A meadow lawn needs to be mowed only a few times per season, and a Moorish lawn generally only once at the end of summer, after the seeds of flowering annuals have ripened.

Under the canopy in the shade

The vast majority of grasses used to create lawns are highly demanding for light. Even the most shade tolerant species such as bent grass (Agrostisstolonifera) and some varieties red fescue (Festucarubra), cannot grow in dense shade. Therefore, in those parts of the garden where lighting is clearly insufficient (under the canopy of trees and shrubs, on the northern side of the buildings), a grass layer should be specially formed from shade-tolerant plants.

Depending on the design solution it can be either a dense, closed carpet of ground cover plants (such as periwinkle, umbilical, liverwort, tiarella, tenacious, hoof, lily of the valley and many others), or brighter and decorative option- shady flower garden (suitable here badan, anemone, whole line varieties hosts, astilbe, geranium, ostrich and other ferns). Shaded areas will look attractive from early spring if clumps of bulbous and small-bulbous plants are planted right among the ground cover grasses.

Pillows and "Persian" rugs

The use of ground cover plants is certainly not limited to shady areas. They are also planted in open spaces, and primarily in places that are not entirely suitable for the growth of lawn grasses: on rocky slopes, in waterlogged depressions.

So, for the design of dry elevated areas, for example, rockery (rocky hills), spectacular creeping and cushion-shaped light-loving shrubs are used: Dammer's cotoneaster and horizontal cotoneaster, barberry ThunbergGreenCarpet ", shrub cinquefoilGoldstar ". Their low dense curtain bushes can occupy significant spaces - the lawn "rests" here.

In addition, there are many herbaceous perennials, suitable for dry and bright places, which compete successfully with the lawn in their attractiveness. Wide variegated carpet woven from yaskolok creeping carnation, numerous stonecrops(sedums) and saxifrage, phlox subulate, clean woolly, creeping thyme, completely covers the soil.

In low places, on wet soils near water bodies, an alternative to the lawn can be the planting of moisture-loving spreading perennials, for example butterbur wide, elecampane magnificent, symlocarpus and large host, complemented by a dense lower tier of loosestrife, Valdsteinium ternary or sanguinaria canadian.

Creeping conifers

Of particular note important role ground cover conifers in decorating a personal plot. They also help to reduce the size of your lawn while making your garden more interesting.

Modern nurseries offer big choice species and varieties of creeping junipers, pines, firs and other conifers, extremely diverse in crown shape and shades of needles. This and widespread juniper Cossack "Tamariscifolia ", scaly juniper"BlueCarpet ", mountain pine"Gnom " and more rare, such as juniper horizontalWiltonii " tightly pressed to the ground, or a magnificent openwork microbiota cross-pair.

Decorative groups made up of such conifers ("evergreen modules") can be monocultural or combine 2-3 species, can be single or repetitive, for example, in a checkerboard pattern.

In addition to being used as independent design elements, ground cover conifers successfully act as "accompanists" next to solo plants, decorate the bases of retaining walls and buildings, are used to fix slopes, to decorate the corners of paths and the edges of the lawn.

Ground cover roses

Ground cover roses, which, as a rule, bloom profusely and for a long time, and are also very unpretentious and frost-resistant, can serve as a luxurious "shawl" for the slope. Among others, the variety has proven itself well « LavenderDream ". Rose bushes of this variety are low, spreading, with creeping fast-growing shoots and rather small, but numerous semi-double lilac-pink flowers with a strong aroma.

Heather garden

The pinkish-lilac haze of a heather garden is a good replacement for the emerald green of the lawn. Such a garden may well become the most stylish corner of your site.

Carpet plantings of heathers will greatly benefit if you add undersized to them conifers and rhododendrons that have similar requirements for habitat conditions. Additionally, to enrich the coloristic appeal of the heather garden, you can plant Erica... Unlike heathers erica bloom spring painting the entire composition in bright colors.

The semblance of a moorland is formed by combining color spots of plantings with original stones, gravel and gravelly fillings, and small pebbles. In addition, plantings are mulched with bark, nutshells or chips, and not only for the sake of decorative effect... Mulching has other goals as well: it protects the soil from drying out, siltation and erosion by precipitation, improves it physical characteristics, inhibits the growth of weeds, enriches the soil organic compounds and again reduces the area occupied by lawn grass.

Plush mosses

Recently, moss and lichen gardens decorated with boulders, driftwood and other inert materials are gaining more and more popularity. Such elements garden design as well as other bold options (artificial swamps, dry gravel streams and scree) replacing the lawn cover - additional unexpected solutions.

Decorative coating

And finally, one cannot fail to mention such traditional way reducing the area of ​​lawns like paving. It is used in different parts of the garden: it can be a playground for a car, and an original summer kitchen-dining room (barbecue area), and a green living room (patio) - an open-air room where it is pleasant to relax in the fresh air.

Increasingly found on household plots device examples wood flooring: decks for games in playgrounds, decks (decks) near pools and ponds, garden parquet in recreation areas. Polished wood not only looks good - it is smooth and warm, it is unusually pleasant to bare feet.

Natural stone, tinted wood with antiseptic impregnation and high quality modern materials(tile, decorative concrete) allows you to create beautiful, comfortable and durable coatings that require minimal maintenance.

Andrey Lysikov,
candidate of biological sciences
(Based on materials from the magazine " Stylish garden", No. 3, 2004)

There is a lot of material devoted to the maintenance of grassy areas in reference literature... But sometimes it becomes necessary to get rid of the old lawn when redeveloping the site or when the condition of the grass is such that it is not possible to put it in order. What options are possible? We will answer this question in the article.

How to remove an old lawn with tools

The surface of the lawn is cut with a shovel into sections close in shape to a square and turned over with the grass down. Next, the ground is leveled with a rake, if necessary, add some soil and plant the desired vegetation (usually vegetable crops), etc. To simplify and speed up your work, use garden equipment- cultivator. You should not just leave the soil empty, some will sprout up, and will actively breed.

Instead of turning over pieces of lawn in the fall, the soil can also be dug deep, trying to remove the root system of the herbs as much as possible. To accelerate the processing of organic residues, the soil can be spilled with biological products of the "Baikal 1" type. Another option for dismantling the old lawn is to collect the cut sod and take it to a landfill or to a forest zone, compensate for the removed soil layer by backfilling a new layer of soil.

How to get rid of lawn grass with chemicals

Another option for removing the lawn is the use of herbicides (Roundup, Kosmik, Hurricane and other means with the active ingredient glyphosate acid). The funds are used according to the instructions on the package, it is possible with a slight excess of the dose. Processing should be carried out on green grass and in warm weather. After a couple of months, the lawn will finally die, after which the soil will remain carefully dug up and sowed with other crops.

Since these are poisons, even if they are not as dangerous for humans as for plants, it is imperative to observe safety precautions and protect children and pets from contact with drugs.

Removing the old roll lawn

This type of lawn is the easiest and fastest to remove. The blade of grass is again cut with a sharp tool into narrow ribbons, pry off from the edge and rolled up. Although the roots of the grass can partially grow into the substrate, they are easy to cut or even simply pluck by hand. If it is not planned to arrange at this place in the future, then the film substrate and sand bed should also be removed.

If you do not know how to quickly and easily clean a regular lawn or rolled lawn, we advise you to contact. They will not only help you clean up the old lawn quickly and at an affordable price, but also tell you what to do if you want to make a lawn on this place again, or how to sow new crops correctly, after what time and in what period.

Before arranging a lawn, the area must be cleared of unwanted vegetation. You can read more about why you need to remove weeds before sowing or laying your lawn in the related article. Let's just note that it is much easier and more effective to destroy weeds before sowing the lawn than to fight weeds directly on the lawn.

How to get rid of weeds in the area in front of the lawn?

For effective destruction weeds, a whole range of measures has been developed, including:

Land cultivation

Removing the topsoil

Mechanical weeding

Surface mulching

Spraying weeds with continuous herbicides

Soil cultivation in the simplest case, it means plowing, and in a more complex one, a whole range of measures aimed at improving soil properties and preparing a site for a lawn: plowing, loosening, crushing plant residues, adding and embedding sand, lime, peat, fertilizers. Of course, careful cultivation can significantly reduce the number of weeds on the site. But it will not be possible to completely get rid of malicious weeds that can quickly recover even from a small piece of rhizome. You should not count on the fact that after processing the site with a cultivator or walk-behind tractor, weeds will be finished. In addition, in the process of plowing, old plant seeds are carried to the surface of the soil, which can provoke a rapid growth of weeds.

Really effective work weed control is a multi-stage and long-term process that requires special equipment, therefore, in the practice of arranging lawns, the destruction of weeds with the help of agricultural machines is extremely rare and only on large areas. Conventional soil cultivation can only serve as an adjunct to other weed control methods.

Removing the top layer soil allows you to quickly and effectively get rid of unwanted vegetation on the site. However, this is where the merits of this weed control method end. But there are a lot of disadvantages in removing the topsoil. First, removing the topsoil is a laborious process. Secondly, the removed soil must be stored somewhere or taken out of the site. Third, taking off upper layer soil, we get rid not only of weeds, but also of the best fertile horizon. Fourth, weeds with a deep root system, even after removing the topsoil, can quickly regrow. And finally, the more soil is removed from the surface, the more expensive clean fertile soil will have to be poured onto the site.

Mechanical weeding using a shovel, garden forks or other tools is an effective, but at the same time very time-consuming method of dealing with unwanted vegetation. After careless weeding, plant debris may remain in the soil, from which new weeds will quickly grow. In practice, when preparing a plot for a lawn, manual weeding is used only in small areas with low weed infestation.

Mulching plot (shelter) with mown grass, sawdust, dark plastic wrap allows you to suppress the growth of most weeds. However, even under a thick layer of mulch, weeds do not die immediately in 1-2 months. In addition, it is not advisable to keep areas intended for sowing or laying a lawn under a layer of mown grass, since it can become a source of spread of dangerous diseases.

Herbicide spraying continuous action - the simplest and effective method weed control. Modern herbicides for correct use absolutely safe for people and pets. They act only on treated plants, do not accumulate in the soil, quickly decompose in the air into safe components and do not in any way affect the subsequently planted plants and lawn. Penetrating into the weed, the herbicide destroys it along with the root, completely eliminating re-growth.

The disadvantages of herbicides include a rather long period from the moment of spraying to the moment of complete death of the harmful plant (from 2 to 6 weeks), the dependence of the effectiveness of treatment on weather conditions, and also low efficiency against plants with heavily pubescent leaves and leaves covered with a waxy bloom.

conclusions

To get rid of weeds in front of the lawn, it is advisable to treat the site with continuous herbicides and, after a while, carry out reclamation. In lightly clogged small areas, you can limit yourself to manual weeding. Removing the topsoil is advisable only if you need to arrange a lawn in a short time. And mulching with dark plastic wrap will suit the most patient owners.

In conclusion, I would like to note that it is almost impossible, and not necessary, to completely get rid of weeds on the site. The main thing is to do everything possible to minimize the amount of weeds on the lawn, to allow the grass seeds to germinate, and to strengthen the lawn.