Best Lawn Weeding Tools
Weeding is admittedly one of the most dreaded gardening tasks that we all dislike. While pulling weeds by hand is a back-breaking task, a better alternative is to use a gardening tool. The following weeding tools will make your battle with weeds much easier:
There are two basic types of weeding tools: short-handled and long-handled tools. The short-handled weeding tools require you to work on your knees, while the latter allows you to stand and weed a larger area.
ToolsFor shallow-rooted weeds
I recommend using a short-handles garden hoe or a sharp knife for medium-size weeds. Start by cutting the weeds at slightly below the soil line. Angle the hoe so the tip of the sharp blade touches the soil below the ground surface.
Tools For deep-rooted weeds
Its best to use a weeding tool like a claw weeder. To use this tool, place the tip of the claw blade next to the weeds stem and push down in a vertical motion. The weeder should then be articulated by the foot peddle in order to get the entire root out.
Keep in mind that using claw weeders can be a more time-consuming task than hoes as you need to remove each weed individually. Having said that, the tool works effectively for deep-rooted weeds.
Smother Them With Grass
This step is better off done when the larger weeds are gone, but one of the best ways to get rid of weeds in your lawn is to let the grass outgrow them and deny them space to live!
You can do this by feeding your lawn the right fertilizer I highly recommend the Sunday Lawn Care subscription fertilizer plan.
About The Author
Aaron is the founder of and Essential Home and Garden. He likes to spend his spare time with his family, and doing DIY projects in the home and garden.
How To Clear Weeds And Brush Without Herbicides
Clearing an overgrown yard without resorting to herbicides involves covering up the weeds and brush with mulches. A layer of mulch prevents sunlight from reaching the weeds and suppresses their growth. Some examples of organic mulches are bark chips, sawdust, grass clippings, dead leaves and wood chips. Inorganic mulches include pebbles, sand and gravel, whereas synthetic mulches comprise materials like landscape fabric and other geotextiles. After cutting down brush and weeds to ground level, covering them with a layer of landscape fabric is one of the most effective nonchemical approaches to preventing the plants from sprouting again. Organic mulches can also be effective when spread thickly. Spread a thick-textured organic mulch such as wood chips to a depth of 4 inches and a fine-textured organic mulch like sawdust to a depth of 2 inches. Inorganic mulches give the best weed control when spread over landscape fabric.
Warning
Homemade weed killers like boiling water, bleach and salt are unreliable at controlling weeds and brush and can be dangerous to use.
References
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How To Get Rid Of A Lawn Full Of Weeds
All year long, we look forward to sinking our feet into lush, radiant green grass. But nobody wants stringy ivy, coarse clovers or fuzzy dandelions grazing your toes instead!
And once you’ve spotted one, you’re sure to see more! Weeds seem to keep multiplying until theyre a huge, unattractive problem.
Luckily, you can bring your lawn back to life by ridding it of weeds and boosting your turf’s health. Heres how to get rid of weeds in your grass for good.
Use A Lawnmower To Get It To Its Regular Length
If you have many weeds in different areas, the best option is to use a lawnmower to speed up the process. Think that different grass types have different recommended mowing heights to let the healthy grass grow properly remember to note where the weeds were rooted beforehand, not lose track of them.
It is not recommended to use lawnmowers because they cant get rid of weed from the roots, but they are functional for helping you to speed up the cut process. So, try to work in conjunction with other cutters and with your hands.
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The Steps For Controlling Weeds
These are the general steps for how to get rid of weeds in your lawn, regardless of the type of treatment.
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Professional Lawn Care Services
Some homeowners are happy doing DIY lawn care, but many prefer to hand the reins to a professional. Lawn care services always cost more than doing the work yourself, but they often yield better and faster results and, in the best-case scenarios, come with a satisfaction guarantee.
If youre looking for the best full-service lawn company to handle fertilization for your property, we recommend TruGreen. This company has a wealth of plans and add-on services to provide customization options, affordable prices, a nationwide coverage area, and guarantees your satisfaction with its work.
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Aerate With A Garden Fork
Aerating will help to decompact the hard-bare ground making it easier for the healthy grass to spread its roots into the bare soil. Drive a garden fork into the ground to around 100mm and wriggle it back and forth to fracture the soil profile. If you have subsoil irrigation be careful that you dont do so too deeply or where you are likely to come in contact with a pipe. After aerting can also be a good time to apply soil conditioners like gypsum to improve your soil base.
How To Revive Dead Grass
4 min read
Its never enjoyable to see your lawn turn brown and dry. Many factors play into the situation when grass starts to die off. These reasons include incorrect feeding and watering, disease, the wrong type of grass for the area, poor preparation methods, and pests.
Youll need to uncover why your grass died and take steps to bring it back to a healthy state. Weve provided you everything you need to know so you understand how to revive dead grass.
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Reviving A Dead Lawn: A 7
When it comes to your outdoor space, nothing can be quite as disheartening as watching your once-green lawn turn a crispy brown and die.
There are several reasons your lawn might bite the dust, including pests, disease, poor preparation and installation techniques, improper watering and feeding, or the wrong type of grass for the environment. Of course, figuring out what caused your grass to die is the first and most important step in reviving a dead lawn and ending up with a soft carpet of healthy green grass.
Problem: Persistently Thin Patchy Grass Solution: Get A Soil Test
Chronic lawn problems are often about the soil, not the actual grass. Having a soil test done is the best $10 to $15 you can spend. Home and garden centers sell DIY kits, but we recommend working with your local cooperative extension , whose experts will pinpoint your soils pH level and identify any missing nutrients. Theyll also prescribe the best course of treatment, for example spreading limestone if the soil is acidic or sulfur if its overly alkaline. Its prudent to do a soil test every few years, though if you just moved into a new home, you may want to do one annually, at least until the desired results start to show.
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How To Restore A Weedy Patched Lawn
If you have a lawn at home to look after, you already know how tricky it can be to keep it healthy and weed-free. “If your turf appears anything other than lush or vibrant, it is likely lacking some form of routine maintenance, such as irrigation, mowing, fertilizing, and trimming,” explains Mike Fitzpatrick, vice president of U.S. Lawns. “Telltale signs your lawn is in need of restoration included brown or yellow spots, barren areas where grass seems not to grow, overgrown weeds or moss in your lawn or on your bricks, and rock-hard ground.”
Fortunately, Fitzpatrick says that if you can identify what’s causing the issue, restoring a patchy, weed-filled lawn can be a breeze. “The best part about visible lawn issues is that it can be fairly easy to track the source of the problem. For example, if there are barren areas on your lawn, look up and check if they are getting enough sunlight. If a tree isn’t allowing enough sun to filter through at the height of the day, you may need to trim the branches back to allow sunlight to reach the covered areas, or find a type of turf that is more conducive to shady areas.” Looking for tips about how to restore your lawn to its original glory? We asked a few landscaping experts for their advice and here’s what they had to share.
Why Do I Have Weeds In My Lawn In The First Place
Before we get into the step-by-step process to overseed your lawn, its important to discuss how your grass got so weedy and patchy in the first place. After all, you dont want to put in a lot of work just to have the same issues develop again in the future. So why do you have weeds in your lawn? How do these pesky, fast-growing plants move in and take over?
There are many factors that can contribute to a weedy lawn, including watering too much or too little, setting your mower blade too low, not mowing often enough or having a yard with poor drainage. Essentially, weeds are opportunistic they grow when and where they can. Grass that is less than thriving provides the necessary space and opportunity for weeds to move in.
When weeds do begin to pop up here and there, chemical weed killers might appeal in the moment, but these products can actually be dangerous for people and animals, not to mention for your grass itself. Plus, if you arent careful, youre likely to find yourself relying more and more often on weed killers to spot-treat your problem instead of resolving it at its source: by growing grass that is dense and vigorous.
The simple truth is that a thick, thriving lawn is the best weed deterrent on the market. Savvy homeowners know that keeping weeds away for good isnt about finding the right herbicide productits about keeping your grass dense, lush and green, so weeds dont stand a fighting chance at taking over your lawn.
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What To Do If Your Lawn Is Actually Dead
Is your lawn grass already dead? Am sure you are looking for ideas on how to revive a dead lawn.
If your grass is dead, you will need to start over again.
Filling the patches of dead grass can be easier compared to replacing full lawns.
The following steps will help you in going about the process of reviving dead lawn
- Rake up the dead grass so that you are left with soil only
- Loosen the soil to allow better aeration and nutrient penetration
- Spread the lawn seeds and compost on the tilled soil
- Apply either natural or chemical fertilizer
- Water and mulch the soil with healthy grass clippings or leaves for more nutrients
- Maintain the new lawn with proper sunlight & water so that it can grow.
- Allow the lawn some few weeks to grow then fill the patches if there will be any.
Lush green and healthy lawn is always attractive and it adds aesthetic value to our living areas. Its always refreshing when you are relaxing in a neat and well maintained lawn. Therefore, do not let your dying lawn make your home look dull and deserted. Use the above tips that I have provided on how to revive a dying lawn and how to revive a dead lawn to give your fading lawn a new and attractive look.
Our Answer To The Common Question: When To Overseed My Lawn
Many homeowners ask themselves, when is the best time of year to overseed my lawn? No matter which region of the country you call home, there are two times of year that are best for overseeding: early spring and late summer .
The spring option is best for homeowners who use non-organic fertilizer products containing chemicals that would stop new grass seeds from growing. By overseeding in early spring, youll give your existing grass and soil the most time possible to shed all the chemicals that could impede fresh growth.
If non-organic fertilizer use isnt an issue for your yard, you might opt to overseed in late summer instead. This is generally the time of year when weeds grow the least, making it the best time to address weeds aggressively and effectively. This is also a great time of year to facilitate new grass growth before your turf goes dormant for the winter.
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Overseed: Definition And Benefits
The term overseed may sound technical and even intimidating if you arent familiar with the process, but its really a simple gardening concept: Overseeding is simply the process of planting new grass seed over your existing grass in order to create a revived, newly green and beautiful lawn that is lush and healthy.
When you overseed your lawn, you build on its current strengths while working hand in hand with nature against its weaknesses. With a bit of elbow grease, the result is a lush, weed-free lawn that your neighbors will envy.
But how do you know if your yard is a good candidate for overseeding? Grass that is looking tired, patchy or weedy is prime for this relatively easy option for homeowners who want to help their yards recover. If weedy patches and bare spots make up less than half your lawn, overseeding is an excellent option for you. It is certainly easier and more cost-effective than digging up your entire yard and laying down all new sod, which can be an expensive and painstaking process.
Remove Debris And Large Weeds
When a lawn is overgrown, you never know what could be hiding among the tall grass. Take some time to roam around and gather any debris that cant be mowed over, like sticks, large weeds, or dead plants. This is also a good time to decide what plants you want to keep and which can be pulled up and tossed out. Remove any plants you wont be saving and get rid of them during this step. The goal here is to ensure you wont damage your lawnmower while mowing, and also to make sure youll be safe walking through your own lawn.
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Cutting Grass Too Short
Many people dont get much pleasure out of cutting their lawn and make the drastic decision to cut the lawn as short as possible so that it will be longer before they have to do it again.
Whilst this is true and you wont have to cut your lawn as often it can lead to yellow grass and an unhealthy lawn.
When your scalp your lawn and cut it very short this will allow the sunshine easier access to the roots and they may dry out quickly which is why your lawn will start to turn yellow.
Herbicides For Weed Removal In Lawns
If your entire lawn is completely overtaken with weeds and nothing has seemed to work in terms of pulling up weeds, fertilizing, keeping the grass at 2-4 inches, and watering properly, the final resort is herbicides.
Beware of roundup, as it is not only toxic to other plants, but extremely toxic for humans and pets.
According to thisoldhouse.com, Some herbicides work only within a certain temperature range others work only when applied at a specific time of year.
So always make sure to always follow the instructions carefully, and confirm that the grass you are growing can grow well utilizing that particular herbicide.
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Australian Lawn Weeds Distribution By Area
Now that weve covered the most common weeds in Australia, its time to talk a little bit about in which parts of the country you can find them in. To make things easier for you, weve categorised the above-mentioned plants by state, so that you can double-check which weeds grow in your area. Ok, lets start with
- Queensland bindii, nutgrass, crabgrass, winter grass, penny weed, carrot weed, and creeping oxalis
- Western Australia clover, crabgrass, thistle, catsear, and chickweed
- South Australia winter grass, thistle, nutgrass, catsear, and chickweed
- New South Wales bindii, nutgrass, crabgrass, penny weed, white clover, carrot weed, and creeping oxalis
- Victoria dandelions, winter grass, penny weed, white clover, carrot weed, and creeping oxalis
- Tasmania clovers, winter grass, dandelion, carrot weed, and creeping oxalis
