Removing weeds from lawns without damaging the grass can be a tricky task. Some of the most common lawn weeds are dandelions, crabgrass, clover and creeping buttercup.
Weeds compete with grass for space and can end up taking over lawns if not managed properly.
Fortunately, Chris Cooper, Product Manager at Hayter Mowers, has shared three simple ways to remove weeds from lawns without harsh chemicals.
Chris said gardeners should avoid using harsh chemicals on lawns, especially fresh grass, as they can seriously damage the health of the lawn.
Fortunately, Chris knows of many lawn-friendly options that don’t compromise lawn biodiversity.
Hoeing
Instead of chemicals, Chris recommends using one simple item to remove pesky plants – a hoe.
Chris said: “This takes some real elbow grease, so don’t say we didn’t warn you.”
He added: “Running a hoe over a sward or between rows of grass is very effective at killing weed seedlings, so it’s ideal for weed control when weeds are in their infancy.
“Do this on a dry day to avoid damaging the soil or the seedlings will dry out on the surface.”
Pulling by hand
This may sound like hard work, but hand weeding is one of the most effective methods of weed control.
Chris explained: “This can be done either with a fork or with nature’s tool – your hands. Dig up the perennial weeds by hand and make sure the bulb is rooted. Annual weeds can also be caught in this way before they are sown.
“However, you have to be really careful with this method. You want to avoid as much collateral damage to your grass as possible.”
Lawn safe weed killer
If you can’t remove weeds by hand or they keep coming back, you can try safe lawn weed control.
“If you do rely on weed control, only buy sprays that are specifically labeled as lawn-friendly or lawn-safe,” warns Chris.
He added: “You see some recommended general weed killers or even natural weed killers like vinegar solutions, but many of these solutions are non-selective; that means they don’t differentiate between grass and weeds.”
