Lawn weeds not only affect the green calling card of the hobby gardener visually, but in their entire existence. In order to successfully remove dandelion, speedwell and the like, we have compiled the 10 best tips for you.

Tip 1: Remove lawn weeds manually - this is how it works

Using the classic method of weeding, you remove unwanted growth from the lawn by hand. In the early stages of infestation, this effort can prove to be quite effective in permanently removing lawn weeds. First and foremost, it is the annual seed weeds that are to be destroyed in this way. Remove perennial root weeds, such as brownella or buttercups, as follows:

  • Ideally, a downpour has softened the lawn
  • Reach deep into the ground with a weed puller to grasp the plant with its roots and runners
  • Shake the device back and forth a little and pull the lawn weeds out of the ground

The weed puller is constructed in such a way that no pieces of root remain in the ground. The plants are able to sprout again even from the smallest residue.

The most common lawn weeds

Almost 1,000 plant species are classified as weeds by definition. The following table shows which species stand out as lawn weeds:

Annual lawn weed Perennial lawn weed lawn moss
Chickweed (Stellasia media) Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Silver pear moss (Bryum argenteum)
Medium plantain (Plantago media) Little Dock (Rumex acetosella) Sparse wrinkled brother (Rhytidiadelphus squarrosus)
Millet / Barngrass (Echinochloa) Crawling Bugle (Ajuga reptans) Moss (Muscopsida)
White clover (Trifolium repens) Lesser prunella (Prunella vulgaris) Liverworts (Hepaticopsida)
Thread speedwell (Veronica filiformis) Creeping Buttercup (Ranunculus repens) Hornworts (Anthocerotopsida)
Daisy (Bellis perennis) Ragwort (Senecio vulgaris) Peat Moss (Sphagnidae)
Report (Atriplex micrantha) Sorrel (Lotus corniculatus)
White Goosefoot (Chenopodium album) Horn clover (Lotus corniculatus)

Tip 2: Remove weeds from the lawn mechanically

If lawn weeds are already up to mischief over a wide area, there are limits to manual control methods. In order to free the stressed green area from weeds, you will receive support from a scarifier. This is a special device that combs out clover, moss and other weeds with its knives. Here's how to do it:

  • Mow the lawn to a height of 2 cm
  • Scarify the surface lengthwise and crosswise
  • Carefully remove and dispose of the combed weeds
  • After waiting 7-14 days, fertilize the lawn and water repeatedly

Tip 3: Destroy lawn weeds with foil

On smaller lawns, you can destroy weeds without any physical effort or mechanical support using a black plastic sheet. This acts as an effective weed killer because it cuts off the light supply. Where no sun rays reach, there is no photosynthesis and therefore no growth.

The tarpaulin is fixed with stones, sand or plastic anchors. After a waiting period of 2-3 months, the lawn weeds died. The grass, on the other hand, will recover quickly with proper lawn care. It is even quicker to reseed a type of grass that is suitable for the location.

Tip 4: Use chemical sprays to control weeds in the lawn

If you have to deal with hardened weeds in your lawn, manual and mechanical techniques will come to nothing. If you don't want to decide to plant a new lawn now and don't want to turn your lawn into a wildflower meadow, you can't avoid using a chemical weed killer. The following sprays are approved for the home garden and have proven themselves well:

  • Bayer Garden Universal Lawn Weed Free
  • Anicon Ultra Lawn Weed Free by Celaflor
  • Compo Lawn Weed Killer Perfect
  • Lawn Weed Free Plus from Neudorff
  • Banvel M lawn weed killer

To use these weed killers to their full potential, spray them preferably in mild, dry weather. Ideally, the lawn should have been fertilized 14 days beforehand, because sprays work through the leaf mass. Therefore, we recommend not mowing the lawn in the days before.

Tip 5: In a double pack against lawn weeds - this is how it works

With a combination product of weed killer and fertilizer you can get rid of lawn weeds. While the contained anti-weed agent is active, the grasses are supplied with nutrients over a period of 100 days. In this way, you not only rid the green area of annoying plants, but also transform it into the long-awaited lush green carpet.

  • Beckmann premium lawn fertilizer with weed killer
  • Compo UV Lawn Floranid
  • Substral lawn fertilizer with weed killer
  • Dehner weed killer plus lawn fertilizer
  • Floranid lawn fertilizer against weeds and moss
  • Manna Dur UV weed killer with lawn fertilizer

In order to achieve the desired result, the lawn is first mowed and scarified. Then you distribute the combi-agent against weeds with the spreader and water with the lawn sprinkler.

Tip 6: Lime acts as an effective weed killer

A perfectly manicured lawn has a pH value between 6 and 7. If this value falls below 5.5, the soil acid drifts into the acidic range. Most weeds and mosses thrive in such soil. Therefore, first test the pH value in a weedy lawn using a test set from the hardware store. Depending on the result, the lawn is carefully whitewashed.

So that the lawn can process the lime as well as possible, it is scarified as early as possible. If the administration of fertilizer is planned, there should be a time interval of 3-4 weeks between the two preparations. Do not spray any weed control agents during this time either, as otherwise an incalculable accumulation of the active ingredients could start and damage the lawn.

If you are confronted with lime-loving weeds, such as trefoil, we strongly advise against liming. Since the pH value should be above 7 in this case anyway, lime now has a counterproductive effect.

Tip 7: Free the lawn from weeds with natural means

Home remedies are the trump card in a garden that is managed in a way that is close to nature. Environmentally conscious hobby gardeners are therefore always on the lookout for a natural remedy against weeds, beyond back pain from weeding, expensive rental fees for scarifiers (84.00 €) and the chemical club. With a great deal of perseverance, you can remove weeds from the lawn like this:

  • Repeatedly sprinkle dandelions with pure charcoal ash in the fall
  • Never allow seed weeds, such as couch grass, to flower by consistently plucking them out
  • Pour boiling water over root weeds, pull out the dead part and pour over again
  • Cut off thistles just before a downpour to allow the stems to rot afterwards

tips

A traditional home remedy for weed killing is frowned upon today. In grandfather's time, vinegar and salt were used as sprays on paths and surfaces. However, the two active ingredients in combination destroy all life in the soil. In the new version of the Plant Protection Act of 2012, spraying vinegar and salt is prohibited and non-compliance is punished with severe fines.

Tip 8: Professional mowing as a remedy for weeds - this is how it works

Used correctly, the lawn mower is a powerful tool against weeds. Lawn weeds depend on an adequate amount of light to germinate. Therefore, do not mow deeper than 4 centimetres. At this cutting height, weed seeds are permanently shaded by the grasses, which prevents germination.

To rid the lawn of weeds, it should be mowed as regularly as possible every 7 days. In the long run, the unwanted growth slacks off and ultimately retreats. If you also devote adequate care to the green area, no new weeds will gain a foothold. A balanced water and nutrient balance is just as important as yearly scarifying and aerating.

Tip 9: Suppress weeds in the lawn with turbo reseeding

Various weed control products leave more or less large bare spots and holes in the lawn. Overseeding with a turbo effect counteracts this so that cunning lawn weeds do not immediately resettle here. For this purpose, the specialist trade offers products that consist of a special lawn soil and quickly germinating lawn seeds.

The gaps or bumps are filled with the agent, rolled and then watered. In the period that follows, the new lawn thrives so quickly that flying weed seeds don't get a chance to germinate.

Tip 10: Rolled turf sandwich method as the final weed killer

If a lawn is only faintly reminiscent of a green carpet, creative hobby gardeners use the turf sandwich method. Within a day, the garden adorns itself with a velvety showcase lawn, without any weeds. How to do it:

  • Mow the weedy lawn as short as possible
  • Level out any unevenness with a mix of compost and sand or topsoil
  • Lay the freshly delivered lawn rolls end to end and offset
  • Finally, roll the new lawn lengthwise and crosswise and water thoroughly

The dense sod of the rolled turf reliably prevents the weeds underneath from fighting their way to the surface.

tips and tricks

While mulch on the lawn encourages weed growth, grass clippings themselves serve as an effective mulching material in the bed. However, fresh clippings should not be used. Simply let it wilt in a corner of the garden and distribute as thick as a finger in the kitchen garden or perennial bed. This suppresses weeds, the soil stays moist longer and is supplied with additional nutrients.

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Care tips