How can I get the grass out of my garden?

Question

I have a small garden with various ground cover and small flowering plants. It is pretty much weed-free but grass it taking over!! Every week I pull more and more out, but it keeps returning! Is there anything I can do without killing my plants?

The grass is actually not coming in from the edges, it is in the middle! I think the woman who lived here before had thrown grass seed all over it, and I didn't realize until now.

Answer 1

Don't use any chemicals. If it's a small garden, then I'd pull out the grass, with the roots, manually. Some of it may come back in reduced numbers. When they do, remove the grass again with the roots. It will disappear after 2 or 3 small weeding efforts. Also, make sure you have a good cover of mulch to prevent weed seeds from germinating.

Also, are you sure it's grass. It may be nut sedge, a very aggressive weed that looks like grass. I would treat them the same.

Answer 2

you are my man! i also try to get rid of the rest of grass and rather have any other ground cover than grass (Lysimachia nummularia for places where i want it to be very low, yummy wild strawberries and all sort of herb s at the rest) just be patient, try to pull out as much as possible at one go and watch for newly appearing. the first season is the worst. Never let it produce seeds. the worst spots should be completely cleared of everything and newly planted. in my case the garden is quite large and long neglected, so over years, the vegetation composition started even favouring the wild plants that actually would occur here as primeval forest undergrowth - they are the best for the place. so i just started favouring those that i like (like the strawberries) and pulling mercilessly those that are too agressive (with can spread underground)

I personally dont think much of herbicides unless you want the place completely cleared and replanted , which is not your case- grass is probably more resistant to it than you plants. unless you go for clearing and replanting, i must warn you that you could end with worse situation than before. i have seen it many times in peoples gardens or in fields, that the "wrong plants" have died and really sturdy weed lived on and took over.

Answer 3

I had a similar problem in a small garden bed. I purchased black liner from the garden center (the kind that is pourous just enough for water to go through) and cut holes where my plants could fit through, staked it all the way around then put bark all over it. It has worked really well for me. I also had some ground cover plants that I had to dig up first & re-plant after the fact. You just slice the liner & replant that way.
Hope this is helpful.

Answer 4

My wife and I use corrugated cardboard sheeting. Prior to placing the sheeting (on a sunny day) we spray a very light mist of a weed killer (such as "Roundup") on the grassy areas, avoiding flowers! We then press the sheeting down by placing fairly heavy rocks on top. Leave the sheeting on for at least two weeks or slightly longer. When the grass is uncovered, it should be limp, colourless or brown. We then use a pitchfork or claw-type instrument to loosen grass and remove roots. Good luck! rojo

Answer 5

Pull the grass once more, then use lawn edging aroun your garden.

Answer 6

WALK all over it.