Quick ways to kill your lawn??

Question

I am trying to kill my entire lawn, so I can re-seed it with grass. I need a quick and effective way to kill it. I wanted to rent a tiller and use that to uproot the weeds, but the man I talked to said they'd come back in a few days unless I killed it first. I've never tried to do anything like this before and am not sure exactly what to do. Please give some advice on how to make my lawn presentable again. It's full of weeds, and has terrible soil.

Answer 1

Try cooking the weeds- spread large, overlapping pieces of black or clear plastic on the ground on a nice warm sunny day, and leave until the weeds are thoroughly fried. Pull back the plastic, wait a week or so for the weed seeds to sprout, then repeat. Once the seeds are taken care of, use the tiller, and the nice dead decomposing organic material (weeds) will improve the soil as they break down.

No Roundup needed!

Answer 2

The person you contacted was absoulutely right. They probably told you to apply a liquid veg. killer such as "Round-Up". They were again totally right. The problem is not your weeds it is your soil!! You do not state your area of the country thus there are many options by regions.
Rather than rent a tiller rent a walkbehind core aeration machine. Set the machine to pull plugs no less than three to four inches deep. Run the machine diag, horiz, and cross the turf. While time consuming, hard rake (not ordinary leaf removal rake types) the cores from the surface. This action will allow you to provide air, water, nutrients, and good soil to the active growth area of turfgrass.
I would then use a spreader to apply granulated lime, the spread a 5-5-5 0r 10-10-10 basic fertilizer, followed by a screened topsoil. This may sound silly but use a garage brush to sweep the lawn to place the material into the holes. Water the turf and leave it alone until spring in your area.
On or around April 1st, apply a liquid application of Round-up to the entire turf area. Do this when there is no rain in the forecast for two to three days. Buy your seed with the intention of having the purist seed possible (certified) While the cost is minimally more you get what you get. It should contain NO annual grass and a minimal of fifty(50%) ryegrass. After the three days have passed spread your seed mixture. I would suggest that you follow the seed spread with a thin layer of a product called Penn Mulch. It comes in bags and spreads easily, containing both a low grade fertilizer and, when wet, keeps birds away. Water the turf each day to a 1/4" level each day and watch what happens.
I could go on, but, then I'ld have to charge you. Take this suggestion to your local State College Extension Agent. Most states have them in each county. I learned these methods from mine in Pa. I learned them from overseeing Athletic Fields and Grounds of a major Pa. Univ. Your state Ext. Svc. offers many services and advice. Use them, their expertise, and commitment before you bring in a crew of landscapers with a mower and tiller! I am at ([e-mail]). Good luck.

Answer 3

Go with the tiller. Uproot all the grass, haul it away. Put in black dirt for the new soil. Seed. And fertilize. Water, Water, Water. Sure some of the old grass will grow back but they make this fertizlizer that has weed killer in it, we use it all the time and have great grass with no weeds. I highly recommend this.

Answer 4

Unless you live in the south it is to late in the year to seed grass. Wait till spring the rototill as you have planed. rake the wees up and throw away. rake soil smooth then re-seed with a seed recommended for your area. Once geass has been mowed twice you can use weed killer to get rid of the weds that have come up.

Answer 5

I think maybe you should try burning it, when it dries up. this should kill all the weeds and their seeds. Also the ashes will provide a great fertilizer when you mix it with the soil. Then when you re-seed, it should come up more full.

Answer 6

You could use a weed killer specific to the kinds of weeds you have. Be aware you shouldn't plant anything you'll be eating in that soil.

Answer 7

buy a herbicide with glyphosate as the main ingredient and mix it up a twice the recomended dose. spray your lawn but watch out for plants in the garden as it will kill anything botanical.
after a week, you will notice your lawn has changed colour except fot the bits you missed.

mix it up and spray lawn again.
wait for a week and plant your seeds.

Answer 8

Round up is a powerful weed killer. But if you have trees in the area it can damage the trees.

Answer 9

Don't water it and spray it with weed killer.

Answer 10

Do you have kids? Let them play there...