Freshly seeded lawns should grow well and form a dense grass cover. But some time after sowing, the weeds sprout. Here’s how to get rid of weeds without chemicals.
causes
Cheap or wrong seeds
In many cases, cheap or wrong seeds are the reason why freshly sown lawns become weedy. You should always use good quality grass seed and don’t pay too much attention to whether the grass is fast growing or not when choosing. Much more important is how dense the turf is. A really dense turf leaves no room for weeds.
nutrient deficiency
An equally common reason for weeds in the lawn is a lack of nutrients. Most weeds are real hunger artists and can adapt better to soils with low nutrients, in contrast to the grasses, which have a higher need for nutrients. A lack of nutrients creates patches of holes in the lawn , giving the weeds more space in the lawn and allowing them to spread more.
weed species
There are different types of weeds:
Annual weeds:
- speedwell
- daisy
- barnyardgrass
- medium plantain
- Vogelmiere
- white goose foot
- white clover
Perennial weeds:
- Hornklee
- Little Dock
- Little Brownie
- crawling bugle
- Creeping buttercup
- Ragwort
- dandelion
- wood sorrel
lawn moss:
- Hornmoose
- Laubmoose
- Lebermoose
- Torfmoose
- Silver pear moss
- sparse wrinkle brother
countermeasures
You can use home remedies and the mechanical way to combat weeds in the lawn.
nettle manure
It is said that the formic acid in nettles is said to kill weeds.
- Put the chopped, fresh sprouts of the large nettle in a large bucket
- fill up with cold water to the top
- cover all plant parts with water
- mix well
- add some rock flour to neutralize the resulting unpleasant odor
- Cover the bucket with jute and leave to ferment for 14 days
- Stir the mixture once a day during fermentation
- Done when no more gases escape
- pass the finished liquid manure through a sieve
- fill in spray bottle
- spray on the weeds in the lawn
Fertilize
To compensate for the lack of nutrients, you should fertilize your freshly sown lawn regularly. By adding nutrients, not only can weeds that have already germinated be kept in check, but new weeds can also be prevented.
For example, you can use sieved compost as a natural fertilizer, because good compost contains all the important nutrients. But also organic fertilizers from the trade, which contain phosphorus (P), nitrogen (N), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), calcium (Ca) and sulfur (S) as well as traces of manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn) , nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), molybdenum (Mo), boron (B), copper (Cu) and chlorine (Cl) has proven itself for fertilizing lawns.
Leaving
Weeds in a freshly sown lawn can be easily removed mechanically. Assuming you have the time. Dandelions and other deep-rooting plants are best planted as deeply as possible. A weed puller is very helpful for this.
liming
Liming helps to suppress the growth of moss. Mosses like to grow in acidic soil, mostly in combination with daisies, which also like a rather acidic soil. Acidic means a pH below 7.
How much lime is required per square meter of lawn depends on the soil conditions:
- heavy, clayey or loamy soils: 400 grams per square meter
- medium-heavy, loamy to sandy soils: 300 to 400 grams per square meter
- sandy or light soils: 150 to 200 grams per square meter
Black foil
Weeds, like other plants, depend on a good supply of light. If you cover them with black foil, you can deprive them of the light and thus fight them. It is best to fasten the foil with stones.
However, this can only be done well with larger weed areas so that you do not cover the freshly sprouting grass.
After 2 to 3 months the weeds will have died and you can remove the film again. If the now weed-free area is quite large, overseeding is necessary.
Prevent weeds with charcoal ash
Leftover ash from the grill or chimney helps to prevent weeds in lawns. First pull out the weeds and then sprinkle on the ashes.
Mulchen
Freshly seeded lawns can also be mulched to prevent weeds.
However, the grass should have grown a bit and, depending on the type of lawn, should have the following growth heights:
- Shade lawn: 90 to 100 millimeters
- Decorative lawn: 80 to 85 millimeters
- Sports and play turf: 70 to 80 millimeters
Conditions:
- dry lawn to prevent clods from forming
- short clippings that sink better between the still tender stalks due to their size
- Use of the right garden tools, such as mulching mowers
overseeding
In order to prevent new weeds after the weeds have been controlled, overseeding is recommended. In specialist shops you will find products that consist of fast-germinating lawn seeds and special lawn soil.
Simply fill in the bumps and gaps with the well-prepared seed, roll well and water sufficiently. The new lawn then thrives so quickly that flying weed seeds have no place to germinate.
frequently asked Questions
Vinegar and salt are often cited as traditional home remedies, but since the combination of the two kills all life in the soil, spraying with vinegar and salt is prohibited under the Plant Protection Act. Failure to comply with the law can result in severe fines.
Yes, boiling hot water will help control the weeds in the newly seeded lawn. The hot water should not reach the tender fresh blades of grass. Once the weeds have died, simply pull them out of the ground.
No, you shouldn’t do that. Only when the lawn is well consolidated. You should wait 1 to 2 years before scarifying.
