Grass typically spreads rapidly, and it can be a nightmare to stop. Finding ways to take care of a yard that is overgrown with grass might seem like a daunting task, but you can accomplish it if you know what to do and how to do it. The key to ridding your lawn of those annoying weeds and grass is to kill the roots. When grass grows too quickly, the blades start to get floppy and weak. Then it’s time to strike back — with homemade grass-killing recipes! We have compiled a collection of tried-and-true homemade grass killer that are super easy to make. Just mix these ingredients and spray away!
Natural Grass Killer Spray – homemade grass killer
Whether you need to kill weeds in the driveway, grass on a hillside, or broad patches of lawn, over-the-counter weed killers work best. But most commercial weed killers contain chemicals you should not use around children or pets. An excellent organic alternative is natural grass killer spray.
Mix the 2 ½ gallons of water and 10 ounces of borax in a bucket. Pour the resulting solution into your garden sprayer. Spray the mixture on the grass or weeds that you would like to kill (do not spray until dripping wet, or it will kill everything else around it). Spray the weeds and grass thoroughly, paying particular attention to any weeds that have grown from a previous seed deposit. The borax will absorb moisture from the weeds, making them wither away. Be sure to spray both sides of the leaves, so you penetrate right to the roots. It is crucial you ensure there is no moisture in the soil for this method to work effectively.
Spray the herbicide in a sweeping motion over sections of the unwanted grass until you have effectively covered the area. With this simple homemade grass killer recipe, you’ll be able to get rid of pesky weeds that grow where you don’t want them.
DIY Grass and Weed Killer
Invasive weeds such as crabgrass, knapweed, and dandelions can overrun your yard and ruin your lawn. If you have more weeds than grass, you may want to consider pulling up all of the existing grass and start over. If you are starting from scratch, you may want to try the following DIY grass and weed killer. (Diazepam)
Solarizing Grass
A great way to kill off pesky and unwanted grass is to solarize it. To solarize your grass:
- Mow the lawn first with the mower’s lowest setting.
- Water the area thoroughly so that the soil is wet.
- Place large sheets of plastic over the top of the grassy areas.
- Seal the edges of the plastic in place with rocks or bricks.
- Leave for up to six weeks, allowing sunlight to heat the plastic, destroying the grass underneath.
- After about two weeks, remove the rocks and plastic and rake up your dead grass.
Kill Bermuda grass and Tough Grass
We’ve all got some sort of problem with weeds and grass on our lawns. Some have more significant issues than others, with some of us having particularly tough weeds and grass growing on our properties. One such plant that can be difficult to beat is Bermuda grass. It can grow up to ten inches in height so that it will compete with your actual lawn grass quite well. This makes it an ideal candidate for a homemade weed killer.
You can use a homemade vinegar weed killer recipe to quickly and easily get rid of them. This one works far better than commercial weed killers.
If you want to get rid of weeds quickly without using any chemicals, this is the method. It’s not hard to make your organic weed killer using vinegar and dish soap. Just mix those ingredients with water in a bucket. Please use Dawn brand dish soap because it contains a sodium lauryl sulfate component, which helps the vinegar penetrate the leaves of most plants, which means better results. If you do not have Dawn liquid dish soap, then combine vinegar with any liquid dish soap for best results.
It is important to remember that this method will not work on a rainy day or windy when you are applying the herbicide. If there is windy weather, your best bet is to reschedule and just wait until it is a nice, sunny day. Then, spray the mixture on your lawn over several days until you’ve covered your entire yard. Over time, this homemade grass killer should cause the grass to die.
Repeat this process on the remaining dandelions. It’s effective as a dandelion spray, too. Eliminate those weeds without breaking a sweat.
Killing Grass in the Driveway
Killing grass with vinegar and salt might not be the first thing that comes to mind. To anyone who has experienced a case of accidental lawn poisoning, this indeed won’t seem like a viable solution. However, for those of us who have suffered at the hands of one-too-many invasive dandelions, this is a rather unconventional but effective way of dealing with an otherwise uninvited guest – and one that you may just find to your liking.
Using the solution is simple. Mix two gallons of water (approximately 1-gallon hot water and 1-gallon cold water) with two tablespoons of either white distilled vinegar or sodium chloride. Pour this homemade grass killer over five square feet of grass, and it should start to turn back the grass within an hour or two. Using vinegar to kill weeds is a cheap, green alternative that’s safe for kids and pets. As an herbicide, salt does not immediately kill the grass. It only creates a situation where there isn’t enough water in the ground for the grass to survive. Therefore, this solution should be applied only to unwanted clusters of grass.
Avoid applying the solution right after it rains or has been raining for hours before. The ingredients should not be wasted, so do not spray them directly on the sidewalk or pavement. Now, most plants will be dead in a matter of days, but to be sure that all traces of dandelions and broadleaf weeds are gone, use the method every week for a month.
Removing grass by hand
If you’re looking for a permanent solution to eliminate your lawn and get rid of the roots without chemicals, homemade grass killers are a viable option. However, if you have time and are willing to dig into your lawn, manually pulling out the unwanted grass is probably your best bet.
First, place the tip of the shovel into the ground at the edge of the grass, then apply downward pressure to the blade and pry it up in a single piece. Continue repeating this procedure in sections until you’ve taken care of all the unwanted grass.
When you need to remove large areas of grass and sods, you want to be wearing sturdy gloves and work boots. Look for garden tools with wide end-to-end blades and a heavier blade design that will make it easier to cut through sod. After removing the remaining grass clumps, remove all the dirt and organic material with a garden rake. Make sure to check for any leftover roots or grubs. If there are any grubs, make a homemade grass killer to eliminate them.
Prevent Grass from Growing Back
When creating a garden bed, it is vital to keep the area weed-free. For example, if you create a garden bed in an area with heavy foot traffic, you need to take extra precautions to prevent weeds. The best way to do this is to place layers of newspapers and cardboard over the area you wish to make into a garden bed. This will keep the soil covered so that weeds are unable to grow. You then want to cover the layers with mulch about two inches thick.
Every year (or as needed), your garden will require weeding and the addition of nutrients to maintain its health. It is best to remove the grass from alongside the flowers to prevent them from turning brown or dying from growing in grassy soil.
Regular Maintenance
Lawns come complete with their challenges, not the least of which is keeping unwanted grass from showing up in areas where you do not want it. However, with a bit of patience and a few tips, you can keep your lawn neat while using tools and methods that are more environmentally friendly than herbicides.
Making natural, homemade grass killers for clearing overgrown grass and weeds in your yard is not as difficult as you may think. Sure, it might take a bit of time and patience with the grass and weeds. Still, the alternative – having your grass and weeds grow back because you weren’t vigilant about removing them in the first place – is much more costly (both in terms of time and money) and less effective at removing the poison from these areas. Doing so requires a bit of planning and forethought but can reap big rewards down the road.
