Non-weedkiller Options
You can obviously use weed killers if you want to remove weeds from a lawn. But I prefer to garden organically where possible and think more people should, so if you want to use a weed killer then just hop on Amazon and find one, there are tonnes of options for use on lawns. This guide is more for organic options that don’t harm wildlife.
Aerating & scarifying
This is a great method to stimulate growth and promote healthy grass growth. Aeration is where you put lots of small holes into your lawn with either a fork or a specialised aerator.
When the soil is opened up air and nutrients are allowed to penetrate deep into the grassroots, encouraging strong growth. Without aeration water doesn’t drain away as well, leading to a poorer quality lawn.
Scarifying is the process of removing dead grass and moss from the surface of your lawn, usually with a rake. This removes this top layer of dead grass which can prevent new, healthy grass from growing. It also has the added benefit of removing surface moss.
Please note that your lawn can look quite untidy after this process, but rest assured that it will recover and look better than ever.
Remove big weeds by hand
It is useful to remove large weeds, such as dandelions, by hand using a handheld spade. With dandelions, it is important to remove as much of the root structure as possible to prevent them from growing back. It is also encouraged to remove dandelions in spring before they have had time to flower and spread their seeds.
Mowing methods
Mowing regularly helps to kill weeds, they are not as resilient as grass and do not like being cut back frequently, try and cut your lawn weekly if possible.
It is also advisable not to cut too short as this can encourage the growth of creeping weeds as well as provide lots of sunlight for the weeds already growing on your lawn.
It is also best practice to use a grass catcher when cutting your lawn, this will help to catch the seeds of any weeds as they are cut. if you cut without a catcher attached then these seeds will just end up straight back on your lawn.
Tools
When it comes to tools to remove weeds from your lawn then there are many different options available to you, some designed solely for this purpose.
Weed Puller
A weed pulled features claws on the end that grip onto the weed and then lever it out of the soil. Very useful for removing weeds like dandelions from the middle of a lawn. If you are interested in a weed puller then check out my Fiskars Xact Weed Puller Review.
Dandelion Remover
This simple tool allows you to easily remove Dandelions from the middle of your lawn. This tool definitely makes it a lot easier to remove weeds and in particular dandelions.
Weed Burners
I have written an article all about the best weed burners these are tools that allow you to easily burn and kill weeds. Though maybe not the best choice for a lawn as they will also harm your grass they are ideal for use on paths and around the edges of lawns.
Lawn Scarifier
A lawn scarifier is a great way of removing weeds from a lawn using machinery – avoiding back-breaking work!
What to do next?
Now that you have successfully cleared your lawn of weeds it would be a great time to lay down some fresh seed to really get that lawn into a beautiful lush green state.