An overgrown lawn is one that has lots of weeds overrunning the area and accumulated dirt to the extent you can’t visibly tell the edge of your yard. Which usually has a separating stone. It also has fallen leaves with a thick layer of matted grass.
It is quite easy to clean your own lawn as a DIY. You will need tools like the leaf blower, a mower, rake, fork, and a grass cutter. Don’t forget to get a pair of gloves, safety boots, and protective glasses. The cool and cold season is the best time to do it so as to not tire from the overheated sun.
Begin by mowing the grass first using a grass cutter. Keep in mind that the lower you cut the grass, the easier it will be for you to work on your lawn moving forward.
Once the yard has been trimmed out, remove all the clippings. Here you will use a rake to put them in a pile together. A fork to pick out the roots while shaking off any extra soil. As well as a wheelbarrow to carry the clippings to an already set destination.
You could use a hammer or a thick nylon sheet to carry the clippings as a huge bag of leaves. Instead of disposing of them, You could keep them to use as mulch when you are planting in the next season. Make sure you remove the dead plants as well.
While at it, prune the trees you have off the excess branches. On the other hand, if you have a hedge surrounding your home, trim it as well. This way you get to collect the whole compost waste once. Thus making your work easier.
Once you are done collecting the compost waste, till your yard. Through tilling you are turning over the soil while uprooting the roots of the weeds so that they don’t regrow again. Work through it systematically, maybe from the inside out.
After that, compact the loose soil using your boots. By just walking around while lightly stomping your feet. Then use your rake to level up your Yard. This is better than leaving them loose soil to sink over time because the yard would become uneven.
A rake is light and quite capable of producing a fine leveled area.
Other than using weed killer chemicals, mowing your lawn regularly gradually causes the weeds to disappear.
However, what do you do if your lawn has overgrown weeds?
Before doing anything, get to learn about your lawn by walking around it. This way, you get to understand your weak spots where there are holes. You get to know your dry as well as the wet areas.
The other thing you need to do is select a test area before killing the weeds on the whole lawn. So that when you get it right, it will give you the confidence to do the rest of the lawn. On the other hand, if you mess up, which I hope you don’t. It will only be in one spot. You can redeem yourself with the other spots.
By now I am sure you already grasp the concept of mowing the lawn before working on it makes work easier.
Moreover, the best time to do the weed-killing process is when there is sun but not too hot. So as to give the chemicals the opportunity to do their thing.
If you already have some of the grass that you like but it’s mixed up with the weeds, you could always put fertilizer for it to repopulate itself. You don’t have to clear out everything.
You will also need a multi-ingredient weed killer. One that contains a pre-emergent that stops the weeds before they grow. A post-emergent that kills the weeds after they grow. And fertilizer for the soil. Making the weed killer a 3 in 1.
This chemical is usually measured in square feet therefore, you need to know the size of your lawn in square feet. It will help you know the amount of chemical to use that is suitable.
Once you have measured and mixed it well, Walk around your lawn with a spreader. Spray the selected area. Then leave the chemicals to sink in within the time instructed by the manual. To work up the weeds from the roots.
Apart from weeding, you can also reclaim your overgrown garden through mulching. Which is the process of covering the lawn with a layer of some mineral materials. This material used to cover is called mulch.
Mulching can be done all throughout the year but the summer is the best time. The sun encourages living organisms such as worms which help with breaking down the weeds to be incorporated into the soil.
If you have cardboards begin by laying them down on top of your weeds. This can either go two ways. One is if the soil is soft and the weeds easy to pull out with hands then there is no point in disturbing the soil and its structure.
Just lay the cardboard, then the sawdust followed by minerals. Which would be compost and leaf mulch. As long as the area is fully covered, the weeds will rot, die then get incorporated into the soil.
The other option applies when your soil structure is not as soft. Here you will dig out the weeds but leave them on the ground. Then continue on with the same process as described above.
If you don’t have cardboard, you can use a thick nylon sheet or just begin with your sawdust. Both items will still do the work. Provided you give the living organisms time to do their thing.
If you have a garden with different beds for different plants and the weeds have overgrown, it is best if you pull them out by hand. Weeds eat up all the nutrients leaving the plants malnourished.
The reason why you should pull them by hand is so as to not disturb the soil structure. You see while you were planting, you must have turned over the soil hence making it lose. Therefore, moving around with a fork to pull out the weeds would weaken the soil.
So, pull out the weeds gently and collect them in a pile. You could use it as mulch in the near future. This method is nurturing and relaxing as you nurse your plants. You get to spend time in nature which is good for your health.
This method does not apply if you don’t have plants but your garden is full of overgrown weeds. You can’t pull them out by hand. It is not only tiresome but also dangerous. You might end up with cuts from the thorns of the weeds.
Therefore you will need a grass cutter to cut down the weeds as short as possible. Then use a rake to collect them all together in a pile and you can choose to dispose of them, burn them or use them as mulch.
Now since the roots of the weeds are still in the grass, you will need a weed killer herbicide. Just spray it on and leave it undisturbed as per the time period indicated in the manual.
After that, till the area to remove the roots and turn over the soil. Your garden is now ready for new plants.
Or you can cover the soil with clear plastic and secure the plastic with rocks at the edge. Leave the plastic in place for at least 8 weeks. During this time, the sun and warm temperatures will kill weed spores in the soil.
After that, to see if the soil is dry enough to work on. Scoop up a handful and form it up into a ball in your hand. Poke it nicely and if the soil breaks apart then it is ready to cultivate. On the other hand, if it holds its shape, leave it for another week or so then test it again.
Then cultivate the soil down to a depth of about 6-8 inches to prepare it for planting. Rake the garden to level it up, add compost, and spread it evenly across. Leave the area unplanted for 3 weeks for the soil and compost to intermingle.
Turn over the soil one more time before planting to mix the compost and the soil well.
In conclusion, it takes time to reach the lawn of your desire. Be patient with yourself and the garden as well. The overgrown weeds should not discourage you.
Always plan the time to dedicate to your lawn with the seasons. Get the materials to use in advance and don’t shy off from asking for help. Before you get to do it yourself.
You never know, you might decide to eat fresh veggies from your garden. Or have a nice picnic outdoors on your beautiful grass.
Keep in mind that the soil is a living thing and can always be revived. Happy gardening!