Seeing weeds in your lawn is the most frustrating thing. Nobody wants to see weeds growing on their lawn instead of grass.
Which grass seed can kill weeds? Zoysia grass seed is the hardest seed. While only seeding will not work to kill weeds from your lawn but if you seed Zoysia grass in your lawn, then it will grow thick and choke out all the weeds, and will not allow them to grow.
Now you know which plant you want to reseed in your lawn but why are weeds in your lawn in the first place and how are you going to reseed your lawn properly so that weeds don’t come back and ruin all your efforts?
Why weed is growing on your lawn?
Weeds grow in your lawn when it’s not properly maintained and has very thin grass. If your lawn is acidic, which means the pH level is low and not between 6-7, then it can attract weeds to your lawn.
There are other reasons for weed growth in your lawn let’s discuss them:
- Overwatering – weeds are very hardy plants that can grow anywhere in any conditions, so when you overwater your lawn and make it difficult for the grasses as the roots of the grass rot due to excess water, weeds take advantage of that and thrive in your lawn.
- Low nitrogen level – the basic need for grass to grow is nitrogen in the soil, if your lawn has a low nitrogen level lawn it will be very difficult for the grass to be thick. On the other hand, weeds don’t need many nutrients to grow and thrive. So if you are seeing weeds in your lawn, you need to fertilize it properly and provide it with nitrogen and other essential nutrients.
Should you reseed the lawn without killing weeds?
You can reseed your lawn, without killing the weeds but it would not be very effective as weeds are very tough plants to fight and grass can’t do that. To properly remove weeds from your lawn, first, try to kill all of them and clear your lawn and make it healthy for the grass to grow.
How to kill weeds
To kill weeds in your lawn, there are two ways, the first is to manually dig up all the weeds and then reseed the whole lawn. Or the other one is to use a chemical herbicide to first kill all the weeds and then remove them with the help of a rake.
Use pre-emergent herbicide to stop any unwanted seed germination due to all the removal of seeds.
How to overseed your lawn with zoysia to avoid weeds
Zoysia grass is a very popular grass that many lawn owners prefer. Zoysia grass requires full sunlight to grow. Its thick layer also makes it very attractive and helps to block any unwanted weeds in the lawn. If you want to remove weeds from your lawn and reseed it, then zoysia is going to be a very good choice.
Let’s take a look at how to properly reseed your lawn with zoysia grass:
- Test the soil – The first step to reseed a lawn with any grass seed is to test the soil of the lawn. This step is to ensure the soil is healthy for the seeds to germinate and support thick growth.
- Fertilize – after you have tested your soil, you would know how much nutrients your soil has and how much it needs to be in the best condition for the seed. Fertilize the soil according to that.
- Pre-emergent herbicide – there is a possibility that weeds can grow back in your lawn from the seeds left behind in the soil. To prevent this apply pre-emergent herbicide to your lawn. It will block any new seed germination and kill it.
- Aerate and dethatch – aeration and dethatching are very crucial before reseeding as it ensures that the soil is loose and will not block essential nutrients to go into the roots of the grass. You can scarify your lawn too, to get the best result.
- Reseeding – this is the most crucial part, so doing it properly is very necessary. To reseed your lawn, first, divide the whole batch of seed into two parts and first reseed it horizontally and then vertically to ensure that the whole lawn has been reseeded.
- Watering – water your lawn very lightly and frequently for the first 7 to 10 days. What it does is ensure that the soil is moist for seed germination. Don’t water your lawn heavily for the first initial days.
- Starter fertilizer – After you have reseeded your lawn, apply starter fertilizer to the lawn, this will boost the germination process of the lawn.
- The final step – take care of your lawn by proper watering, fertilization, and mowing. This will ensure that the lawn stays healthy and thick all year round.
How to prevent weeds in your lawn after seeding
The best way to prevent weeds from your lawn is to maintain it properly. Having thick grass on the lawn will ensure that there is no place for weeds to grow in the first place. So let’s talk about how you should maintain your lawn to prevent weeds:
- Proper nutrients in the soil – plants need 3 main components in the grass to grow. Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are called NPK. These nutrients are provided in the right quantities to the soil will help the grass grow thick and healthy and block any weeds or unwanted plants in your lawn.
Also, weeds love to grow on bad soil with low nutrient levels, so maintaining the nutrition level is very important.
- Proper watering – Watering is a very crucial part of maintaining a lawn. After two to three weeks of seeding, reduce the frequency of watering and increase the quantity of water in your lawn. What this will do is make your grass-root grow deeper into the soil to take water and make your grass drought and heat-resistant. In summer your grass won’t become yellow or brown due to low moisture or heat and maintain its health and colour.
- Mowing is crucial – doing routine mowing of your lawn is important for a healthy and maintained lawn to avoid any weeds. If you mow regularly, it will promote the sideways growth of the grass, which will make you look thicker and healthier and will leave no places for the weed to grow. Mow your lawn between 2 to 3 inches in length and don’t mow more than 1/3rd of your lawn at a time or it can stress the grass or stop grass growth in your lawn.
- Apply herbicide every spring – apply a batch of herbicide to your lawn at the start of the spring to block any weed growth in your lawn. This will make sure your lawn doesn’t have any chance of growing weeds in it. Keep in mind to apply herbicide in proper quantity by reading the label, or it can damage the grass as well and make you ugly and unhealthy.
- Aerate every two years – aeration is very important for the lawn to be healthy, as a well-aerated lawn helps the grass root to get all the nutrients from the soil. If your lawn is not aerated and had compacted soil then it can block essential nutrients like nitrogen and water to get to the roots of the grass and make the lawn thin and unhealthy. On the other hand, weed thrives on compacted soil, so it will become a greater problem for you to solve.
What will kill weed seeds?
The best way to kill weed seeds is to use a pre-emergent herbicide. Pre-emergent herbicide blocks the germination process of the seeds and makes your lawn free from weeds. Apply a pre-emergent herbicide at the start of the spring or before it, so the seeds get killed before they start germinating.
