I'm looking to completely eliminate my existing lawn, which is about 6,000 square feet of mixed grasses and weeds, so I can till the soil and reseed with a native grass. I'm considering solarization or using an herbicide. Can anyone suggest an herbicide that effectively kills everything but breaks down within a couple of months? I'd prefer not to have any lingering chemicals in the soil after I'm done.
4 Answers
If you're looking to avoid harmful chemicals, I'd recommend going with solarization and tilling. There's really no herbicide that can selectively kill certain plants without affecting others. I've done something similar before, using the tarp and till method to prepare a garden. It was a lot of work, but I was happy with the results.
Using a big tarp has worked wonders for me when prepping areas for planting. I think it's safer to avoid chemicals when possible. If you're not in a rush, I recommend tarping your lawn and working in sections. It might take longer, but it minimizes any risk associated with herbicides. Plus, once you remove the tarp, you can do some light tilling and then seed.
I'd advise against tilling right after using an herbicide since that might stir up dormant seeds in the soil. There’s a bunch of great resources online about lawn removal if you search for 'extension' articles. They have a lot of useful info!
I would personally choose an herbicide for your situation. Once the herbicide dries, it typically doesn't affect other plants unless they were sprayed directly. There might be some trace amounts left in the soil, but it shouldn’t harm your new grass once it establishes.