I've been tackling the weeds in my yard manually, but it's proving to be a real challenge, especially with the larger ones that just won't budge. There's one area measuring about 8x12 feet that's completely overrun with weeds! I'm looking for the best organic methods to deal with this, especially considering I have two dogs and two kids who will be using the yard this summer. I live in the Pacific Northwest, so if there are any region-specific tips, that would be super helpful!
3 Answers
What kind of weeds are you dealing with? If they happen to be harmless like dandelions, you might consider letting some of them stay while you mow frequently. Mowing tends to favor the grass over the leafy weeds. But yeah, those stubborn dandelions can be tricky to get rid of entirely!
If it's really as bad as you say, you might consider killing everything and starting fresh with reseeding or resodding. Just a heads up, using traditional weed killers could stop grass from growing too. Think of it as a dental care routine for your lawn; keeping up with it is important. If you fall too far behind, you might have to start from scratch, but it's a lot less painful than it sounds!
Just so you know, there are herbicides that won't harm grass, so that's an option if you're open to it!
If you want to keep your grass instead of going for bare dirt, try mowing the weeds down really short. Then, overseed with grass and clover seeds and make sure to water them frequently. As the weeds grow back, just keep mowing them down and pull any weeds that start to flower before they seed. Repeat this process monthly until your grass and clover take over the area.
Sounds like a solid plan! But if you do want a bare area, you could use a natural spray made from vinegar, salt, and a little dish soap. It'll help kill the weeds, but you'll need to reapply it as new seeds sprout.
I mostly have dandelions, but lucky me, my little one loves mowing, so we do it every couple of days!