Weeds in the lawn: weed killers & alternatives

Weeds sometimes creep in where only lawn should actually grow. We offer various methods of combating weeds.

The occurrence and composition of unwanted companion plants in your lawn are no coincidence. The original soil preparations before the lawn, the type of soil, mowing routine and the soil pH promote a very specific accumulation of weeds. These weeds are precisely adapted to the conditions prevailing on your lawn. Often they can be curbed or driven away by changes in the site conditions. Inadequate soil preparation is difficult to reverse and the type of soil can only be changed to a small extent. But with planned care measures and changed mowing and fertilizing habits, you can effectively make life difficult for many weeds.

Correctly identify weeds in the lawn

When combating weeds or grass weeds, it is of great importance whether the unwanted plants are seed or root weeds. Because these two groups have different survival strategies and must therefore also be combated with other measures.

Root weeds in the lawn

Most root weeds grow quickly and are highly adaptable to adverse environmental conditions such as poorly drained soils. They can also reproduce via seeds, but are mainly characterized by their pronounced root stock. This rhizome enables the root weeds to survive for several years as well as a very high regenerative capacity. The control of most root weeds is rather tedious and tedious. The often deep roots must be completely removed. This is where the plants store nutrients in order to be able to sprout again and again.

Seed weeds in the lawn

Seed weeds are usually annual, so they die after one growing season. In order for their species to survive, these plants produce large numbers of seeds. The best way to combat seed weeds is to remove them before the seeds form, for example mowing the lawn during flowering. However, birds or the wind can carry seeds of the same weeds onto your lawn again in the next year. However, if you always remove the flowers in good time, a turf-displacing spread can easily be averted.

The most common weeds in the lawn

Below you will find the most common weeds found in the lawn, the causes of their occurrence and ways to control them.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)

The common dandelion prefers nutrient-rich, deep clay soils, but is found almost everywhere. Characteristic are its yellow cup-shaped flowers and its large, coarse-toothed leaves that form a basal rosette. The dandelion spreads quickly, especially in gaps in turf, and takes up a lot of space from the lawn. The dandelion, with its strong tap root, is one of the perennial weeds. The seeds of the "dandelion" are spread very widely by the wind. The best way to protect your lawn from the dandelions is to carefully pull the plants out of the ground together with the entire taproot with a weeding cutter. To avoid further spreading, mowing takes place before the yellow flower turns into a dandelion.

Daisies (Bellis perennis)

Similar to the dandelion, the daisy defies frequent and deep mowing of the lawn. The beautiful little flowers are very adaptable and do not have great demands on the soil. Due to the formation of short runners and many seeds, the visually appealing little plant can spread quickly. Individual plants can be easily removed with the weed cutter. Any gaps that have arisen are sown with lawn.

White clover (Trifolium repens)

White clover is also common in lawns and provides a welcome source of nectar for bees. Hobby beekeepers therefore only mow the lawn after flowering - but before the seeds have formed. Anyone who wants to protect barefooters or children from bee stings mows before they bloom or tries to get rid of the white clover.

Clover loves nutrient-rich soils, but can still grow on the poorest sandy soils. Getting rid of it is very difficult, which is why every part of the plant must be removed early on. Regular mowing before the clover seeds form is particularly important so that it does not spread any further.
If the clover is only present in places, it is worthwhile to cut it out generously and then do another Lawn repair.

If the clover is established throughout the lawn, unfortunately nothing helps except the use of a selective herbicide or the complete plowing of the lawn and re-sowing - of course after all parts of the clover have been removed from the ground Has.
By the way: In landscaping, the cut-tolerant and vigorous clover is also often used as a lawn substitute. If you want to live with the subtenant, you can simply leave it in the lawn. The only important thing is to take good care of the lawn and not to mow it too deep so that it is not displaced by the clover.

Plantain (Plantago major)

The plantain is - just like its brother the plantain (Plantago lanceolata) - a very resilient plant. For this reason we know them both from cow pastures and forest roads. Plantain trees can spread very quickly and uncomfortably and take up a lot of space. The individual plants are best pricked out.

Tip: If you are stung by an insect in nature and you happen to see a ribwort plantain straight away, you are in luck. Chew a ribwort leaf and put the somewhat disgusting leaf and saliva mixture on the insect bite. The active ingredients of the leaf help against the swelling.

Creeping buttercup (Ranunculus repens)

The plant, which belongs to the poisonous buttercup family, is popularly referred to as "buttercup". As the name suggests, the plant with the beautiful yellow flowers forms creeping runners that can become uncontrollable. Individual plants should be pricked out as early as possible to prevent them from spreading. Creeping buttercups are particularly comfortable on wet, poorly drained soils. In the long term, it can be reduced by better drainage of the soil.

Speedwell (veronica species)

Speedwell's pale purple flowers are deceptively beautiful. The rapidly growing and runners-forming speedwell creates proper cushions in the lawn and thus suffocates the grass. It is difficult to control, so it is worth acting immediately the first time it is infected. If there are only a few nests at first, these are gouged out over a large area. Of course, the resulting gaps are then re-sown. If the honorary award has already spread, that helps Scarifying the lawn after flowering (before seed formation), as this weakens the plant. The scarifying material should be carefully removed and under no circumstances be thrown onto the compost. Frequent too mowing do not like the honorary award.

Other common lawn weeds are yarrow (Achilea millefolium), Creeping Gunsel (Ajuga reptans), Hop clover (Medicago lupulina, also called yellow clover) and Chickweed (Stellaria media). In the manner of successful control, however, they do not differ significantly from the weeds described. Two grass weeds, the couch grass (Elymus repens) and the Common panicle (Poa trivialis), are only really perceived as annoying by particularly ambitious ornamental lawn gardeners. However, not even the usual lawn herbicides work against them.

Kill weeds in the lawn

Preventing weed infestation is worthwhile and is usually less of a hassle than later clearing a heavily weed lawn of accompanying plants.

What can be done preventively against weeds in the lawn?

• Before laying the lawn, the soil should be prepared so that it is permeable to water and air. This increases the competitiveness of the lawn grass against the weeds.
• Subsequent can through regular Aerating the lawn and Lawn sands the water and air permeability of the soil can be improved. Our fine-grain, easy-to-spread one is ideal for sanding Plantura lawn sand which can be distributed for improved root ventilation. A lawn with healthy, strong roots is much more competitive with weeds and cannot be displaced so quickly.
• If you have a particularly heavy soil, which can only be improved slightly by drainage or adding sand, you should use seeds that are adapted to the location. Some grasses cope better with heavy soil and are then more resistant to weeds than other grasses.
• The pH of the soil can be checked and brought into the optimal range for lawns. You may need to have your Liming the lawn. A pH value that is too low is a frequent driver of weeds and moss in the lawn. A high-quality, finely-grained lime is ours, for example Plantura garden limethat brings acidic soils back into balance.

• Many weeds do not cope well with the constant loss of mass when mowing. So they can be kept at bay by frequent, deep mowing.
• To prevent weeds, the lawn should be fertilized regularly and appropriately. Lawn is a garden dweller who is hungry for nutrients. Lawn fertilizer should be nitrogen-stressed in spring and potassium-stressed in late summer or autumn - this is beneficial dense, frost and drought tolerant lawn that is not easily overrun by less demanding weeds will. Our Plantura organic lawn fertilizer and our Plantura organic autumn lawn fertilizer are precisely adapted to the needs of the lawn grass and provide all the necessary nutrients.

Home remedies for weeds in the lawn

Almost every lawn owner has problems with weeds in the lawn, provided that the weeds disturb him. All the more myths are circulating among amateur gardeners about the best control methods.

Which home remedies help against weeds, which are more likely to harm?

• Salt and vinegar: Many people know salt and vinegar as natural all-purpose products in the household and believe that they can also be used in the garden. In nature, however, salt and vinegar not only cause damage to weeds, but also to the surrounding plants and the soil. So vinegar and salt have absolutely no place in the garden.
• Hot water: If reseeding is planned, weeds can be watered with hot water before cutting out. After drying, they can be easily removed. If you do not want to reseed, with this method the risk is too great that lawn will also be destroyed.
• Flaming in front of the new installation: For areas on which, for example, the New lawn must - so the lawn has to give way anyway - careful weed killing is necessary. With the help of weed burners, the entire area can be flamed. Dark plastic sheets can be spread out on the surface and weighted down. The warmer it is, the faster the underlying vegetation will die off.
• Prevent and cut out in good time: The best "home remedy" for weeds is and remains the early, careful pricking out of the weeds and all of their roots. This is a good way of preventing weed infestation that will displace the lawn.

Important: After weeding, do not forget to close gaps in the sward that have been created by weeds. Gaps that have arisen in other ways must always be re-sown to avoid weed infestation. It is best to use special fast-growing seeds like ours to repair bald spots Plantura lawn repair. If the soil has not been fertilized immediately beforehand, it can be fertilized. Closing gaps and fertilizing will help the lawn become competitive with weeds again. Because gaps and bald spots really attract weeds to use the free space for their own purposes.

Weed killer against weeds in the lawn

Although some weeds can only move mechanically with a great deal of perseverance or sometimes not in chemical weed killer should really do the very last Be the solution. The use of a so-called herbicide has many disadvantages from an ecological point of view and should be carefully considered. Before using a weed killer, you always have to be aware that the lawn in the garden can also be an area that contributes to the biodiversity of flora and fauna. In house gardens, where there may also be children playing or pets on the lawn, weed killers are better avoided anyway.

Weed killer in the test

Most lawn herbicides are based on active ingredients that specifically intervene in the metabolism of dicotyledonous, i.e. herbaceous plants. When used, the monocot plants, including the lawn grasses, are spared. Of course, the monocot weed weed remain unaffected, for example the particularly unpleasant bluegrass (Poa annua) or the Heinsimse (Lazula campestris). Many weeds such as the speedwell, the plantain and the daisy are very resistant and need to perform two or more herbicide applications, each four to six weeks apart are. Chemical destruction of weeds is therefore not done with quick spraying either - especially since after weed destruction is followed by overseeding and fertilization.

Important advice when using herbicides:

• Keep in mind that most lawn weed killers will kill all dicotyledonous plants. Flowers and vegetables must therefore be protected from spray drift.
• The best application periods are in spring and late summer. These seasons are also ideal for subsequent reseeding.
• Observe all warnings, instructions for use and protective regulations on the product label or insert.

Mixing lawn fertilizer with weed killer: is that possible?

Lawn in combination with weeds may not be ideal for some, but it has the advantage that it creates a closed green carpet. After using weed killers, the lawn often looks very different: it is bare and anything but closed. Therefore, after the herbicide application, a Turf overseeding and also one Lawn fertilization occur. The fertilizer strengthens the remaining grass and reseeding closes the gaps in the sward. Weed killers that are combined with lawn fertilizer do two of the three work steps and then only need to be supplemented with mechanical overseeding. If the overseeding is done with a spreader, seeds and fertilizer can of course also be combined there.

Proper care is an important measure to prevent weeds. In our article you will learn everything about Lawn care all year round.