Creating a new flower meadow or lawn means a lot of work - of which simply digging is only a small part.
When and how should you dig up a meadow?
A meadow should be dug up to improve the soil, promote aeration and remove unwanted vegetation. The meadow is dug up with a spade or tractor, larger stones and roots are removed and the soil is then left to rest for three to four weeks.
When should a meadow be dug up?
Digging up a meadow can be necessary for various reasons - be it to either create a new meadow or to transform it into an even lawn free of any weeds. In both cases it is important to get rid of the original vegetation, improve the soil and generally loosen it up for better ventilation. Digging may also become necessary if the meadow is too wet and needs to be drained or if numerous mole and vole tracks need to be removed. Digging may also be necessary during straightening.
Digging is usually not enough for a new plant
If the meadow just needs to be reseeded, digging it up is usually enough. Only in the case of a completely new plant should you remove and dispose of the top layer of soil with the vegetation mown as short as possible using a flat spade. Otherwise, there is a risk that the rhizomes and seeds present in the soil will cause undesirable plants to sprout again and again, which then have to be laboriously weeded by hand. If you want to save yourself this effort, remove the top layer including rhizomes and seeds and apply new soil - ideally a lean soil-sand mixture.
Digging up a meadow – this is how it’s done
How you actually dig up the meadow depends primarily on its size. A small garden meadow can be dug up by hand with a good spade (€29.00 on Amazon), assuming you have enough muscle strength and stamina, which is simply impossible with a larger horse meadow. Here you have to rely on the power of the tractor and plow instead of muscle power. But no matter how you dig, you collect larger stones and roots as you go. This is best done with a fork spade. After thorough digging, the soil must first rest for about three to four weeks before you break it up and crumble it finely using a rake or harrow.
Tips & Tricks
When it comes to weed removal, many (hobby) farmers swear by the weed killer Roundup, which can be used to kill practically all greens. However, Roundup contains the very discredited active ingredient glyphosate, which, according to numerous scientific studies, is highly carcinogenic and has other he alth consequences. For this reason, you should think carefully about your use and use less toxic methods.
