Many garden owners know the problem: The once dense, lush greenery has large gaps in which more and more weeds are settling and it is urgently necessary to re-lay the lawn. But do all the weeds have to be painstakingly removed first? Or is there a less strenuous but still effective way to do it? We answer these questions in the following article.
How can I sow lawns and control weeds at the same time?
To sow lawns on weed-infested soil, you should mow the lawn deeply, scarify, dig out weeds, level the ground and sow lawn seeds. Use starter lawn fertilizer to inhibit weed growth and water regularly for successful germination.
1. Step: Mow the lawn deeply
Before you can start fighting weeds and planting new ones, you should mow the lawn as deep as possible. Since many electric mowers have problems cutting dandelions and other weeds at a height of around four centimeters, you may want to borrow a powerful gasoline mower (€309.00 at Amazon) for this work. Set this to the lowest mowing level.
Step 2: Scarifying
- Set the device so that the blades cut a few centimeters deep into the soil.
- Drive once lengthways and once across the lawn, this will remove moss and weeds optimally.
- Everything that the scarifier has loosened is then thoroughly removed from the lawn.
You will be amazed at how many weeds have already disappeared thanks to this measure. You should dig up any larger weed nests that remain in the greenery after this work. A weed puller is particularly helpful for dandelions, with which you can lift the long taproot completely out of the ground.
Step 3: Level the lawn
Removing weed roots and moss usually creates uneven surfaces. Apply a layer of sandy topsoil here. You can also use this to fill the holes that the weed cutter may have left behind.
Step 4: Sow the lawn
Now it's time to sow fresh greens. Choose a special seed mixture for lawn renovation and spread it with a spreader. This means that the seeds are distributed seamlessly and evenly over the entire area.
So that weeds cannot immediately establish themselves again, you should supply the lawn with a starter lawn fertilizer. It has a high phosphorus and nitrogen content, which is bound in a urea compound that is optimal for the lawn and also works against weeds.
Cover the seeds with a fine layer of humus. To ensure that the seeds have good soil contact, you can now compact the area with a lawn roller. Then water with a soft jet.
Tip
Don't let the lawn dry out in the first few weeks so that the seeds germinate quickly. It then forms a dense network of fine roots that prevent weed seeds from sprouting.