Killing Grass and Weeds

How do I kill the grass and weeds in a large area of my back yard? It is hard to cut with a lawn mower. I want to put down some mulch or something, but do not want to cut the grass?

Rose from New Jersey

Answers:

Killing Grass and Weeds

Give the area a good low cutting. Cover with thick black plastic. Make sure it is secure so it won't blow away. leave it until this time next year and then remove plastic. Cover area with landscape fabric and then mulch. The landscape fabric ensures that seeds from weeds the wind cares doesn't take root and start growing. (05/17/2005)

By Janette

Killing Grass and Weeds

I am NOT a gardener, but this method worked WONDERFULLY for me --- Cut the grass -or don't, it won't matter!- and then cover the area with a thick layer of old newspaper (wet newsprint is easier to work with). Cover the newspaper with mulch - enough to hold/weigh the paper down. The newspaper will not only stop the weeds, but will NOT hurt the environment like plastic or chemicals might.

The idea comes from the book Lasagna Gardening.
(05/18/2005)

By jordan

Killing Grass and Weeds

Hi,
I use the newspaper covered with straw or mulch in my beds and it works wonderfully! Try putting at least 30 pages or more thick to make sure it is enough to choke out the weeds. You will love this and it is not messy like using plastic etc. (06/20/2005)

By Julie Braswell.

Killing Grass and Weeds

We have found that the newspaper really works and eventually it will decompose and that is good for the lawn. Here is how we did all of our flower beds:

1. We loosened up the soil and pulled up really large weeds or flowers.

2. Wet the soil well and then began layering newspaper in all of the bed. When we came to a spot that I wanted to plant something I stopped and carefully dug the hole and put lots of newspaper around it. I also watered down the newspaper in order to get it to lay down. I saved up newspaper for a long time for this and really laid it thick.

3. After making sure that you get every spot covered with newspaper I put down black landscape fabric and then a layer of red mulch on top. My neighbors all have weeds growing in their flower beds and will have to redo the whole flower beds this year. I will only have to cut through the black plastic and dig through the newspaper and I can plant whatever. Make sure that the newspaper is thoroughly wet.

I expect my flowerbeds to be weed free for a couple of years while my neighbors must do this every spring! I will probably throw a little more mulch over the existing mulch just to keep it fresh looking.
Ellen (04/04/2006)

By Ellen

Killing Grass and Weeds

The newspaper is really great idea, I used it many times and it works great. There are many things out that can do the same job as the newspaper, but the newspaper one is cheap or even free (if you can use some paper you got for free). I also learned if you use dog urine, it does the job even better then the newspaper. It maybe sound weird but it works so much faster. If you have any questions just ask me. -Adam B.
(04/18/2006)

By Adam B.

Killing Grass and Weeds

What about using something like salt or boiling water? I've heard that works, and its good for the environment. It will have a longer effect. (06/17/2007)

By mikayla

Killing Grass and Weeds

I put rocks on the front porch and the grass is growing through it need to kill it.

Horacio (09/15/2008)