How to Kill Grass and Weeds: 10 Natural Methods

When it comes to maintaining your flower bed or upgrading your landscape, one challenge most people encounter is removing grass.

However, many gardeners don’t like using chemical herbicides to eliminate grass since it can affect soil health, plant life, and the environment.

If you prefer using organic ways for landscape maintenance, you can try several methods that require little to no tools.

Plus, some of these options include household products, making them affordable.

Here’s how to kill grass and weeds using natural options, and see which one works best for your needs.

10 Natural Ways to Kill Grass or Weeds in Your Garden Bed or Lawn

If you want to kill grass in flower beds or lawn areas, try one or a combination of these natural methods.

Dig Out Grass and Weeds

Digging out or pulling weeds and grass is the simplest and most affordable way to remove them, especially for small spaces.

It also ensures you pull the grass down to its root system, preventing it from growing again.

However, this method can be laborious and time-consuming for some people.

To make digging easier, use tools like a flat-edge shovel, rake, hand weeder, hand fork, or hoe.

Before digging, water the grass one to two days before digging to make the soil moist. It makes it easier to dig it out and remove the roots.

For easier digging, work during spring or fall when soil naturally retains more moisture.

When digging, make sure to mark where to dig, including its edges, to avoid digging out irrigation lines if you have a system in place.

Use Cardboard or Paper

Using layers of paper or cardboard, also called sheet composting, smother the grass and prevent it from receiving sunlight.

Without sunlight and other nutrients, the grass stops growing and dies.

Additionally, the cardboard and paper will decompose over time, helping to break down the grass while adding nutrients to the soil.

Here’s how to suppress the grass:

1. Mow your lawn first.
2. Cover the area with cardboard, newspaper, or sheet paper.
3. Add multiple layers of paper or cardboard. You can use both materials and use them alternately. Aim for four to six layers.
4. Wet the layers generously with water.
5. Cover it with mulch.

This method offers an effective and affordable way to eliminate grass, especially for medium-sized areas with less grass or weeds.

However, this method takes time to work fully. While grass initially dies off in 4-8 weeks, complete decomposition takes 3-6 months.

This is especially true for warm-season grasses like Bermuda or Zoysia that have spreading underground root systems.

Consider this method if you’re not in a hurry to plant or use the area.

Cover with a Weed Barrier Landscape Fabric

A weed control fabric or landscape fabric is also another way to smother grass and prevent weeds and weed seeds from growing.

It’s a large, permeable sheet that blocks sunlight but allows water and air to pass through.

However, note that most landscape fabrics significantly reduce water penetration and gas exchange over time. This potential drawback can lead to poor soil health.

Landscape fabric is ideal for large areas, though it’s more expensive than other options mentioned in this list.

If you’re willing to invest, consider buying commercial-grade weed barrier fabrics for durability and longevity.

Follow these steps to use a weed barrier and suppress grass or weeds effectively:

1. Roll the weed barrier fabric open and place it on the area.
2. If you have existing plants in the area, cut holes for them to pass through.
3. Pin down the fabric using garden staples.
4. Leave it for a few months until the grass wilts and dies.

This process also takes a few months to see results, and it’s recommended to use this during spring or fall when weeds and weed seeds grow.

If you need a faster alternative, consider the other methods below this list.

Place a Layer of Mulch Over Soil

Mulching is similar to sheet composting in that you must cover and suppress grass from growing.

The best mulch materials include wood chips, grass clippings, leaves, pine needles, and other organic materials.

You can also use inorganic materials, like rocks and gravel.

To use this method, apply a thick layer of mulch on top to smother the weeds and grass.

Aim for three to four inches of your preferred mulch. The mulch layer should be thick enough to block sunlight and suppress grass growth, but not excessive.

However, avoid putting too much mulch to avoid attracting pests, promoting fungal diseases, and creating anaerobic soil conditions.

Mulch is also perfect for preventing grass in flower beds since it suppresses and adds extra aesthetics to your garden, depending on the material.

The best seasons to apply mulch and prepare soil for planting are during spring or fall.

Solarize Large Areas

If you have a large space, the best way to kill your lawn grass is by heating it using a clear plastic sheet or an old window.

It’s as if you’re putting a big magnifying glass to heat and kill the grass.

To solarize your grass, here’s what you can do:

1. Mow or trim the area to shorten the grass.
2. Cover the turf with glass or a large clear plastic sheet.
3. Hold down the plastic using garden staples or rocks. If you’re using a glass, hold it down with rocks.
4. Wait for a few weeks or months until the grass dies.
5. Remove all the grass once it wilts.

Consider doing this in the summer to maximize the heat from the sun.

Pour Boiling Water

Pouring boiling water is an affordable and effective way to eliminate grass quicker, which takes around three to seven days to die.

You only need to boil water using a kettle, pour it directly onto the grass or weed, and dig out the dead plants once wilted.

However, consider the following downsides:

• Apply boiled water several times to eliminate the grass.
• Be careful not to pour hot water on yourself and nearby plants to avoid harming yourself and other crops.
• This method is inconvenient in large spaces since it will take time.
• It only works best on new weeds. Those with deeper roots will not be completely killed.

Nonetheless, try this method if you only need to remove a small patch of grass.

Use Vinegar

The acetic acid in vinegar can kill grass, but you’d need a high concentration of acetic acid to wilt it properly.

So, it’s recommended to use horticulture vinegar (20% to 30% acetic acid) instead of regular household vinegar (5% acetic acid) to make this method more effective.

Horticulture vinegar’s high acid concentration can cause serious skin burns and eye damage.

So, wear long sleeves, gloves, and eye protection (e.g., goggles or a face shield) and handle the solution carefully to keep yourself safe.

After wearing protective equipment, you can spray or pour the vinegar directly onto the grass.

You may also create a vinegar-based solution by adding salt and dish soap.

Note that repeated use of vinegar can make the soil acidic, which can result in nutrient deficiencies and poor soil health.

It can also harm beneficial bacteria and fungi in the soil.

Sprinkle Salt

Salt kills weeds and grass by taking away moisture from the leaves and drying them out. Use rock salt since it’s more potent than other types of salt.

Similar to vinegar, you can use it on its own or combine it with water to make a solution.

When using salt directly, sprinkle a generous amount over the area. Then, water the area to help the soil absorb the salt.

The grass will die within a week after application. However, this method can leave your soil unusable for years.

Plus, the salt can leach into surrounding areas, affecting nearby plants, harming beneficial microorganisms, and potentially contaminating groundwater.

Only use this method if you’re removing grass or weeds in a patch of land that you won’t be using.

You may only use this on patios, walkways, and driveways.

Apply Baking Soda

Baking soda eliminates grass by drying out certain young weeds and changing the soil pH to a more alkaline condition.

This process prevents small grass and weeds from growing, resulting in their dying.

However, baking soda mostly works on young crabgrass and certain shallow-rooted and tender broadleaf weeds.

Baking soda doesn’t work well on mature grass with established root systems. Try another method if you don’t have these types of grass or weeds.

Follow these instructions to apply baking soda on your turf:

• Water your lawn.
• Apply baking soda generously on the grass, especially the leaves.
• Reapply every few days until the grass dries out.
• Remove the grass.

Since baking soda contains sodium and works similarly to salt, only use this option if you won’t use the soil for planting.

Baking soda can take away the nutrients and proper condition of the soil, nothing will grow in the areas it touches.

Try Flame Weeding

Flame weeding involves passing a flame over the weed or grass. The goal is to heat it enough that it destroys its plant tissue and dies.

This method works best on annual weeds, such as chickweeds and bluegrasses.

However, when dealing with perennials, treat them several times at two to three-week intervals to kill them since flaming doesn’t kill the roots.

You can use a small propane torch to do this. Since you’re dealing with fire, always be careful when using this method, and remember the following tips:

• Avoid getting the flame near other garden plants or crops.
• Maintain proper clearance from structures and ensure no nearby objects or debris may catch fire.
• Check if your city or state requires a permit or has restrictions for flame-weeding.
• Have water nearby in case the fire becomes uncontrollable.
• Don’t attempt this method during windy or dry conditions for better fire control.
• Do this during early spring when the soil is moist to avoid the fire from spreading.

Can Natural Methods Remove Grass Effectively?

Yes! All of the methods mentioned above provide an effective solution to eliminate grass. However, unlike chemical herbicides, these natural methods take time to produce results.

If you don’t mind waiting and doing these solutions yourself, you will find these natural methods effective in removing unwanted weeds and grass in your turf.

Otherwise, consider seeking the help of professionals to kill your grass organically without the hassle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Kill Grass and Weeds Naturally and Effortlessly with Professional Help

Although you can eliminate grass and weeds in your garden on your own, it can be quite challenging.

If you don’t have the time and energy to kill the grass or weeds in your lawn, consider seeking the help of experts, like SunCo.

SunCo offers various services, like weed control, lawn fertilization, organic solutions, and landscape maintenance, to homes and commercial spaces in the Midwest.

Tap the skills and know-how of experts, so you can sit back and relax as you admire your lawn!

Get in touch with SunCo today to learn how our Outdoor Specialists can help you.