A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion Landscape trials and triumphs Creating a Lawn where only weeds have been.

Hello, from Madera California

My husband and I bought a house with about 2.5 acres that had been empty for about a year and a half. The problem is there has been no grass for quite some time. We would like to plant a front and back lawn and don't know where to start.

What we have now is just field weeds. We have cut them down, but don't know what to do now to get rid of the weeds before we try to plant the grass seed. Do we treat the ground with something to kill the weeds? But won't that kill the future grass?

I have read all the articles on preparing the soil to grow the grass. But nothing is said about how to get rid of the weeds before we start tiling the ground and adding the nutrients.

Please help, new at gardening but this is why we bought so much land. Would like to start vegetable garden also, but lawn first.

Thanks for all the help!
:wink:

Here is a link to basic beginner lawnsweeds are another problem. Even if you eradicate every weed before you begin, lawns are still subject to random weed seeds blowing in or being tracked in by people and critters. The best defense after it has established is keeping grass as lush, healthy and full as possible.
Organic gardeners would not agree with this next suggestion of mine. I use roundup or a wannabe product from Walmart called Eliminator with the same basic Roundup ingredients. The main ingredient is glyphosate and works by absorbing into the green leaves down to the root and killing the plant. It also changes in the soil and turns into something neutral under there in a short time so will not hang around to kill off the next plant.
This is the only way I am able to maintain the weeds in my acre or two and keep the fire danger away from my house. I use a large sprayer and mix it up from concentrate because that is the most economic for me.
You may need to invest in the Sunset Western Garden Book. That is my go-to for learning much of what I have learned and need to research.

Thank you very much for all your help!

Thank you very much for all your help!