While grass is always going to need trimming, there may be times when you want it removed altogether. Usually, this is the case when you are looking to restart a lawn with new seed or sod. It is also necessary when you want replace one type of grass with another; if you do not completely remove your old grass, your lawn will look haggard and uneven.

Ways to Remove Grass

The most common way to clear a lawn is to apply an all-purpose herbicide. These "weed-killers" actually kill just about any type of plant they come in contact with, and are very toxic. You cannot plant anything in ground that has been treated with herbicides for at least a week afterwords. In addition, these cannot be used in areas where they may drain into the ocean or other bodies of water.

If you cannot use herbicides where you live, or if you simply choose not to for environmental reasons, you can often remove lawns with your lawn mower. As odd as it may sound, most grasses need to be kept at a certain height in order to grow properly. If they are mowed down low to the ground, they may not recover. Repeatedly low-mowing your lawn, or "scalping," should kill off your grass.

Usually the process can be hurried along by not watering while scalping. Once the grass in the lawn has died off, it can simply be raked up and removed because its roots are no longer holding it in place. This is a more time-consuming but safer alternative to using strong pesticides on your lawn.