Question
QUESTION: Early spring, my landscaper renovated the front yard: removing some topsoil in bare spots, puting new soil and seeding. Now, both grass and weeds (all kinds of them!) come out. What should I do?

ANSWER: Dear Gordon:

A good organic solution to manage the weeds in your lawn is a homemade recipe:

Weeds Be Gone Recipe

Ingredients
4 cups white vinegar
1/4 cup salt
2 teaspoons dish detergent

Directions
Mix ingredients together and spray on the weeds.  Repeat weekly as needed.

Regards,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks, Mack. However, will the homemade recipe kill the lawn as well. All the weed are interleaved with the good grass.

Answer
Dear Gordon:

The homemade recipe weed killer is indeed strong enough to kill some grass as well as broadleaf weeds.  I have a two pronged approach for you:

  1.  Try the weed killer mixture on a small test spot of weeds and grass, wait 2 or 3 days and then decide if you want to proceed with the entire lawn.

  2.  While this method IS NOT an organic approach, it can be very effective if the first method does not meet with your approval.  Spectracide Weed Stop lawn concentrate used in a garden hose attached water sprayer device is very effective in killing broadleaf weeds and not harming the grass.  Read label directions carefully and follow them precisely. Spectracide Weed Stop lawn concentrate can be found at your local garden supply center.

Regards,

Mack Jean
AllExperts
Master Gardener
Tennessee