How do you kill grass and weeds?

Desmond&MollyJones*

We installed underground sprinklers and now we are ready to take on the grass.

But right now the yard is 80% weeds, 10% sand, 10% grass.

We want to kill it all and start over.

We tried some spray stuff (chemicals?) but it does not appear to be working.

We are in a hurry because we want to get grass seed down before the end of September.  Possible?

megstoo

I used Scotts weed and feed.  My goal was to kill ONLY the weeds but it ended up killing my grass also 

SSM&JLM

Would it be more cost effective to rent a sod cutter and just cut it out?

Then do some top soil and grass seed.

+j+k+

Round up. 

aallenba

I'd say round up but that can be pretty expensive. You may want to google but I believe you can lay a tarp down on top of the entire section of the yard and leave it there completely covered for like a week and it kills the grass....however you still would have to get the dead grass up. I would rent a sod cutter/remover.

clea

Personally, I would go ahead and seed.  Just rake/rough up the dirt so the roots have something to grab onto and water it as directed.  Once winter comes, the weeks should die back, but the roots will hold the soil.

If you use roundup, you run the risk of poisoning the soil also and then the seeds will not grow either.

Work on creating strong grass, and it will choke out the weeds. Use weed killer sparingly and pull weeds.  I always have a pile/bag/box of pulled weeds.  Keeping your watering schedule will keep the soil soft and will enable the roots to come out easier.

Good luck.

+j+k+

I live in Iowa. Heart of farm country.  We have had industrial, farm strength round up on our grass from the neighbors fiels. My parents use it on their farm property. I have been familiar with Round Up for decades.  It won't "poison" your soil unless you're dumping an entire bucket on one spot.  The stuff the average person buys in any store, is EXTREMELY more diluted than what farmers use.   Grass/weeds and plants can and will grow within a week of the ground being seeded.