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How To Stop Grass From Growing?

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Though some people like to have grass in their garden, many others think that they are just stubborn weeds and would prefer not having a lawn and want to know how to stop grass from growing. Letting grass grow in your garden can lead to some problems.

For example, if you live in a region where snakes and dangerous insects are common, then a garden with long and dense grasses can become the main hiding place for these perilous creatures.

So, you won’t want to let your small children or your dear pets play in the garden with the risk of getting bitten by these.

Another problem is that grass is a very stubborn plant and it grows very quickly. So, if you have flower beds or vegetable plants in your garden, then these grasses can give them a tough time competing for sunlight, water, and minerals.

Whatever be your reason for not being in favor of letting the grass grow in your garden, there are a few ways how you can get rid of them.

How To Stop Grass From Growing 2
via Pixabay

There are many ways to stop grasses from growing in your garden. There are many chemical herbicides available in the market which very efficiently work.

But the problem with these herbicides is that they can lead to the degradation of soil and toxicity build-up on prolonged use. You can try any of them or even multiple ones as shown below per your need, the type of grass, and the availability of resources.

How To Stop Grass From Growing

1. Use A Land Mower to Cut Them

One of the most common ways of stopping grass from growing is, of course, getting them mowed from time to time. This way is the most suitable for those who would like to keep small, evenly sized grass on their lawn.

Though it requires some time and effort to cut the grass, a good land mower will get the work done seamlessly in a matter of a few minutes. There are many powerful lawn mowers available on Amazon in the price range of $100-$200. Check them out!

2. Solarize the Grass To Kill Them

If you want to kill the grass completely from your lawn but don’t want to use any harmful herbicides or chemicals, then you can consider solarizing them. This involves covering the grass with plastic (preferably black) and leave it under the sun.

This increases the temperature of the soil sufficiently enough to cook the grass, thus killing it. The best season for using this technique is in the summer. It generally takes a few weeks to kill the grass completely. After this, you can uncover the dead grass and remove the dead roots from the ground.

3. Use Horticultural Vinegar

Another effective way of killing grass is to spray horticulture vinegar over them. Since vinegar is a natural solution, it won’t lead to any toxicity in the soil.

It is worth noting that the horticultural vinegar is different from regular vinegar used for cooking purposes. It contains 20% acetic acid while the edible vinegar contains only 5% acetic acid.

Care must be taken, however, to not spray this solution on the plants that you want to keep or else they will get damaged as well. You can get this industrial-grade vinegar from any nearby pharmacy or can also purchase it online on Amazon.

4. Go for Sheet Composting

Sheet composting is another natural technique to stop grass from growing in your garden. In this method, first of all, you have to mow the grass in the given area.

Then, you have to cover the area with cardboard. A few layers of newspaper will also do. After this, pour water evenly over the whole cardboard followed by topping it with a few inches thick layer of compost.

What actually happens is that the grass dies due to a lack of air and sunlight. In due time, this grass gets decomposed and is converted into compost, adding to the fertility of the soil.

5. Pouring Boiling Water Over the Grass

Another chemical-free approach is to simply pour boiling water over them. This is more effective and feasible when you have to remove grass from a relatively small area.

The heat of the boiling water destroys the grass and also the root tissue. Not only does it kill the grass, but also any dormant seeds, reducing the chances of the grass appearing again.

You should take care, however, that the hot water doesn’t fall on the surrounding plants. With pouring boiling water, it is possible that the leaves get dried on the outside, but the roots go on living.

So, you will have to repeat this process after a few days to ensure that the grass becomes completely dead.

6. Pouring Rock Salt

Another natural way of stopping grass from growing in your lawn is to pour rock salt over them. The salt builds near the roots of the grass, cutting the supply of water and oxygen.

As a result, the grasses get dehydrated and die after a few days. The best salt solution is comprised of one pound of salt in a gallon of boiling water.

7. Use Solid Barriers to Stop Grass from Spreading

If you want to keep the grass in a certain area, but don’t want it to spread to an adjoining flower bed, then you can use this method. First of all, dig a ditch about 6 inches deep and a half-inch wide around the flower bed which you want to protect from the grass.

Then, get a barrier made of aluminum, plastic, or any other such material and put it inside the ditch throughout its length.


Conclusion

We hope that you get a satisfactory solution to your problem. Now you know how to control the growth of your grass as per your desire. If you want to keep the grass mowed then please get a land mower for your lawn today.

Also, by using natural ways for killing the grass, you will help to preserve the environment and keep your garden healthy at the same time by using natural reagents only.