You might be looking to save water, reduce landscape maintenance, or grow more interesting plants, instead.
Tokeep a lawn lush and greenrequires a lot of water and work.
Want more gardening tips?
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Using Herbicide to Remove Grass
Applying a chemical herbicide is another easy way to remove grass.
Another pro of this method is that it’s quick, but chemical herbicides are toxic substances.
Using Solarization to Remove Grass
This method employs clear plastic rather than black plastic.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Moisten the grass before applying the plastic.
Unlike using herbicide, it’s a safe method for removing grass, but it has some cons.
It requires long sunny periods to be most effective, so you’re dependent on the weather.
The Spruce / Steven Merkel
Similarly to smothering, it’s a relatively slow method, too.
Digging Out Your Lawn
Along with using herbicides, this method is a course of last resort.
A sod-cutter is one option.
B
oth of these power tools can rented from your local rental center.
One pro of this method is that, like using an herbicide, it’s fast.
You won’t have to worry about removing the grass: The raised bed, itself will smother it.
Simply fill the bed with good soil, ensure drainage, and begin planting immediately.
For example, if you decide to lay gravel down,install landscape fabricbefore you apply the gravel.
If your yard needs extra drainage help,install a French drain.
Many plants perform poorly without good drainage; some will die without it.
You should also have your soil tested to check its pH level.
After many years of neglect,some soils will become too acidicfor certain plants to thrive in them.
After you’ve built up the soil,decide on a garden design.
Garden design has both aesthetic and practical aspects.
Smothering is the easiest method.
Its main drawback is that you have to wait a while for it to work.
