Lawn help for new homeowner, please

[Anonymous]

New homeowner here. Our backyard is very small (it is mostly patio), but there is a grassy patch about 10’ x 10’ that is 80% clover and weeds vs grass. How do I tackle this back into majority grass? If possible I’d prefer natural remedies to spraying weed killer. Thanks for any tips.

[Anonymous]

Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Normally I'd completely agree with you (I've got a clover lawn myself) but for a 10x10 space the benefits are negligible at best. You could keep 10x10 looking like a putting green with minimal effort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover is a perennial weed that grows easily in moist areas. This shallow - rooted weed is found throughout the U.S. Clover also performs well in nitrogen - depleted soil, so keeping your lawn well fed can help keep it from coming back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover dies in winter and lawn turns to mud. That’s why it’s called a weed. I agree it’s lovely but if you want a usable lawn outside summer grass is needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover is a perennial weed that grows easily in moist areas. This shallow - rooted weed is found throughout the U.S. Clover also performs well in nitrogen - depleted soil, so keeping your lawn well fed can help keep it from coming back.

What is natural way to feed lawn?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:New homeowner here. Our backyard is very small (it is mostly patio), but there is a grassy patch about 10’ x 10’ that is 80% clover and weeds vs grass. How do I tackle this back into majority grass? If possible I’d prefer natural remedies to spraying weed killer. Thanks for any tips.

Some routes:
- hand pull the “easy” weeds like dandelions. Overseed with more grass. Clover is a nitrogen fixer, so if you don't need to go on the grass when it’s mud, it’s a net benefit to your lawn
- do the above the first year until August, then lay down cardboard (weigh it down) for a few weeks to kill it all (you might need horticultural vinegar on the weeds). Reseed. Water as directed, feed with milorganite or similar (compost tea, fish fertilizer). This will get you to a fairly green lawn. Apply corn meal gluten in the following spring to prevent any blown in or existing weed seeds from sprouting.
- would you consider a bee lawn? For a 10x10 area you could do the grass/weed kill and have a pollinator friendly lawn.

(Or kill your lawn and discover the addictive magic vegetable, flower or perennial gardening!)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover dies in winter and lawn turns to mud. That’s why it’s called a weed. I agree it’s lovely but if you want a usable lawn outside summer grass is needed.

Uhh, what? I've had a clover lawn for 5 years and it absolutely does not die in the winter nor does anything turn to mud.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover dies in winter and lawn turns to mud. That’s why it’s called a weed. I agree it’s lovely but if you want a usable lawn outside summer grass is needed.

Uhh, what? I've had a clover lawn for 5 years and it absolutely does not die in the winter nor does anything turn to mud.

I agree. I've had a natural lawn with clover for a decade now and it's not more prone to die-off or mud than other lawns with similar drainage. The first PP is confusing drainage with grass type. Now some single varietal grasses are more sensitive to cold or hot temperatures and will brown quicker in the heat, go into dormancy earlier in the winter, or require annoying amounts of fertilizer, etc. But most home-owners do not have single varietal lawns, thank goodness.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover dies in winter and lawn turns to mud. That’s why it’s called a weed. I agree it’s lovely but if you want a usable lawn outside summer grass is needed.

Uhh, what? I've had a clover lawn for 5 years and it absolutely does not die in the winter nor does anything turn to mud.

+100 and clover is attractive to pollinators.

Op you are right to skip the herbicides. Buy grass seed and read the directions and put it down. You just have to wet/water it often. Grass is also a weed and it can choke out other weeds. Just pull the bigger weeds by hand and leave the clover alone.

[Anonymous]

And in case you don't believe me, this is my yard in late January. Nothing dying, no mud. Clover clearly visible.

[Anonymous]

https://extension.umd.edu/resource/lawn-maintenance-calendar-maryland-tall-fescue-home-lawns

How to…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Clover is not a weed. The herbicide companies marketing their products could not prevent killing it along with the weeds so they decided to change how Americans look at clover by touting how their products kill it. True story. It looks very attractive interwoven with grass

Anyway, with such a small area, you can manually remove the weeds. Be sure to pull up the root systems. You can also try a vinegar spray mix, but I haven't had luck with that. Wait for a rainy day to soften the soil, and then weed. Once you're done, spread grass seed, place some sort of light mulch over the seed such as broken-up hay, and water daily.

Clover dies in winter and lawn turns to mud. That’s why it’s called a weed. I agree it’s lovely but if you want a usable lawn outside summer grass is needed.

Our tiny yard (similar to OP's) is also mostly clover and it does not die in the winter.

[Anonymous]

Or just throw some soil over the top and lay down some new sod. Perfect new lawn for $100.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the PP,it’s such a small area… just have a landscaper remove it and lay sod. You’ll need to water it well for a few weeks but then you’ll have a nice grassy area for the summer.