If the old lawn has become completely unsightly and cannot be saved by reseeding, you must renew it. The question then becomes whether you need to remove it entirely or whether it can simply be dug up. What methods are there for removing or digging up an old lawn?
Remove or dig up old lawn
Whether you’re removing an old lawn or simply digging it up depends on how much work and money you’re willing to put into it.
All you need to remove is a spade and wheelbarrow. Costs only apply if you rent a lawn peeler from a hardware store. You then only have to take care of the disposal.
To dig up lawns you will also need a spade or if you want to make things easier, a motor hoe. The old lawn is dug under and does not have to be disposed of.
Pros and Cons of Removal
Get all the weeds, moss, etc., out of the ground when digging up and removing. The area can be occupied again immediately.
However, removing the roots and also part of the topsoil seriously affects soil health. The microorganisms that aerate the soil and decompose dead plant matter are disturbed and take a long time to resettle.
Advantages and disadvantages of digging
When digging up, you have to make sure that you bring flowering weeds in particular deep into the ground. Otherwise, they will germinate quickly and you will get a blooming meadow.
The advantage of digging up is that the above-ground parts of the plant and the roots remain in the ground. They rot there and release nutrients into the substrate.
The microorganisms are also disturbed when digging up, but not as lastingly as when the old lawn is completely removed.
Methods to remove an old lawn
There are several ways to remove an old lawn:
- Clear the lawn with a spade
- Remove lawn by digging
- peel off the lawn
- cover lawn
Tips
If you want to dig up larger amounts of lawn, the use of a motor hoe is recommended. These are available in different versions. This greatly simplifies the work.
