There are a handful of ways to remove dead grass after it has been exposed to roundup. The easiest method involves a rake and a shovel, but the easier methods cost more. Below you can find 5 detailed options as well as what needs to be done to repair soil after it has been exposed to Roundup.
Before You Begin: Wait 2 Weeks Before Removing Grass
Roundup is an effective post-emergent herbicide that will kill grass and weeds down to the root with very little room for error. However, this process takes time. Rushing things may result in only partial removal of dead grass and plant matter or disruption of the process resulting in only the top layer of weeds or grass dying. Always wait the full 2 weeks before beginning any removal of dead grass and plant matter or other landscaping after using Roundup.
How to Treat Accidental Roundup Exposure on Plants
Roundup can be messy to apply and nature is unpredictable. A windy day, a leaking sprayer hose, or an accidental spill of any kind could lead to Roundup getting all over a portion of your lawn or garden where it was not meant to be. If quick action is taken, it may be possible to save any plant coated in Roundup, even grass or tender annuals.
The only and best way to remove Roundup is to flood the area with water as soon as possible. Aim to spray any leaves or grass with a little pressure to discourage the Roundup from sticking to the leaves. The sooner the Roundup is washed off and diluted, the more likely your plants are to survive.
Your Main Options for Removing Dead Grass After Applying Roundup
There’s more than one way to skin a cat, as they say, and there is more than one way to remove dead grass from your yard after applying Roundup. We’re going to run through your main options below.
Remove Dead Grass after Roundup With a Sod Cutter
If you’re looking to remove dead grass from a large area, a sod cutter may be the most effective way to remove large amounts of dead grass; roots and all. In many cases, renting a sod cutter is the most cost-effective way to acquire this tool as it has few uses other than stripping large spaces of sod and dead grass. Most hardware stores will rent these to you or you may be able to hire a local lawn and garden company to do the removal.
A sod cutter will cut down into the dead grass and sod at whatever depth you have set it to. This is typically between 2 and 3 inches. Sod cutters, though easier to use than a shovel, can still be very difficult to maneuver and lift. It may be helpful to have another person around to help make the most of your rental time. Though the sod cutter will cut the sod away from the soil, it’s important to note that this sod and grass will need to be rolled up and hauled off by hand after.
Remove Dead Grass after Roundup With a Heavy Rake or Dethatching Tool
If a small patch of grass was killed, using a rake, power rake, or dethatching tool can help pull out all of this unwanted dead grass and prepare an area for overseeding or other work that does not require the removal of all sod or root systems.
First, it can be helpful to start by mowing your lawn as close to the ground as possible. Next, rake up any clippings or thatch from the surface of the lawn. Then, with a heavy rake or a dethatching rake, work through the yard or dead patch in sections to pull up and rake out and remaining clumps of dead grass.
Though not as quick as a sod cutter, many people find this process easier to manage on their own, quieter, more cost-effective, and easier by far than digging up the sod with a shovel. There is also very little leveling to do after this process is complete if you do intend to seed an entirely new lawn.
Remove Dead Grass after Roundup by Tilling
This is less a method for removing the dead grass as it is a method for making the most of it. All you need is a tiller. The larger and heavier models are the best for this task. While it is possible to use a lighter model, you will need to make far more passes while, with the type of tiller you can rent at most farm or hardware stores, you could be done after a single pass and only need to rake the yard to even it out.
Whichever type of rototiller you choose, be sure to set it to a depth of about 6 inches. This makes it so that the grass and weeds are pulled deep into the soil and do not become a problem for the roots of new sprouts or the application of new seeds.
Remove Dead Grass after Roundup by Digging and Raking
The next option and possibly the most thorough option after using a sod cutter is the more “traditional” digging and raking method. For this to work, it can be helpful to mow your lawn as short as possible and bag or rake up any clippings first. If you have a dethatching tool, running that over the lawn can also make it easier to break ground with your shovel.
Once you begin digging, you have two options for what to do with the sod. First, you could attempt to slide the shovel just a few inches under the ground and cut the grass off at the now-dead roots. This sod may then be composted or discarded.
Alternatively, many people prefer to dig in 4 to 6 inches and then turn over the sod. The dead grass will decompose and feed your new lawn or any plants added to the area over time. Once all the digging is done, rake the area to smooth it out and catch any small, remaining clumps of dead grass.
Remove Dead Grass After Roundup by Cutting or Trimming
This method only applies if you are attempting to kill grass in between stones or in other types of cracks and crevices. Roundup kills grass and any other plant at the root. This means that even if you do not remove the entire plant, it will not continue to grow. Any weeds growing between stones can then be cut off at ground level and will break down further over time.
This is also true if you plan to place stones or other materials over the newly killed grass. All you need to do is cut the grass as low as possible first. However, it may also be beneficial to sprinkle a germination inhibitor over the area, such as corn gluten meal, to prevent any weed or grass seeds from growing. These seeds may have blown into the area after the Roundup was sprayed and, as such, have not been affected by the glyphosate.
After Removal of Grass Killed By Roundup: Repairing the Soil
Roundup, or simply glyphosate, has a number of effects on all soil types, even if it is applied exactly as the manufacturer suggests. Glyphosate lowers pH, acidifying the soil, depletes microorganisms and earthworm communities, reduces available nutrient content including nitrogen and potassium, and may impact the soil’s ability to retain moisture in the short term. Once the grass has been removed the following steps should be taken to correct these adjustments before additional grass or other plant life is set into the soil.
Apply Water to Help Neutralize Any Remaining Roundup
Roundup has a known half-life of up to 60 days in the soil if conditions are dry and the soil is poor. The higher the clay content and moisture level in the soil, the quicker the product with break down. Roundup can fully break down in as little as 21 days, though it often takes up to 2 months under average conditions. Flooding the area after cleaning up any plant matter that was covered in Roundup will help prepare the area for new plant life. This will also help you get more accurate pH readings and help prepare for re-seeding.
Check and Ammend pH
Roundup may have a slight acidifying effect on the soil. After 2 weeks to 2 months have passed and before any new plant life has been planted, it’s a good idea to check the pH and, if it is too acidic, apply some lime or another alkalizing substance.
Add Compost or Organic Matter
Yes, it is possible to buy and add microbes to your soil, but working in “live” compost or other untreated, decomposing organic matter will often be less expensive and help correct the nutrient deficiencies using Roundup may have led to.
Check Soil Texture and Ammend if Needed
Using Roundup and then removing sod can leave soil with a temporary “dusty” texture and low organic matter in the topsoil to provide nutrients for new plants. If a new lawn is to be re-seeded or any plants are to be added, it’s a good idea to add a light mulch on top of these new seeds or around any new plants. Be sure to fertilize seedlings as well as they may have a hard time thriving otherwise.
Using Roundup May Require More Work Than You Think
While it’s true that there are many options for removing dead grass after an application of Roundup, if you are removing an entire yard, the process can be brutal no matter which option you choose. This is unavoidable. However, it’s much easier than attempting to pull up live sod, grass, or weeds. Once you succeed there’s still more work to be done if you want the best soil for your new lawn or planting, but the work will be worth it when you get to see the final result.
I had the gardener use Roundup on the back yard to kill the weeds so that I can plant mini clover in the dirt. He had helped me using Roundup on the front yard in order to kill the grass that was already sort of dead so that I could plant the type of grass I like and we’d waited 2 weeks. At which point we had lay down sod and it worked quite well.
Now with the backyard I’ll be putting seed in to the Earth and he said something like wait 5 or 6 weeks which I thought was outrageous because I only waited two weeks when we did the front yard. I live in Central Texas and it’s mid-April and I really wanted to get this done before summer heats up which can begin mid May. He is indicating I should wait till the end of May to plant the mini clover.
What do you think? I’m more worried about the hot sun 🌞🌞 in Texas than the fact that the soil might not be decontaminated from the Roundup. He just does basic gardening with me and he has NEVER himself ever planted seed.
I’m going to do it on my own because I don’t think it’s that difficult and I think I will enjoy it. If it does not come up in May🌱 I will have lost $40 and I guess I can start again in June but that’s very dangerous because it will be a hundred and ten degrees. I would be thankful for any advice you could give me. Thanks.🌻
Carole Patterson
Hi Carole!
I would go ahead and plant the clover seeds if you haven’t already (sorry about the delay). Remnants of the glyphosate will remain in the soil for weeks, but these remnants shouldn’t harm the seeds or seedlings in any great way. You should still see strong germination rates and thriving patches of clover.
Make sure you rake up and remove any dead grass and weeds before planting as the residue that clings to these plants will be much more harmful than anything that could be in the soil.
Beyond that, what you will want to do is water the area very well the day before and the day of planting, not enough to end up with mud but enough to thoroughly saturate the soil. This will not only help clear up any residue but it will help the seeds “stick” to the soil and germinate just a bit faster. This will also help prevent the seeds from being blown around by the wind and could help you see where the seeds have landed a little easier, helping to ensure more even broadcasting.
You are right about the hot sun being much more dangerous to your clover seedlings than any roundup in the soil, as long as the dead or dying grass and weeds have been thoroughly cleared away.
I hope this helps you 🙂
Nice article! I am a little late to the game from purchasing a new home with an overgrown lawn. It’s been 2 weeks after spraying roundup and I have patches of dead grass similar to your picture.
Is it too late in the year to remove and reseed the lawn? What should I do this year as a stopgap until I can reseed in the fall?
I am planning on just mowing right now and holding off on any other activities until fall.
Hi KY 🙂
It can be hard to prevent more grass and weed seeds from popping up on your lawn if you remove the grass now. However, with as much time as there is until fall you have a few options.
What I would do, given how much time you have and how difficult it can be to keep your soil prepped would be to remove the sod, seed now, and then overseed after the first frost. This should get you a thick lawn with no bare patches for next spring. The only caution I would give in this situation is to make sure to water your seeds/sprouts/and seedlings more often in the hot early summer weather until they are an established height of 2″ across the lawn.
If you are determined to wait and overseed in the fall, I would still remove the grass to prevent anything from taking root again in the following months. This is an uncommon situation but far from impossible and makes the grass a complete pain to remove after. Then I would use some sort of cover or a thick mulch that can later be dug, raked, or tilled in. This can help prevent new sprouts from coming up or taking root. Then seed in the fall as planned.
I hope this helps! If you need any more information, please let me know!
Tom.
I bought a house that had a Nimblewill patch that has grown yearly despite manufacturer-recommended instructions on the herbicide designed to kill it (Tenacity). Now that it has taken over most of my back yard, and a large portion of my side yard, I decided to just “nuke it from orbit” and used Roundup to kill the whole affected sections of the yard and start over.
My concern is twofold:
1. As I am applying Roundup, the root structure of this horrible “grass/weed” is so stout that new shoots keep popping back up, long after the grass is dead. New applications of the Roundup are not as effective as the earlier ones – I have about 10-20% of the amount of Nimblewill still green so it’s enough I don’t want to just reseed yet. How much glyphosate is TOO much over the summer to seed in the fall?
2. Assuming I can seed in the fall, is it safe to use a tiller to grind up the maybe just “mostly-dead” roots? Or will a sod cutter be required? If I go that route, maybe I can do that now and get enough of the weeds without spraying the lawn more? It’s very pernicious so I am wanting to avoid it coming back as much as possible.
Thank you in advance for any advice!
Hi Tony,
I’ll share a few thoughts on this below. I hope it helps!
1. To answer your first question, glyphosate can be used within 4 weeks of seeding a lawn in the fall. So if you apply the final application of the product on August 1st, you should be completely fine to seed your lawn by August 29th. Always water well a day or two before seeding, as well as on the day of.
2. Unless you can be sure all of the Nimblewill is completely dead and dried up, it is best to remove as much of the plant matter as possible. Though this means more work now and an extra application of fertilizer in the following year, it should leave less room for error.
3. As an additional note, I am somewhat surprised at how little success you have had with Tenacity. For anyone reading this later, there are a few things that can lead to a more complete kill rate when using this product, according to Oregon State University.
First, the product should be timed so that the 3rd application of Tenacity coincides with the date you want to seed your lawn. Second, when applying Tenacity, you should aim for late fall to early winter. Tenacity will not harm grass seeds and works best if the final application is followed by cold weather. Tenacity has a lower success rate when applied in late spring and early summer. Finally, it is important to note that adding a surfactant, such as “Dawn Ultra” to the Tenacity solution at a rate of 3 teaspoons per gallon can help the product penetrate through to the roots more easily.
Let us know how you go 🙂
Cheers, Tom.