Preparation of heavily infested soils, especially with perennial weeds, it can cause many additional difficulties. Dicotyledonous weeds are quite easy to combat with chemicals. However, these measures can only be used in places intended for the lawn. If other plants are to be planted in the plane of the lawn, there may be a risk of infection with the preparations used, since some of them remain active until 8 weeks.
Mechanical weed control is of less importance in the cultivation of soil for lawns. However, they are often used in the event of heavy couch grass infestation. This weed cannot be combated chemically on soils under the lawn, because the preparations used for this purpose may adversely affect the young plants of the lawn.
The complete destruction of couch grass by mechanical means is almost impossible. Therefore, there are methods to weaken it shortly before setting up the lawn. For this purpose, it is best to break up the turf formed by couch grass rhizomes with a cultivator. This operation should be performed in crossing directions, choosing this time, when the soil is as dry and loose as possible. After harnessing and collecting rhizomes, the soil should be shallow (already 15 cm) plow. After leveling with harrows and smoothing the surface, you can start sowing grass seeds. In a properly cared for lawn, and most of all, the frequently mown couch grass is strongly weakened and ceases to be of importance as a weed.
During cultivation treatments, herbicides for combating dicotyledonous weeds and fungicides can be added to the topsoil as a preventive measure., if there is a risk of fungal diseases. Some fungicides can also be mixed with the seeds before sowing.
Choosing machines for soil cultivation for lawns, pay attention to their weight. Very heavy tractors used on compact and moist soils can destroy the loosening obtained during cultivation, and, above all, cause uneven subsidence of the soil.