Nothing compares to the relaxing feeling of lounging on your deck after a long day. When the weather is nice, you can use this outdoor area to grill, read or even take a nap.
Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for grass and weeds to emerge through a deck’s wooden planks.
If your deck is close to the ground, you may discover grass protruding through the planks. To prevent this from happening, consider the following tips.
Mow It
First and foremost, you should mow the area under your deck. Assuming it’s not blocked off or otherwise restricted, use a lawnmower to cut the grass down to about 2 or 3 inches. Allowing the grass to grow taller than 3 inches may result in some of the blades protruding through your deck.
Apply Herbicide
After mowing the grass, apply an herbicide to the grass under your deck. There are dozens of herbicides available for sale at most home improvement stores. Glyphosate is a popular choice because it kills all plants and weeds by inhibiting them from producing essential proteins.
You can also make your own herbicide by mixing distilled white vinegar with liquid dish soap, table salt and water. Whether you use store-bought or homemade herbicide, though, you should apply a generous amount over the grass and ground below your deck.
Just remember to use caution so that it doesn’t get on your lawn or “good” plants.
Lay a Tarp
No herbicide lasts forever. Even if you cover every square inch of the ground with a premium, high-quality herbicide, grass will likely grow back given enough time.
To discourage the grass under your deck from growing back, cover the ground with a large tarp (or multiple tarps). Tarps restrict the amount of sunlight and water that the grass receives.
Without sunlight or water, neither grass nor any other plant will grow here.
Inspect Regularly
Finally, try to get into the habit of inspecting the area under your deck on a regular basis to ensure that no weeds or grass are emerging through the tarp. If the tarp shifts due to the wind or bad weather, grass may be allowed to grow. Repositioning the tarp and reapplying herbicide as needed can prevent grass from growing under your deck.
The Woodsman Company offers tree planting, tree pruning and shrub trimming, tree removal and stump grinding as well as a tree wellness program.
If we can help with any of your tree care needs give us a call at 512-846-2535 or 512-940-0799 or
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