Organic lawncare in four easy steps

Following these easy steps will make the grass grow so well it'll be difficult for weeds to invade, will retain moisture and promote long-term growth.

The Four steps

Nip small weed infestations in the bud
Don’t mow too low
Aerate your soil
Feed your lawn

Gather your materials

A weed puller
Old stockings
A kettle
A garden fork
A mower
Iron sulphate
Sheep manure
Watering can

How to identify the weeds in your lawn

The easiest way to find out what weeds you're dealing and therefore how to treat them is with your phone. Simply point your camera at the weed you want to identify and tap the screen.

Depending on the model you're using, you'll see some information about the plant pop up on screen along with a “more” button in case there's more information available from sources like Wikipedia or other apps.

Once you think you know what weeds you have, check against trusted sources as results can vary.

Flickweed cardamine hirsuta

Flickweed grows everywhere and it’s incidious –– if you see it remove it – otherwise it’s almost impossible to get rid of. Once they’re in your garden, they’re in for the long haul.

Oxalis oxalis sp

Do not pull this weed as pulling will spread the underground bulbs. Instead, dribble boiling water on the weed to scald the bulbs below. If it doesn’t work the first time, try again.

Bindii Soliva pterosperma

This flat weed doesn't have large energy stores from taproots or underground bulbs, so it's relatively easy to kill.

mix 2 tablespoons of iron sulphate with 9 litres of water HINT: To avoid any undissolved granules from blocking the watering can rose, put the powder in an old stocking or finely-woven piece of fabric and dunk this in the water until it is dissolved.
add to a watering can and apply to the patches of bindii and flat weeds. It's not unusual to see them turning black over night.

WARNING: this solution will stain clothes and paving and kill other plants too, so wash off any spills immediately.

Iron sulphate is available at most garden stores for around $12.

Clover

Vinegar is not only a natural cleaning remedy, you can use it to help get rid of your clover. Using several applications over a couple of weeks, you can spray a vinegar-based mixture onto the clover to dry it out and kill it.

One cup of vinegar
One cup of water
One drop of dish soap
Spray bottle
Directions
Combine the vinegar, water, and dish soap in the spray bottle. Shake.
Spray the patches of clover, being careful not to spray surrounding grass or plants.
Spray regularly for a couple of weeks. Over time, the vinegar will dry out the clover leaves and kill the plant. The dish soap helps the mixture stick to the clover.
Once the clover is gone, reseed with grass seed.

Dollarweed Centella Asiatica

Pull by hand. Removing the weed by hand may be appropriate for small quantities of young plants. If you plan to pull them out, be sure to remove the root, as the weed spreads by underground rhizomes, and leaving anything behind will cause it to return. If you are dealing with a large area of infestation, it is best to seek another removal approach.
Vinegar. If you are seeking to avoid chemical solutions, you can spot treat the dollarweed with white vinegar to kill it off. The acetic acid in vinegar destroys the leaves, preventing the plant from producing food, and eventually causing it to die. Vinegar should be applied on hot, dry days to avoid it being washed off by the rain. Expect the plants to die off within two weeks of application.
Boiling Water. Pouring boiling water on the dollarweed is a cheap way to kill it – just be careful not to damage any nearby plants.
Baking soda. Another natural approach is to apply baking soda to the leaves of the plant. It is applied by wetting the foliage and sprinkling baking soda over it, leaving it overnight.

A healthy lawn stops weeds invading

2. Raise the mower height

Cutting lawns too low enables weeds to take hold.

Turf allowed to grow longer naturally smothers outcompetes many lawn weeds.

Longer turf captures and traps dew and evaporation, which can be crucial for keeping a lawn green in dry weather.

3. Aeration

Aerating soil allows the grass roots to penetrate more deeply, helping them out-compete weeds.
take a garden fork, dig it into the lawn about halfway down the tines
gently lift the turf to create air pockets in the soil that allow water and nutrient to penetrate. This also boosts earthworm activity, which benefits soil health.
Aerate your lawn once a year each spring, as growth resumes.

4. Feeding

Pulverised sheep manure, sieved over the lawn enables fine particles to cover any exposed grass rhizomes and stimulates growth. Available at garden centres for less than $10.

The mix is a fantastic worm food and encouraging worm activity prolongs the benefits of feeding long after the application in spring.