Should You Pull Weeds Before Planting New Grass Seed? Our Lawn Care Expert Weighs In

Planting new grass seeds is the beginning of an enviously green lawn. For a healthy yard, you need to prepare your soil before planting grass seeds by aerating the ground, amending its nutrients, and checking the soil's pH, but is it really necessary to pull out the weeds before planting new grass seeds? In an exclusive House Digest interview with Rob Palmer, brand president at Lawn Squad, the lawn care expert shared his advice and approval on removing weeds before planting your new turf.

Weeds are a lawn's natural enemy. However, with commercial and DIY weed killers that kill unwanted plants without harming the grass and weeds popping back up after you remove them, it seems like extra work to pull the weeds out before the new seeds go in. Nevertheless, Palmer believes that it's necessary. "Pulling weeds is always a good practice to help prevent the overaccumulation of weeds in the lawn," he said. For one thing, it can curb unwanted plant growth while boosting the health of your grass.

"Just like grass, weeds compete for space and consume the same nutrients and water needed by healthy grass plants," Rob Palmer exclusively told House Digest. "Removing weeds prior to planting reduces this competition and allows for easier grass germination and growth." So before you sew any new grass seeds, it is best to prep the ground first by pulling out weeds. This will help to create a healthy foundation for a thriving turf.

Gently yanking out the unwanted plants is one of the least harmful ways to kill weeds in your lawn. However, that might not always be ideal. "In some cases, weed quantities may be higher than what might be manageable to pull by hand," Palmer said. "In these cases, weeds should be treated with herbicides designed to remove the weeds present in the lawn, without injuring the desirable grass plants." Controlling the weed population in your yard is critical when you're planting new grass seeds and as the blades mature.

Managing the weeds in your yard doesn't stop once the new grass seeds are planted, Rob Palmer told House Digest in an exclusive interview. "Keeping weeds under control is important, not just when planting grass, but after as well to ensure your lawn stays healthy and aesthetically pleasing," he said. These unwanted plants steal nutrients from your grass and can create the perfect environment for pests that can then infest your lawn. Removing weeds helps to keep your grass strong in the long term, and hearty grass will also naturally be able to deter weeds.

"Grass, when healthy, can help to outcompete undesirable weeds and make it difficult for them to grow. Not only that, but healthy grass can also fend off insect and disease pressure better than lean or unhealthy grass," Palmer said. For a stunning lawn, it's best to get rid of weeds in your garden and yard during all growth stages of your grass.