How to Remove Grass From a Clay Tennis Court

Clay tennis courts can provide players with almost year round play as long as they are properly maintained. Finding grass shoots on your clay tennis court may not be a regular occurrence, but grass and/or weeds can grow on parts of the court that get little traffic such as under the net and the inside perimeters. If not dealt with, grass can overrun your court and cause extensive damage. Incorporating these simple steps into your clay court maintenance routine will save you money from costly repairs and increase your clay court's playing life for many years.

Things You'll Need

  • Scarifier-Lute
  • Broom or wide-edge tennis sweeper
  • Clay court roller
  • Garden spade
  • Chemical or herbicide agent
  • Electric leaf blower (optional)
  • Propane weed blow torch (optional)
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Instructions

    • 1

      Start off your clay court maintenance by clearing debris and/or trash found on the court. After match play, use a broom or wide-edge tennis sweeper and brush the court in a zig-zag motion starting at the baseline and moving to the center of the court. Be sure to sweep over the doubles line and push any debris to the sides. Do this for both sides of the court.

    • 2

      Remove any grass found on the court using a tool called a scarifier-lute which looks like a rake, but has smaller "teeth" on its edge. Sliding the tool up and down the court allows it to loosen and move around the individual clay particles on the surface and will remove any grass shoots you may find. Be sure to use the tool on both sides of the court. You may also need a garden spade for tough shoots. Use gentle strokes with the spade as you remove grass so not to damage any areas in the clay court cleaning process.

    • 3

      Prevent new grass growth by using a herbicide or chemical agent. Herbicides fall into two types: pre-emergent which prevents new growth from appearing by soaking into the roots of new seeds and post-emergent which controls grass growth on the surface. A combination of both types of herbicide will provide the best results. Follow all instructions and apply the herbicide in a controlled manner and at a constant height over the ground ensuring that all areas are covered. Be sure that the product label indicates it is safe for use on tennis courts.

    • 4

      Inspect the court after herbicide use and check for any problem areas. If grass continues to appear, consider using a propane weed burning torch as a permanent means of clay court grass removal.