In gardening, the worst part is pulling the weeds. While the plants you grow sometimes need all your attention to grow, weeds are easy to grow and take root quickly, suffocating other plants because they spread their seeds in a very short period of time. Weeds attract even the most harmful insects. If you pluck them early and frequently by following a few helpful guidelines to control them, you will eventually have a beautiful weed-free garden.
Steps
Step 1. Learn the difference between annual and perennial weed
- Annual weeds die at the end of the year, so they have a root system that stays on the surface. They should be eliminated when they are still sprouts, so as not to spread the seeds. You can rip them off with the roots and all.
- Perennial weeds are much more resilient, develop via culverts and recur if any part of their roots are left in the ground. Take them out by digging and trying to extract all the root system, possibly intact.
Step 2. Pull or remove weeds by digging when they are still small, so that they don't have a chance to spread the seeds, which otherwise will force you to pull out more grass later
This is especially important because annual weeds germinate, flower and produce seeds in just a couple of weeks.
Step 3. Farm the land
A grower will allow you to turn the soil around the plants and thus extract annual weeds more easily. However, you should carefully remove those perennials before growing, otherwise you will go to cut the roots from which more weeds will spread.
Step 4. Spread the fertilizer
- Put a thick layer of organic fertilizer around your plants. This will prevent the light from reaching the weeds that try to grow and cause them to die. In addition, organic fertilizer is a nourishment for plants, because it prevents the soil from drying out, giving it a better appearance.
- Spread a layer of black polyethylene fabric between the rows of plants and bury it under the decorative mulch. This will block the penetration of light into the soil and prevent water from reaching the weeds trying to grow underneath. The polyethylene film also traps heat, so it could give problems to some plants.
- Try an anti-weed fabric under the decorative mulch. Unlike polyethylene film, this fabric does not heat the soil, making it the best choice for plants that cannot tolerate warm soils. Blocks out light, but allows water and air to penetrate. However, it is possible that some weeds will find a way to pop up from under the fabric, so you will still need to pluck them from time to time.
Step 5. Apply a herbicide
- Make a herbicide with household chemicals. It will be much safer for the garden and the family. Vinegar, salt, soap, orange oil and lemon juice are ingredients used to make a herbicide at home. However, they are not without problems, as they can irritate the skin, build up chemicals in the soil, and kill the plants you want to grow instead.
- Choose a selective herbicide that only kills weeds. Some herbicides kill everything they come in contact with. If you make a mistake when applying, you risk ruining the whole garden.
- Find out if you need a pre- or post-emergence herbicide. Pre-emergence herbicides are designed to kill seeds before they can germinate, but they can also kill seedlings. Post-emergence ones kill mature plants.
Advice
- Use markers to locate the perennials you grow, so when they're young or dry out over the winter, you won't confuse them with weeds.
- Wait to spread the fertilizer after you tear up the weeds. It is best for weed seeds to germinate so that you can remove them before fertilizing the soil. If you don't, the seeds will likely remain dormant and appear in subsequent growing seasons.
