control weeds with these natural methods

Do you love gardening? It seems that more and more people are planting gardens, especially vegetable gardens. Gardening is a healthy outdoor activity that rewards us with cleaner air, colorful blooms, and food for our tables. While the rewards are awesome, a bit of effort is required in both planning and maintaining a garden. One area that needs constant attention is keeping invasive weeds under control.

Weeds are definitely a nuisance in gardens, gravel driveways, patios and walkways. They can easily be killed with strong, toxic chemical weed killers. These are both detrimental to the environment and to the health of your pets. There are several environmentally friendly ways to deter and control the growth of weeds. Some involve manual labor and some require the use of natural herbicides that you can economically make from grocery store ingredients. Let’s take a look at some of the natural ways to get rid of weeds.

Mulches and landscape fabrics might be your first line of defense in a garden. After you have prepared your soil for planting, cover the soil with sheets of landscape fabric. Most garden supply centers sell these in rolls. They can be made of synthetic or natural materials like burlap. The fabric allows water to penetrate down to the roots, but deters weed seeds from sprouting. You can cut X type openings in the fabric through which your flowers, vegetables, and shrubs can be planted. Cover the fabric with organic mulch, like wood chips, for a completed natural landscape. The mulch will hold the fabric in place. This takes some effort and a little cash, but it should keep the garden relatively weed free all season.

Weeding may sound obvious, but it is a consistent way to keep up with the problem. You will likely be pulling up weed seedlings every time you walk through your garden or across your patio for the first few weeks of the season. Try to get down to the roots of the weeds using a hoe or some muscle. Eventually, the weeds will thin out.

Trimming between plants and on gravel and masonry surfaces is another good way to keep the weeds down. Leaves are what help the weeds to grow, so trimming the tops of weeds can deter further growth. Trimmers, also known as weed eaters, work by spinning a string at a high speed to sever the leaves and stems of weeds. Electric trimmers are better for the environment than gas trimmers. Both work well. Expect to keep weeds trimmed with a weed eater on a weekly basis throughout the growing season.

White vinegar is a safe and natural herbicide. It is best when used in a spray bottle that can be directed at only the weeds. The vinegar will kill most plants, so you need to be selective when using this method. To enhance the effectiveness, add some canola or citrus oil and dish soap to a vinegar and water mixture. The oil and soap will help the vinegar to stick to the leaves of the weeds. You can find some vinegar based herbicide recipes at The Garden Counselor website. Like trimming, you will likely need to be on a weekly schedule with the herbicide spraying. This works really well on stone driveways and patios where you don’t need to be as exact with your aim.

Salt can be mixed with water and applied to weeds to kill them. Mix 1 part table salt with 2 parts hot water to dissolve the salt. Spray this solution into the joints between your patio pavers or on your driveway and walkways. You might not want too much sodium in your garden soil, so this weed killing method might be best for stone paver and gravel surfaces.

Baking Soda is also effective for keeping weeds down on patios, walkways, and driveways. Bicarbonate of soda has sodium in it. It works similarly to salt. You can sprinkle the dry soda directly on weeds. Be mindful of the weather. A dry, not too windy day is best for this application.

Getting rid of weeds will help your plants to thrive better. While some weeds attract beneficial insects, many are very hardy and tend to take over and deplete the soil of nutrients that your flowers and vegetables need. It is best to get rid of the competition in a natural and safe way. Enjoy your garden.