If you’re a regular gardener then you probably spend a lot of time weeding. Your paths may be covered with chickweed and the flower beds are full of dandelions; that’s because weeds steal water and nutrients from your plants, and weeds will continue to spread until the whole garden is overrun with them. Cutting weeds and pulling them out doesn’t always work to get rid of them completely.
Some weeds drop seeds that germinate in a couple of days, or even years later. Weeds with deep or big root systems will break apart and resprout from the stems, or other small parts that stay in the ground. Luckily, your garden doesn’t have to be destroyed to get rid of weeds. In this article we’ve got 10 tips you need to clear weeds from your garden and protect your flowers.
How Do I Get Rid Of Weeds In My Garden?
- Dig them up from the roots
- Use mulch
- Spot kill
- Mow them down
- Use boiling water
- Use baking soda
- Use vinegar
- Use newspaper
- Use alcohol
- Use dishwashing liquid
1. Dig Them Up From The Roots
This method may be slightly time-consuming, but it is a trusted, all-natural method to get rid of weeds when done properly. You can use a garden fork or hand trowel to carefully lever the weed out from the soil, aiming to remove the whole root system to prevent regrowth.
This technique is useful if you don’t have many weeds in the garden, but if you do have a lot of weeds, you may want to invest in a weed-pulling tool. They work with a claw that you put around the weed, and step on, before easily pulling it out from the ground.
2. Use Mulch
Mulching is a simple way to suppress weed growth as it is added to the top of the soil. Biodegradable mulches including garden compost, wood chippings, processed bark, straw, or rotted manure will all work well to suppress weeds while releasing nutrients back into the soil. This will also help your plants to grow.
3. Spot Kill
If you only have some weeds popping up through cracks in your driveway or garden path, you can pour some bleach directly onto them, then wait for a couple of days to pull them out. A cup of salt dissolved in 2 cups of water will also work. You could also spray weeds with apple cider vinegar or white vinegar, but if it rains, their strength will be diluted. Also, be careful that you don’t get any of these substances on your grass or desirable plants.
4. Mow Them Down
Frequent mowing is another good way to deter weeds from growing on your lawn. It weakens them and stops them from setting seeds. Eventually, it will eradicate them from your garden.
Be sure to attach a basket to the lawn mower instead of just leaving the clippings on the grass. If clippings are left on the grass, the weed seeds can be spread around the garden, creating more of a problem. Once your garden is free from weeds, the clippings can be left on the ground as a natural fertiliser.
5. Use Boiling Water
A simple solution for getting rid of weeds is boiling water. Pouring boiling water directly into the base of the plants will cause an instant shock, killing the weeds and any seeds that may be lying dormant in the soil.
This method is useful for driveways and garden paths, and the weeds will die within a few days. It’s not recommended to use this method on lawns or borders of plant beds as they can become damaged too.
6. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda can be used as a weed killer. Firstly, wet the weeds so that the powder can stick. Then sprinkle one teaspoon of baking soda onto the leaves of the weeds and leave it to work. This method is also useful if you want to target specific weeds that have grown between flowers that you don’t want destroyed. If weeds haven’t been killed, you can reapply baking soda in 4 to 6 weeks.
Baking soda can also work as a preventative measure to keep weeds from growing in your paving. Sprinkling baking soda in the cracks can stop them from growing in the first place. This can be repeated every few weeks.
7. Use Vinegar
Vinegar’s active ingredient, acetic acid, is effective at getting rid of weeds. Even plain vinegar that goes on fish and chips can help. Simply pour vinegar into a spray bottle and spray it onto the weeds. Be careful when spraying, you don’t want to spray vinegar onto your favourite plants as vinegar will destroy any vegetation it touches.
8. Use Newspaper
A layer of newspaper will block out sunlight and oxygen from the weeds. This will smother weeds that have already sprouted and prevent new ones from growing. You can place newspaper in 10 sheet layers that are wet, to hold them down, then cover them with some mulch. If weeds start to grow in the mulch, add more layers.
9. Use Alcohol
Vodka mixed with 2 cups of water and a few drops of dish soap will work to dry out weeds that grow in the sunlight. This method doesn’t work too well for weeds that grow in the shade. Protect your beloved plants as vodka will dry them out and damage them too.
10. Use Dishwashing Liquid
Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid to vinegar or vodka in a spray bottle, then spritz the solution onto the weed leaves. The solution will also make the leaves shiny so you can keep track of which ones have been sprayed.
Conclusion
In combination with these strategies, enrich your soil with organic matter like mulch whenever you can, to help your garden become weed-free. Strangely enough, fewer weeds germinate in soil that contains fresh infusions of compost or organic matter. When soil is healthy, weeds are less likely to appear. There are also commercial weed killers that come in liquids, solids, or ready-to-use products such as sprays, that are useful for breaking down the weeds in the soil.
If your garden has become too much to handle, or you need regular maintenance outdoors, reach out to the Sweepsouth outdoor team for all your gardening service needs.
