If you were to write down every hour that you have spent in your backyard or garden, you would probably find out that you spent ridiculous amounts of time on removing weeds. And while the first few days of pulling out these annoying intruders can give you a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, you will soon have to do it again.
However, an even more annoying thing to find out is that there are numerous strategies you can follow to get rid of these weeds forever, or at least for a much longer time than just a couple of weeks.
Here are some of the best tips we can share about control the weed growth.
Minimize digging and cut the weeds
source:backyardworkshop.com
Every single inch of your garden probably contains at least one weed seeds, but only those that are in the first one or two inches of the soil get enough solar energy to trigger growth. Digging around and cultivating can bring those unwanted weed seeds back to the surface, so always be prepared and know that those weed seeds are ready to germinate every time you open up a new hole in the ground. So, dig only if you have to and immediately close the hole with plants or mulch.
In smaller lawns, you can minimize the soil disturbance by using a short sharp knife to cut through the roots of those pesky dandelions or any other lawn weeds. By doing this you are severing their source of food instead of digging them out.
If you are looking for the best way to get rid of weed in your lawn, please take a look at this guide.
There’s no such thing as too much mulch
source:goodhousekeeping.com
Mulch helps plants by keeping the soil moist and cool and depriving the weeds of any source of light. Organic mulches, can actually even host some bugs that seek out and feed on those annoying weed seeds.
However, if you opt for more chunky mulches, you will find out that light does pass through it and that the mulch is already filled with weeds. It is vital that you replenish the mulch constantly to keep it about one or two inches deep. If you go more than 3 inches deep, you may deprive the soil of oxygen and damage your plants. In other words, you can use anything to block the light so you set the weeds back. You can even use a sheet of cardboard, biodegradable fabric or even newspapers and then spread much over it.
Weed at the right time
source:homeguides.sfgate.com
You probably have heard about the saying pull when wet and hoe when dry, well you definitely should follow that saying. After the rain, get yourself some gloves, something to sit on and a bag so you can start weeding. You can also take a regular fork with you so you can twist out those tendrils of chickweed.
When weeding in dry conditions, the weeds that are sliced off below the soil line, will wither and die, especially if you are using a sharp knife. Remember, after severing the weeds from their roots, make sure you patch up any dug up places with mulch.
